Definition

Noun: - Illegally produced homemade gin: A type of gin, typically of poor or harsh quality, that was made illicitly, especially in private homes during the era of alcohol prohibition (such as in the United States from 1920 to 1933). The name humorously suggests it was made in a bathtub due to the vessel's size and availability.

Usage

• This term is primarily historical and refers specifically to spirits produced illegally.
• It often implies low quality, danger due to improper distillation, and the clandestine culture of prohibition.

Examples

• During Prohibition, many people resorted to drinking bathtub gin.
• The party had a 1920s theme, complete with jazz music and (non-alcoholic) cocktails pretending to be bathtub gin.
• His grandfather told stories about the terrible taste of the bathtub gin they made in their apartment.

Advanced Usage

• As a cultural/historical reference: The term is often used to evoke the atmosphere of the American Prohibition era.
  • The novel is filled with flappers, speakeasies, and bathtub gin.

Variants and Related Words

• Moonshine (n): A broader term for high-proof distilled spirits, typically whiskey, produced illegally.
• Bootleg (adj/n/verb): Referring to goods, especially alcohol, produced or sold illegally.

Synonyms

• Homemade gin
• Illicit gin
• Bootleg gin

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Bathtub gin itself can be used idiomatically to represent any crude, homemade, or illicit alcoholic beverage.
  • This cocktail tastes like someone made it with bathtub gin. (Implies it is very poorly made or harsh.)

Noun

1. homemade gin especially that made illegally