CRAFT MADE TONIC A
WRITTEN BY STEVEN SEIM
s the craft spirits industry grows, so too are the cottage could actually taste like.” Brad’s knowledge of the evolution of industries around it taking advantage of the opportunity gin and tonics also helps drive him to develop tonic’s stale flavor
to expand and evolve. Among the creators turning passion for into something more worthy of its history. He has researched spirits into a growing fringe market is Brad Feather, creator of quinine’s (the base ingredient of most tonics) use as medicine Kina Tonic. This tonic concentrate, sold in volumes not much against malaria and its evolution into an ingredient used by the bigger than most bitters, is his take on a handmade craft mixer. British East India Company, saying, “That’s my favorite of the Based in Seattle, Bradley turned a Kickstarter campaign into stories, because it’s the only reason we still consume G&T’s this successful side business. Part of his inspiration, he says, today.” After quinine stopped being useful as an anti-malaria came while working at Sound Spirits Distillery (which he still drug, its popularity didn’t subside. Part of the reason for that was works at part time). He was put off by seeing customers mixing a common method of taking the medicine was mixing it with gin. premium gins with poor tonics: “After all of the time struggling
While quinine is the essential ingredient in a tonic, there are
to make a perfectly balanced malt-based aromatic gin, folks still a wide variety of recipes and ratios that exist between different go and dump a half a can of store brand diet tonic on top of it. brands. Brad is proud to say that Cinchona Bark (or Kina Bark), It just blew me away.” While he doesn’t blame consumers for which is the source of Quinine, makes up 90% of his spice bill. not knowing about tonic-alternatives, his goal is to help educate That is unique among tonics. “In fact,” he says, “I only have more people about craft mixer options in order to improve their two other spices included in the whole damn recipe.” While drinking experience.
he doesn’t reveal his entire process, he does say he sources
So where did Brad get the idea that tonic can be better than Cinchona from a region of the world that has historically grown the mass-produced stuff bought at the store? During his younger it for medicinal purposes. While the farm supplying his cinchona drinking years, gin and tonics were one of the first cocktails he bark has invited Brad to visit, a personal trip hasn’t been viable learned to enjoy. After working in the alcoholic beverage industry yet. But he has been able to fly to other places around the world and evolving his palate, he says, “frankly, they just started to test ingredients for upcoming, unannounced products. to taste like hell.” Brad searched online for a variety of tonic
Brad is proud of what he believes makes his tonic worthy
recipes, tried several, and was underwhelmed. “Most were way among other craft spirits. He said, “my tonic is handmade from out of balance, but definitely changed my outlook on what a tonic the ground up. Hell, the only machine I have is a tiny pump.”
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