6 of the biggest gin trends for summer 2019

Both in the UK and worldwide, the gin scene is absolutely booming: Britons purchased a mind-blowing 73 million bottles of the good stuff in 2018. Here at Craft Gin Club, our lovely (and fashion-forward) members have been at the forefront of the gin revolution for the last five years!

We know our avid gin-lovers like to keep abreast of all the latest gin news, so here are our tips for the biggest gin trends of summer 2019!

Perhaps the current political turmoil has us all looking back with nostalgia at what (through rose-tinted glasses anyway) seem like the happier, more carefree days of our childhood? Whatever the reason, summer 2019 is all about gins and cocktails inspired by retro British sweets and desserts.

From flavoured gins paying homage to penny sweets such as parma violets, to cocktails emulating the flavours of rhubarb and custard sweets and Bakewell tart, this trend is as comforting as it is delicious.

Sure, there are a lot of brands out there still trying to catch attention by creating bizarre flavours of gin using weird and not-so-wonderful ingredients, but with the rise in the popularity of gin generally has come an increased level of public interest in high-quality, real craft gin that uses classic botanicals in new and innovative ways to create a unique, delicious bottle of junipery goodness.

Here at Craft Gin Club, our team of gin experts is constantly scouting the country - and the globe! - to find the world's finest small-batch gins to send to our members in our treat-filled Gin of the Month box.

Over the course of a year, our members can discover six gins from the UK and six from the rest of the world, including rare and exclusive editions not available elsewhere.

The desire for real and unusual craft gins is a trend that’s set to grow and grow, and Craft Gin Club members can be at the front of the wave! Not yet a member? Find out more!

Gin-themed weddings have been growing in popularity over the last few years, and summer 2019 is the year they are really set to be the most fashionable way to celebrate the Big Day.

Whether you’re going all out and designing the whole event around your favourite tipple, including gin-themed table plans, decorations and wedding favours, or just want inspiration for gin cocktails that could replace champagne at the reception, there are now a multitude of options for gin-lovers who are getting hitched.

Check out some of our suggestions for the best ways to incorporate gin into your wedding.

Purple or colour-changing cocktails may be grabbing headlines, but in terms of real popularity for summer 2019, the only drinks to be seen with are pink.

From a straight pink gin and tonic to classic cocktails like the Clover Club, to rising stars that look set to be the new classics, pink is everywhere.

And the most on-trend pink drink of the summer? So far, it looks like this grapefruit, gin and sparkling wine number could be the one on everyone’s lips, literally and metaphorically! Rumour has it, it even made an appearance at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding - and where the Markle goes, we follow!

As gin becomes more and more ubiquitous, an ever-increasing number of people are turning their hand to making their own gin or gin infusions.

Many gin distilleries are now running regular ‘gin schools’ where you can learn how to create your own unique blend of botanicals, distil it and then design and create a bespoke, personalised bottle of your very own gin. Check out our pick of some of the UK’s best gin schools!

For an easier and more affordable - but quite delicious - alternative to visiting a gin school, many people are turning their hand to home-made gin, or gin infusions flavoured with their favourite fruits, herbs and spices.

With summer heralding the arrival of all the delicious seasonal citrus fruits and early berries, it’s the perfect time to jump on board this hot trend and get busy in your kitchen making your own gin! Find out how.

Ten years ago, the only garnish you would have seen on a gin and tonic is likely to have been a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber. These days, the growing - and increasingly sophisticated - audience of gin drinkers is enthusiastically experimenting with a whole host of delicious garnishes that are much better matched to the array of gins on offer and their unique profiles.

This year, in keeping with the push to growing more of your own produce and bee-friendly plants at home, we’re also seeing a big trend in “gin gardens” - plants cultivated with your G&T in mind!

From chilli plants to herbs and flowers such as lavender, sage and even the more exotic lemongrass, green-fingered gin drinkers are going mad for home-grown garnishes.

The more ambitious are even branching out (sorry) into edible flowers that not only look super pretty as decorations for a gin cocktail, but even enhance the flavour!

Find out how to grow your own cocktail garnish at home, and check out our handy guide to using edible flowers in cocktails.

Craft Gin Club members receive a fabulous surprise box delivered to their door every one, two or three months. Each Gin of the Month box includes an exclusive full-size bottle of gin, paired mixers and garnishes to make your favourite drinks, sweet and savoury snacks and our club magazine.