Does Gin Actually Make You Cry?
- The myth: Gin is often blamed for making people emotional or tearful.
- Scientifically false: All alcohol is a depressant, gin isn’t chemically more ‘sad’ than any other spirit.
- Emotions are influenced by context: Mood, setting, and personal psychology play a bigger role than the type of alcohol.
- Historical roots: The myth likely stems from the 1700s “Gin Craze”, when gin was associated with social problems and earned the nickname “Mother’s Ruin.”
- Faster intoxication? Gin is often served with low-sugar mixers, which can lead to a quicker alcohol spike, potentially triggering more noticeable emotional shifts.
- Reality check: It’s not the gin making you cry, it’s the circumstances around when and how you drink it.
- Verdict: Gin doesn’t make you cry, so you're good to keep drinking it!
"I can't drink gin, it makes me cry".
It’s one of those things we’ve all heard - whispered across a bar table, half-joked about at a party, or declared with conviction by a friend after a night that didn’t end so well. But is there any truth to it? Or is it just another one of those booze-fuelled legends that’s clung to our collective hangovers for far too long?
Let’s lift the lid (or should we say, the gin bottle cap) on this one.
The Myth: Gin Is a Depressant (More Than Other Alcohol)
Gin often gets labelled as the “sad spirit.” People say it makes them emotional, tearful, or melancholy - especially after a few too many. But scientifically? Gin is no more of a depressant than any other alcoholic drink. All alcohol is a depressant, regardless of whether it’s served with tonic, vermouth or a slice of grapefruit.
In fact, most standard spirits - gin, vodka, whisky, rum - contain similar levels of ethanol. So chemically, there’s nothing in gin that specifically triggers sadness.
So Why Does Gin Get the Blame?
It might have less to do with what’s in your glass, and more to do with what’s on your mind when you’re drinking it.
Psychologists have suggested that the setting and the mood you’re in before drinking can heavily influence how you react to alcohol. If you’re already feeling a bit fragile or tired, alcohol (especially neat or high-strength spirits) can intensify that emotion.
And gin, being typically served in elegant glasses with botanical flair, sometimes finds itself at the centre of slower, more contemplative drinking moments, where your thoughts can wander and your feelings creep up on you. That’s not sadness in a bottle… it’s just your brain in a glass.
Blame History, Not Juniper
The whole “gin makes you cry” story likely harks back to the Gin Craze of the 1700s, when cheap gin flooded the streets of London. It was associated with poverty, overconsumption, and social decline famously depicted in Hogarth’s grim artwork Gin Lane.
It was dubbed “Mother’s Ruin,” not because of the botanicals, but because of its accessibility and the social chaos it caused when drunk in excess. Over time, that reputation lingered, and so did the idea that gin leads to sorrow.
But… What About People Who Say It Definitely Affects Them?
Look, we’re not here to call your nan a liar.
Some people do feel a bit more emotional after gin, and that’s valid. But it’s likely to do with individual psychology, context, or the speed and amount consumed, rather than the gin itself. Also worth noting: people often mix gin with less sugary mixers, which means it can hit harder and faster than, say, rum and cola.
That sharp uptick in blood alcohol could lead to mood shifts, especially if you’re drinking on an empty stomach.
The Verdict
No, gin doesn’t make you cry.
You make you cry.
(But we promise, it’s nothing a good snack, a glass of water, and a Pickering’s G&T can’t help with.)
So next time someone blames gin for their tears, remind them: it’s not the juniper, it’s the journey.
