By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL – This weekend, Rio’s bars and restaurants host the first “Circuito Carioca de Gim”, a gin festival aimed at celebrating the English distilled drink with the most creative Carioca recipes.
Gathering more than twenty bars in Lapa, Zona Sul (South Zone) and Barra, the circuit started on November 6th and will be on until this Sunday, November 26th.
Even though the gin is popularly known as a typical English drink, the “brother of vodka”, as some like to call it, is actually original from the Netherlands.
Created in the seventeenth century by a Dutch doctor, whose purpose was to find a cure for kidney problems, the mixture of juniper and distilled cereals soon became the famous gin.
Thanks to the English, who were the pioneers in the large-scale production of gin, the drink is present today in every single bar in the world.
The opening edition of “Circuito Carioca do Gim” challenged the participant venues to create a brand new cocktail, inspired in the theme “the flavor of Carioca summer”. The purpose of the circuit, which is also a contest, is to stimulate the Carioca mixologists and bartenders to prove gin’s versatility and go beyond the classic “gin and tonic”.
Among the great gin cocktails, one should try out are La Eskina’s “Amazing Lichia”, prepared with Amareto liqueur, lychee, gin, lemon and milk cream.
The Catalan bar El Born, in Copacabana, is serving the “Raízes” (Roots), an interesting mixture made of Campari, gin, beet sirop, Vermouth Noilly Prat, lemon juice and coriander roots. At Irajá Bistrô, in Botafogo, “Gim da Praia” (Beach Gin) is also a great bet, made of Gim Amázzoni, mate and limoncello.
In Barra, the Vizinho Gastrobar is participating in the contest with “Tiki, pero no mucho”, a special cocktail made of Amazzoni gin, tonic water, honey fermented with ginger, lemon and bitter.
“In the last two years, gin became a big trend in Carioca bars, some of which are now offering menus exclusively dedicated for this distilled drink”, says Documennta Comunicação, company responsible for organizing the event.
What: “Circuito Carioca de Gim 2017”
When: November 6th – November 26th
Where: see event to check the participant bars.
Entrance: FREE