Overview
While some bars are slowly opening in Sydney and Brisbane, many of us are still stirring and shaking our cocktails at home. To help brighten up our time inside — and our DIY cocktails — Adelaide Hills gin distillery Applewood has just released a new pink gin.
Dubbed Coral, its name pulls inspiration from two sources. Firstly, the colour — the gin itself is pink, but the bottles have also been hand-sealed with one-of-a-kind pearlescent pink wax. Secondly, the gin has been inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and a portion of sales from the pretty-in-pink drink will go to a charity dedicated to the reef's restoration.
The world's largest coral reef system has suffered regular mass coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by climate change, which kills the reef's algae and starves the coral — but, thankfully, there are charities out there working to regrow and regenerate the damaged coral.
Coral gin is made, in true Applewood fashion, using native Australian botanicals: salty karkalla (a succulent found on many Aussie beaches), spicy riberries and sweet strawberry gum. You can serve it as a G&T — garnished with pink peppercorns, if that's something you can get your hands on — or, you can whip up a Coral gin fizz. You'll find that recipe down the bottom.
For now, only 800 bottles are available, but the gin is expected to stick around as part of the company's core range in the long term.
Coral gin is on sale now for $70 via the Applewood Distillery website, with Australia-wide shipping available.
Coral gin fizz
CORAL GIN FIZZ
60 millilitres Coral gin
30 millilitres pineapple juice
30 millilitres cream
Barspoon of molasses (about 1/2 a teaspoon)
Three drops vanilla extract
Three drops of Wonderfoam
Soda
Add all ingredients except soda with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake, then remove ice and shake again (called a dry shake). Double strain into a tall glass and let settle. Top with soda and ice.