While the city is lauded for its eighteenth-century architecture, there’s another remnant of the Georgian era that also demands celebrating in Bath - gin! During the Georgian era, Bath was gripped by the Gin Craze and now that stills are once again operating in the city 250 years on, there’s no stopping the gin renaissance.

If you’re looking for a hefty measure of ginspiration, here's our pick of the best gin bars and experiences in Bath.

Circo

Discover more about the juniper drink’s history at Circo, while tucking into one of their delicious cocktails or joining a masterclass lead by their expert team.

Image - Circo 

Socialize at The Gainsborough Bath Spa

A luxury hotel with many glittering hospitality accolades under its belt, the bar at The Gainsborough is not your average hotel bar. With a stellar collection of artisan gins and craft spirits, plus expert bartenders adept at curating bespoke concoctions, it’s a drinking destination in its own right.

Image - Socialize at The Gainsborough

ArtBar at Abbey Hotel

The quirky interior of ArtBar at the Abbey Hotel was inspired by an artist’s studio. Wine glasses dangle from the ceiling and an ever-changing, expertly curated collection of art supporting local artists and charities graces the walls. Apparently there are 64 gin and tonic combinations to tempt your tastebuds!

Image - ArtBar 

The Bar at No.15 by GuestHouse

Hidden within luxurious boutique hotel No.15 by GuestHouse, on one of Bath’s grandest streets, the hotel bar is a peaceful cocktail spot. Swizzling and shaking the best British spirits, liqueurs, shrubs, syrups, brews and bitters, their bar staff mix all kinds of scrummy cocktails. Their gin selection is particularly impressive and features all the usual classics as well as local tipples.

Image - No.15 by Guesthouse 

The Botanist

Milsom Place’s octagon-shaped building began life as a fashionable private chapel for Georgian high society and can count Jane Austen and William Herschel (discoverer of Uranus) among its many distinguished visitors. Now in the hands of national chain The Botanist, upstairs is a bright, airy restaurant and bar where people come to brunch and expert bartenders whip up a whole host of gin cocktails. Their Beneath Bar is based in the cellar vaults of the building and offers up a variety of 'cocktail elixirs' and botanically-inspired tipples.

Image - The Botanist

The Hideout

Although they may be more famous for their 300+ collection of whiskies, The Hideout know a thing or two about gin, and still have an impressive selection for you to choose from, as well as many delectable gin cocktails.

Chew Valley Distillery

Located just outside the city in Bitton, the multi award-winning gin Chew Valley Distillery offers year-round tours and tastings, and also has an onsite tap room and shop should you want to relax while sampling your way through their range, or take some home.

Image - Chew Valley Distillery

Yuup Bath

Choose from a range of gin masterclasses, dinners and distillery tours from local businesses on Yuup's easy-to-use website.

Image - a gin workshop from Yuup Bath

Afternoon tea with a twist

Several of the city's most popular afternoon tea locations give you the option to upgrade your drink from tea or coffee to a G&T or cocktail, including Sweet Little Things and The Bird. 

Image - Sweet Little Things

The Bath Distillery Gin Bar

Tucked down a cobbled Georgian street in the city centre is The Bath Distillery Gin Bar, home of Bath Gin (who you can thank for bringing gin distilling back to Bath for the first time in over 250 years, after stills were closed due to the Gin Act in the eighteenth century).

Each week, the distillery creates a select gin list of new flavours alongside which its team of mixologists whip up inventive gin-based cocktails. Not enough gin for you? They also have a whopping 230 other gins on their shelves, each paired with their own unique mixer and garnish. Learn all the booze-fuelled secrets of Bath Gin on a one-hour tasting experience and distillery tour, or perfect your own Bath Gin tipple in one of their cocktail masterclasses.

Sub 13

Set over three floors of a swish Georgian townhouse, Sub 13 has gained a reputation as one of the coolest places to drink in Bath. Make your way to the ground floor for a serious gin fix – here you’ll find The Gin Bar, dedicated to G&Ts with a twist, served in a balloon glass. And the best part? They’re 2-for-1 all night. Take your tipple onto the twinkly lit terrace, try a cocktail in Bar Two or carry the party on in the club below. For those that want to get clued up on the wonders of England’s national spirit, you can book a one-hour gin masterclass with the Sub 13 experts.

Bath Botanical Gin Distillery

Based in Widcombe, this charming craft gin distillery is laid out like an old Apothecary shop, dispensing artfully arranged gin bottles and intriguing jars of coloured liquids – seasonal fruit gins, cocktail bitters and herbal elixirs.

Qualified medical herbalist Sue Mullett is the mixologist behind Bath Botanicals and her No.1 Gin is concocted using her knowledge of plant flavours and historic flower and herb-based remedies. Created in-store in a gleaming copper still, all ingredients are locally sourced, organic, biodynamic and hand-picked (where possible), including lime flowers from Bath, which give this gin a fragrant West Country flavour.

If you’d like to sample this gin for yourself, tastings can be arranged on Mondays and Tuesdays. They also offer private group gin tastings after business hours, or you can book them for a private event.

Still Sisters Gin, Frome

This award-winning London Dry Gin is created by two sisters using locally sourced botanicals from family businesses and rustled up in their bespoke copper still, ‘Storm’.

The mistress distillers, Hannah and Tori, offer a veritable gin paradise at their micro-distillery, where visitors can book a simple gin tasting, or choose from tapas, afternoon tea or cheese and charcuterie boards to enjoy with their gin.

Read more:

• Where to go for cocktails in Bath
• Top experiences in Bath
• Outdoor dining
• Afternoon tea in Bath