Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

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Cú Chullain
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Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Cú Chullain »

Do people make their own bags or can these be bought online? Obviously looking for an 'untreated' cotton free from colours or others chemicals but I am struggling to find any stores that sell them. Have no problem making my own I was just being a bit lazy in wanting to get something 'off the shelf'
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NZChris
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by NZChris »

Haven't you got any old shirts?
Cú Chullain
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Cú Chullain »

I have, was under the impression though that it was wise to use a natural untreated cotton rather then a dyed or treated fabric.
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NZChris
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by NZChris »

Cú Chullain wrote:I have, was under the impression though that it was wise to use a natural untreated cotton rather then a dyed or treated fabric.
Sorry. I didn't realise you were 'upper class'. My bad.
Cú Chullain
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Cú Chullain »

NZChris wrote:
Cú Chullain wrote:I have, was under the impression though that it was wise to use a natural untreated cotton rather then a dyed or treated fabric.
Sorry. I didn't realise you were 'upper class'. My bad.
Why the shit snotty response?

I raised the concern about using dyed or treated fabrics as a botanicals bag as I assumed there could be a risk of contamination when you are passing high temperature vapours through them. Hence, my enquiry about sourcing natural cotton.
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NZChris
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by NZChris »

I've been using cotton from our old shirts and bed sheets for various brewing tasks for over thirty years. Ain't dead yet.
Cú Chullain
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Cú Chullain »

NZChris wrote:I've been using cotton from our old shirts and bed sheets for various brewing tasks for over thirty years. Ain't dead yet.
Great. Why didn't you just say that to begin with?
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NZChris
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by NZChris »

Because it ain't rocket science that if you have washed a cotton material so many times that you no longer consider it wearable, that any nasties that came with it when it was new will be well gone by the time it makes it to your rag bag.

Be careful not to overthink the easy stuff.
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NZChris
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by NZChris »

How are you wanting to use the bag?
Pikey
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Pikey »

Cú Chullain wrote:
NZChris wrote:
Cú Chullain wrote:I have, was under the impression though that it was wise to use a natural untreated cotton rather then a dyed or treated fabric.
Sorry. I didn't realise you were 'upper class'. My bad.
Why the shit snotty response?

I raised the concern about using dyed or treated fabrics as a botanicals bag as I assumed there could be a risk of contamination when you are passing high temperature vapours through them. Hence, my enquiry about sourcing natural cotton.
Sometimes people say things a little "tongue in cheek" in a light hearted way - to me this felt like one of those :lol:
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Swedish Pride
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Swedish Pride »

also curious how you're going to use the bag.
I've only done two GIns both were maceration that was ran through a pot after with the botanicals in the boiler
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Cú Chullain
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Cú Chullain »

Swedish Pride wrote:also curious how you're going to use the bag.
I've only done two GIns both were maceration that was ran through a pot after with the botanicals in the boiler
Have made a 95%+ neutral spirit via a column still and looking to dilute that down to 40% an run it through a pot still. Unfortunately my still has an internal heating element so cant just put the botanicals in the boiler so was looking to hang the botanicals above the liquid and vapour infuse. As a long term solution would be looking to make a metal basket but for the first few runs happy to use a cotton bag.
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Swedish Pride
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Swedish Pride »

could use a tea infuser in the vapour path or macerate the botanicals and strain them out before you charge the boiler?
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Pikey »

Cú Chullain wrote:
............. was looking to hang the botanicals above the liquid and vapour infuse. As a long term solution would be looking to make a metal basket but for the first few runs happy to use a cotton bag.
That's what I do - I hang the bag in the upright part, so the vapour has to go through it. Works a treat :D But keep the botanicals LOOSE so there is no pressure build up.

[Edit - the tangerine zest does give a slight "tinge" to the distillate - but it's quite subtle and I do like that. ]
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Kareltje
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Kareltje »

I think that the a lot of the vapours will go round the bag when you hang it above the fluidlevel in the boiler.
In that case I would prefer to put the botanicals in the fluid. Maybe in a bag, I grant you that.
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Kareltje
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Re: Cotton Bags for Gin Botanicals

Post by Kareltje »

Yesterday I saw a floating tea egg! This was a normal tea egg with a plastic, hollow top with a hook. This is supposed to float on top of the tea and can be easily taken out by the hook.
Off course we do not want any plastic in the hot kettle, but the idea can easily be adapted: a hollow steel, copper or glass ball with a bag of some suitable material hanging under it.
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