Gin & Tonic - On Tap Recipe

Mix gin and tonic syrup

In a chilled, clean pitcher or bowl, combine 2.5 oz London dry gin with 0.5 oz Jack Rudy tonic syrup. Stir gently to integrate the syrup fully into the spirit.

Stretch with chilled water

Add 2.5 oz of very cold water to the gin and syrup mixture (this 'stretches' the tonic syrup to tonic ratio). Stir gently for 10–15 seconds to ensure homogeneous mix and to cool the liquid without adding dilution from ice.

Taste quickly — the final concentrate should be noticeably tonic‑like but slightly stronger than a finished glass to allow for carbonation perception. Adjust by adding up to 0.25 oz more syrup if you prefer a sweeter/tangier tonic profile, or up to 0.5 oz more water if it's too strong. Record any adjustment for batch consistency.

Sanitize keg or mini‑keg

Sanitize the keg or mini‑keg and any fittings according to manufacturer instructions using a no‑rinse sanitizer. Rinse only if required by the sanitizer's directions. Chill the sanitized vessel in an ice bath or refrigerator until very cold (under 40°F / 4°C) — cold liquid carbonates and retains CO2 better.

Transfer mixture to keg

Carefully pour the chilled gin + stretched tonic concentrate into the sanitized, chilled keg. Avoid foaming; pour down the side if possible. Leave a small headspace (about 10–15% of keg volume) for pressure.

Set up CO2 and carbonate

Connect the keg to the CO2 regulator and set the pressure to 30–40 psi for quick carbonation if you intend to force‑carbonate rapidly (or 10–12 psi for slow carbonation over 24–48 hours). For quick method: shake the chilled, pressurized keg gently for 1–2 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes and repeat until desired carbonation is reached (typically 2–3 cycles). For slow method: set to 10–12 psi and leave refrigerated for 24–48 hours to naturally absorb CO2. Use a carbonation cap or regulator to monitor pressure. Target carbonation is approximately 2.5–3.0 volumes of CO2 for a crisp gin & tonic mouthfeel.

After carbonation, reduce serving pressure to 8–12 psi and chill the keg to serving temperature (38–42°F / 3–6°C). Purge a small amount of gas and draw off a small sample to check carbonation and flavor. If foam or over‑carbonation occurs, bleed a little pressure and re‑chill before serving.

Prepare glassware

Fill highball glasses or copa glasses with large ice cubes or one large sphere. Prechill glasses if possible.

Dispense on tap

Pull a measure (about 6–8 oz) from the keg into the prepared glass. For a lighter mouthfeel, draw 6 oz; for a fuller drink, draw 8 oz. The product coming from the keg is already mixed and carbonated, so serve as dispensed without additional mixing.

Garnish

Finish each glass with one lime wheel and optionally a juniper sprig. Express the lime over the drink if you want extra aroma. Serve immediately.

Note: If you prefer to top with fresh tonic from a bottle for extra effervescence, reduce the kegged concentrate proportions (reduce gin/water/syrup proportionally) and top each glass with 2–3 oz bottled tonic; adjust garnish accordingly.