Beefeater Gin – Price, Drink Recipes and More

The price of Beefeater gin is about $17 for a 750 ml bottle for the classic London Dry variety. Gins from this brand are sold in more than a hundred countries of the world, with total annual sales of 21.6 million liters. This makes Beefeater gin one of the foremost brands of the Gin industry, alongside Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire.

This gin is made exclusively in England, has a wonderful aroma and a harmonious taste. Beefeater gin’s cost to quality ratio is also low as compared to other premium gins, making it affordable and very popular.

We will compare the cost of Beefeater gin from shops across the world later in this blog. But first, we present its average prices and history.

Beefeater Gin Price

Story of Beefeater Gin

Unlike many gins in the London Dry category, the Beefeater was indeed created in London. This drink became available to the public for the first time in 1876.

The story of Beefeater began in 1863 when the pharmacist James Barrow, an Englishman by birth, returned to his homeland from Canada. With his savings of £400 he bought a Chelsea distillery in Kennington. Barrow was not only lucky but also ambitious. For the next 13 years of his life, he devoted himself to experiments with various herbs and spices, aiming to create the best gin of all time.

As a result, the Beefeater gin was born, its bottles adorned with colorful attire of the guard of London Tower.

Many people mistakenly consider Beefeater’s date of birth to be 1820, but in fact, the Chelsea distillery itself was built this year.

For over a hundred years, the Barrow family has acted as the constant producer of this gin. However, in 1987, the Beefeater brand was sold to Whitbread. Then in 2005, the French company Pernod Ricard became the owner of the brand. At the same time, the drink, as before, is made exclusively in London.

Pernod Ricard has also acquired a majority stake in Monkey 47 gin.

You can take a guided tour through the Beefeater Distillery for the history of this brand and the history of gin in London.

Why is Beefeater Gin called Beefeater?

According to the story, the guards of the Tower of London, were called “beef eaters” because often they were given salaries with chunks of meat, most likely beef. It must be said that naming the gin after the ceremonial palace guard was quite contrary to the general trend of naming products after one’s family or emblems. Decorating the bottle with the image of the Beefeater certainly added to the gin’s attraction.

Gin lovers today may associate the ceremonial guard of the Tower of London more with Beefeater gin than the guards themselves.

Beefeater Gin Ingredients

It is worth recognizing the talent of James Barrow, not only as a pharmacist but also as a botanist. Over the years of experimentation, he managed to create a really interesting and harmonious drink. The Beefeater gin contains more than ten different botanical components. In addition to the traditional juniper, are ingredients such as angelica, licorice, coriander, lemon peel and Seville orange, almonds, and iris.

Although these are not all the ingredients that are used in the production of this gin. The exact recipe of the Beefeater gin is kept in strict confidence.

The bitter characteristic of this variety of gin and its pleasant herbal aroma are achieved through a precise blend of coriander, almonds and angelica. 

All botanicals are poured with first-class barley-wheat spirit, where they are infused for about a day. Then this infusion is sent to the distiller, to obtain a finished alcohol base, which is diluted to the final required 40%-47% alcohol content.

This is quite contrary to how Hendrick’s gin is produced.

To learn more about gin’s ingredients in general, read this.

Gins from Beefeater Brand

1. BEEFEATER LONDON DRY GIN 

This is the first gin of the Beefeater brand, which is more than 150 years old. The color of gin is transparent, has a strong and rich aroma of herbs and spices. The taste of this dry gin contains astringency of juniper and citrus fruits. It leaves behind a dry aftertaste with a citrusy aroma. The Beefeater gin can be drunk in its pure form over rocks but also forms an ideal basis for a variety of alcoholic cocktails.

2. BEEFEATER 24

This is a fairly young gin that appeared only in 2008. It is a modern twist of classic London dry gin. It consists of 12 different components such as juniper, licorice, almonds, angelica seeds and root, green Chinese tea, Japanese Sencha tea, lemon peel, orange and grapefruit.

Beefeater 24 is called so because the botanicals are steeped in refined grain alcohol for a full 24 hours. It has a transparent color and a rich aroma with notes of juniper and citrus. The palate is fresh, with bright notes of juniper, citrus and spice. The finish is long, spicy and citrusy.

3. BEEFEATER BURROUGH’S RESERVE EDITION 2

A rare exclusive gin for those who are looking for something new. This gin is aged in oak barrels of red and white Bordeaux. It has a copper color and a complex deep taste. Each batch of Beefeater Burrough’s gin is unique in its own way. It is produced in large batches, indicating the year of release.

4. BEEFEATER LONDON GARDEN

This gin was created in honor of Apothecaries Garden, which was located just a couple of minutes from the Beefeater factory and cared for by the creators of the Beefeater gin. This gin is a classic dry London gin with a hint of lemon, herbal and leafy notes. It is a fairly rare gin that is not easy to buy.

The current owners of the English brand continue to tirelessly experiment with the original recipe of the Beefeater gin. As a result, almost every year a variety of seasonal novelties are released in limited quantities. For example, the 2009 Beefeater 24 modification included zest of grapefruit and several varieties of Far Eastern green tea. And in the seasonal summer party, released in 2010, blackcurrant, elderberry and hibiscus were added to the canonical list of ingredients.

5. BEEFEATER PINK GIN

This latest addition to the Beefeater brand is full of traditional aromas of juniper, citrus fruits and complemented by strawberry notes.

Beefeater distillation master Desmond Payne spent several months trying to achieve the noble, pale pink color of the new gin. Since experts noted an increasing trend for pink gin, the emphasis was placed on appearance and taste in order to present a novelty for the market.

Beefeater gin cocktails

Gin and Tonic

Pour 50 ml Beefeater London Dry gin and 200 ml Schweppes Original Tonic into a chilled glass. Add 1 orange zest and two pods of cardamom.

Enjoy a great Gin Tonic recipe with Beefeater gin.

Negroni

The Negroni cocktail with a strength of 30% is a popular aperitif cocktail. It combines the bitter and spice from Campari with the sweetness of vermouth and the juniper from the gin. It tastes quite good with Beefeater!

>> View recipe

White Lady Cocktail

White Lady is a strong alcoholic cocktail based on gin with orange liqueur and lemon juice. It is a classic short drink that is served in small portions and drunken in small sips. The drink is known for its soft, well-balanced citrus flavor with a slight sourness.

French 75

A strong concoction made by adding champagne to a gin sour. The bubbles from the bubbly make the subtle notes in the gin rise up to gives a flavorful drink. A great choice for festive occasions like the New Year.

>> View Recipe

Gin Fizz

A classic gin fizz brings the best out of gins. Its refreshing, easy to make and a great way to appreciate any gin’s aromas and taste.

>> View Recipe

Beefeater Gin Price Comparison

Compared to premium gins such as Hendricks or Monkey 47, Beefeater London Dry Gin’s price is not high. It lies around $17 for a 750 ml bottle, which is similar to the cost of Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray gin.