Ten years ago, Ginventory started as a small side project. The idea was simple: make it easier to enjoy a gin and tonic. There was no business plan, no startup pitch, only curiosity and the desire to build something useful for people who love gin.
Back then, gin was booming in Belgium. New distilleries appeared every month, each one with its own story, ingredients, and local twist. But there was no easy way to keep track of it all. You could walk into a bar, see ten different bottles you'd never heard of, and have no idea which tonic or garnish to use. No app to help you discover your next favorite gin, no community to share ratings with, no way to search or filter through the options.
So we built an app.
The first version was iPhone only, clean and simple. A few months later came Android, and then the rating system that became the heart of Ginventory. We started with around 1,000 gins in the database. Today, there are more than 8,700, and we keep adding new ones all the time.
Since 2015, over 2 million gin lovers have downloaded Ginventory. Every month, thousands of people rate and discover new gin brands, share their perfect serves, and help others find bottles worth tasting. The numbers grew, but what really mattered was the engagement from the first users.
The Reactions Were Overwhelming
Ginventory quickly reached the top of the app charts in Belgium and later expanded to other countries. What surprised us most was not the numbers but the network of contributors that emerged. Every day, we received messages from users around the world: kind words, questions about new gin brands to add, suggestions for features, and sometimes complaints. Each message reminded us that behind the screens, there are real people who care about gin as much as we do.
Ten years later, that hasn't changed. The app is still downloaded by thousands of people every month, and the newly launched web version had an incredible start. Ginventory has become a bridge between two worlds: the creators who pour their energy into crafting unique gins, and the enthusiasts who take the time to taste, rate, and share their discoveries. Both sides share the same passion, and that is what keeps us moving.
What Makes Ginventory Work: Features Built for Gin Lovers
Over the years, we added features that users actually asked for. Not because we had a product roadmap, but because our users told us what they needed to discover and enjoy gin better:
Your Cabinet: Keep track of your gin collection. Every bottle you own, organized and ready to reference when you're deciding what to open for your next tasting session.
Wishlist: When a friend mentions an unmissable gin, add it to your wishlist. Find it again in one click instead of trying to remember that name you heard three weeks ago.
Perfect Serve: Discover which tonic water and garnish work best with each gin. The ideal gin and tonic starts here, with recommendations from distillers.
Rate & Share: Rate every gin you taste and discover the aggregated score from thousands of users. Real ratings from real gin lovers help you find your next favorite bottle.
Search & Filter: Use our filter function to search by name, rating, country, or date added. Looking for a specific gin brand or discovering something new from Scotland? The search makes it easy.
Essential Information: Country of origin, distillery details, alcohol content. Everything you need to understand what makes each gin unique, from a London Dry crafted in the UK to an experimental botanical gin from a small Belgian distillery.
Price Comparison: Find the best prices across multiple online shops. Discover where to buy your favorite gin without overpaying.
A Community-Based Business (And Why That's Complicated)
Ginventory was never designed as a business first. Over the years, we explored many ways to make it sustainable, but we always refused to compromise the user experience. That balance is not easy, yet it defines who we are.
Advertising? A freemium version? Partnerships? We received countless suggestions, met with dozens of distilleries from all sizes, and tested several approaches. Some worked a little, none really clicked. But one thing is certain: we keep on investing time and effort in Ginventory.
The data we see, the feedback we receive, the conversations we have with distilleries – all show that Ginventory has a role to play. A role in helping people discover gins worth trying, and in helping brands that deserve attention reach new audiences. The reality of the market is complex: a few large distilleries dominate the shelves, while a majority of small projects struggle to survive. Our mission has always been to bring both sides together.
Why Our Rating Scale Goes from 6 to 10
About our rating scale, why from 6 to 10? Because when we started, we felt the traditional 1-to-10 system was inherently unfair. We believe anyone who creates a gin puts effort and passion into making the best product they can. Poor quality doesn't last anyway, the market takes care of that. So in our view, a 6 already signals "I wouldn't drink this again." Sometimes abstaining is a stronger message than a brutal 1.
That said, we're open to evolving, and we're listening to feedbacks on how ratings could improve.
The Gin Market in 2025: Where We Fit In
Recently, Drinks International highlighted a turning point in the gin category. While the "gin boom" of the 2010s has slowed, classic styles continue to shine. London Dry and other traditional expressions are regaining attention, with consumers valuing authenticity, provenance, and clarity of taste. At the same time, premium and super-premium gins are on the rise, often supported by strong storytelling and distinctive identities.
This is exactly where Ginventory has a role to play: showcasing the classics that remain benchmarks of quality, highlighting community-approved bottles worth discovering, and connecting producers with an engaged audience that values transparency and craft.
What We Want Now
We want to go further. To create more content about the gins and distilleries that deserve attention. To share authentic stories from brands that want to play the game with transparency. To make Ginventory a place where quality meets community, not just a catalog.
If you're part of this world, whether you craft gin or simply love to taste and discover and you want to know how powerful some of our tools are for brands, we would love to hear from you. Let's keep building something that helps gin makers and gin lovers connect.
