Arkle Hopped Dry Gin takes its name from the celebrated racehorse and its aromatic direction from two English hop varieties. Steeplechase Distillery uses Cascade and First Gold hops alongside juniper and fresh pink grapefruit peel. The bottle photographed by the distillery is marked 41% ABV and 70 cl. This is a dry gin with a deliberate hop character, not a beer-flavoured novelty: the hops help build an aromatic, bittersweet freshness around the gin's juniper centre. The racing reference gives the bottle its name and visual identity, while the recipe provides the more interesting reason to taste it.

The producer describes dry hopping the neutral grain spirit with juniper, then removing the hops before distillation. Pink grapefruit peel enters during distillation. That sequence matters because it explains why the drink can suggest the aromatic lift of an IPA without carrying beer's malt sweetness or bubbles. Juniper makes the opening crisp and recognisably dry. The two hops broaden the nose with a green, fragrant edge, and grapefruit brings a sharper citrus note to the palate. The finish holds a mild bitterness and a clean sense of freshness rather than the sticky character of a fruit gin.

Steeplechase makes Arkle as a limited spring and summer release in its range inspired by horse racing. It was named a gold winner in the Contemporary Gin category at The Gin Guide Awards 2026, a distinction attached to this particular gin. None of that changes its underlying method: the hopped neutral spirit is distilled with the botanicals, not simply mixed with a finished beer. The distinction is worth keeping clear in the glass as well. A small neat measure lets the dry juniper, floral-green hop aroma and grapefruit bitterness appear in sequence before tonic brings the citrus forward.

For a gin and tonic, begin with a crisp Indian tonic rather than a heavily perfumed mixer. Add 4 cl of Arkle to generous ice, pour in about 10 cl of chilled tonic and curl a modest pink grapefruit peel among the cubes. Repeat the peel on a small side plate; a hop cone can decorate the plate but should stay out of the drink. The grapefruit recalls an ingredient used during distillation, while the restrained garnish leaves the hop character easy to notice. Arkle also makes an interesting dry Martini when the vermouth is kept light enough not to bury its fresh bitterness.