Walk into any high-end cocktail bar in New York, London, or Tokyo today, and you’ll see it. That distinctive, brown-paper-wrapped bottle with the string tie and the wax seal. It looks like it was smuggled out of a basement in 1922. It’s Bathtub Gin and Company, or more specifically, the brand known as Bathtub Gin produced by the folks at Ableforth’s. People love the aesthetic. It feels dangerous. It feels "authentic." But the reality of what bathtub gin actually was—and how this modern company turned a deadly historical necessity into a luxury spirit—is a weird, slightly gross, and fascinating journey through liquid history.
Prohibition wasn't a party. Honestly, it was a mess.
When the 18th Amendment kicked in, the "good" stuff vanished overnight. Distilleries closed. Professional blenders went out of business. In their place, we got amateur chemists and mobsters. They weren't making artisanal botanical blends. They were taking industrial alcohol—stuff meant for fuel or medical use—and trying to make it drinkable. They’d water it down in the only vessel large enough to hold a decent batch: the bathtub.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Name
The term "bathtub gin" is actually a bit of a misnomer, or at least, it’s not as literal as you think. You’ll hear people say it was distilled in a tub. That’s impossible. You can't distill in an open tub; you’d just have a room full of explosive fumes and a very disappointed bootlegger.
The tub was for the "cut."
Bootleggers would take a gallon of high-proof, often toxic, industrial spirits and dump it into the bathtub. Then they’d turn on the tap to dilute it. Because the bottles were usually too tall to fit under the sink faucet, the bathtub tap was the only place they could fill the containers. They’d throw in glycerin for "mouthfeel" and juniper oil to mask the scent of chemicals. It tasted like turpentine. Sometimes it blinded people. Sometimes it killed them.
Contrast that with Bathtub Gin and Company today. When we talk about the company and the brand, we’re talking about a process called cold compounding. It’s actually a very old-school way of making gin that predates the modern "London Dry" style where everything is redistilled together. Instead of just boiling botanicals in a copper pot, the producers take a high-quality grain spirit and literally infuse it with ingredients like orange peel, cassia, cloves, and cardamom.
It’s why the gin is tinted. If you’ve ever poured a glass of Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin, you’ll notice it isn't crystal clear. It has a slight amber or straw hue. That’s the color of real botanicals. It’s the "compounding" part of the process. In the 1920s, that color would have been a warning sign of poor filtration. Today, it’s a mark of flavor density.
📖 Related: Is there actually a legal age to stay home alone? What parents need to know
The Business of Nostalgia
Why does a company spend so much time making a bottle look like a piece of trash from the 1920s? Because we’re obsessed with the "speakeasy" vibe.
The modern Bathtub Gin and Company success story is a masterclass in branding. They realized that the story of the spirit is often more important to the consumer than the spirit itself. By using brown paper, string, and wax, they tap into a collective memory of rebellion. It’s clever. It’s also a bit ironic, considering that a real bootlegger in 1925 would have given his left arm for a bottle of gin as clean and safe as the one they’re selling now.
The company behind the most famous "Bathtub" brand is Atom Brands. They’ve won dozens of awards, including gold medals at the International Spirits Challenge. They proved that "compounded" gin wasn't just a cheap shortcut. By using high-quality botanicals and a base spirit that isn't, you know, wood alcohol, they reclaimed a technique that had been disgraced by history.
The Science of the Soak
Most gins today are made using a "carter-head" still or by boiling botanicals in the pot. The vapor carries the flavor. With the Bathtub Gin and Company method, it’s more like making tea.
- They start with a copper pot-distilled gin.
- They add the "heavy hitters": Juniper, Coriander, Cloves.
- The botanicals sit in the liquid for a specific amount of time.
- It’s tasted constantly.
- Once the flavor profile hits that "creamy" note they’re famous for, they pull the botanicals out.
The result is a gin that feels "thicker" in your mouth. It’s why it works so well in a Negroni. The boldness of the cloves and cardamom can stand up to the bitterness of Campari. In a standard Gin & Tonic, it’s almost too much. It’s a loud gin. It doesn't whisper.
Why the "Death" of Bathtub Gin Was Necessary
We tend to romanticize the Gatsby era. We think of flappers and jazz. We forget about "Jake Leg."
During Prohibition, the government actually ordered the poisoning of industrial alcohols to discourage people from drinking them. They added things like kerosene, brucine, and formaldehyde. Bootleggers tried to "clean" the alcohol, but they rarely got it all out. Between 1920 and 1933, it’s estimated that thousands of people died from drinking tainted bathtub gin.
👉 See also: The Long Haired Russian Cat Explained: Why the Siberian is Basically a Living Legend
This is why the rise of a legitimate Bathtub Gin and Company is so significant. It’s the ultimate redemption arc. We took a term that literally meant "deadly homemade swill" and turned it into a premium product category.
It also changed how we drink. The reason cocktails became so popular in America wasn't just because they were fancy. It’s because the gin was so bad you had to drown it in honey, lemon, and juice to swallow it. The "Bee’s Knees" or the "Last Word" weren't born of culinary genius; they were born of survival. Modern companies now recreate these drinks with high-end spirits, but the DNA of the drink is still rooted in masking the taste of a bathtub.
The Global Reach of the Aesthetic
It isn't just one company anymore. The "bathtub" style has spread. You see it in the "Old Tom" revivals and the "Navy Strength" bottles that are popping up in every liquor store from Austin to Berlin.
People want grit.
We’ve moved past the era of the "vodka-fication" of gin. In the 90s, everyone wanted gin that tasted like nothing—clean, crisp, and invisible. Now, thanks to the influence of the craft movement and the branding of companies like Ableforth’s, we want the dirt. We want the spice. We want to see the sediment.
Actually, speaking of sediment, that’s a big point of contention among gin nerds. Some people hate that compounded gin can be cloudy. They think it looks "unprofessional." But for the Bathtub Gin and Company crowd, that cloudiness is the point. It’s a physical manifestation of the essential oils from the juniper berries. When you add tonic water to a high-oil gin, it often undergoes a "louche" effect—it turns milky. This is exactly what happens with Absinthe or Ouzo. It’s a sign of quality, not a defect.
How to Spot the Real Deal
If you’re looking to get into this style of spirit, you have to be careful. A lot of brands just use the word "Bathtub" as a marketing gimmick without actually using the compounding method.
✨ Don't miss: Why Every Mom and Daughter Photo You Take Actually Matters
Look at the color.
Look at the bottle.
Check the botanical list.
A true compounded gin from a reputable Bathtub Gin and Company will usually list specific, pungent spices. If it tastes like a standard London Dry, it’s just a label. You’re looking for that hit of cinnamon or clove on the back of the throat. That’s the hallmark of the style.
It’s also worth noting the ABV. Most premium bathtub-style gins sit around 43% to 46% ABV. This isn't just to get you buzzed; it’s because alcohol is a solvent. To hold those heavy botanical oils in suspension without them separating, you need a higher alcohol content. If you drop the ABV too low, the gin becomes a murky mess.
Is It Worth the Hype?
Honestly, it depends on what you like. If you want a martini that is bone-dry and clear as a diamond, stay away from bathtub gin. It’ll ruin the drink. It’ll turn it yellow and make it taste like a spice rack.
But if you’re making a Martinez? Or a hot gin punch? Then there’s nothing better.
The Bathtub Gin and Company movement has forced the industry to look backward. It reminded distillers that flavor doesn't always have to be "refined" to be good. Sometimes, it can be raw. Sometimes, it can be a little bit messy.
We’ve come a long way from the 1920s. We no longer have to worry about going blind from a Tuesday night drink. We’ve taken the most dangerous era of American drinking and turned it into a hobby. It’s a strange way to honor history, but then again, history is rarely as clean as we like to pretend it is.
Practical Steps for the Curious Drinker
If you're ready to dive into the world of Bathtub Gin and Company products, don't just pour it over ice and hope for the best.
- Taste it neat first: You need to understand the oil content. Feel how it coats your tongue compared to a standard gin like Tanqueray.
- The "Louching" Test: Add a single cube of ice or a splash of cold water. Watch for the cloudiness. If it stays perfectly clear, it’s likely been heavily filtered, which means you’re losing out on those essential oils.
- Pair with Citrus: Compounded gins love orange. Swap your lime wedge for an orange peel. The oils in the orange skin will play off the clove and cardamom in the gin perfectly.
- Check the Wax: If you buy a bottle from the major Bathtub Gin and Company brands, the wax seal is usually thick. Don't try to peel it with your fingernails. Use a heavy knife and cut around the rim of the cap. It’s part of the ritual.
The speakeasy isn't a secret anymore. It’s a global business. And as long as we keep buying the story of the bathtub, the string, and the brown paper, these companies will keep blurring the line between a dark past and a very tasty present.