Bushman’s 2 Gallon Gin Recipe

[Bushman]

Bushman’s Gin
Today I bottled my gin, I think it’s going to be pretty good as it smells great and I think after it rests for 5 weeks I am really going to like it.

Ingredients and steps
2 gallons (7.57 Liters) of 43% neutral
4 Manderine Oranges Peeled and broiled (unlike Odin’s recipe I do not have access to Tangerines so I chose Manderine Oranges)

Peel the oranges and using a micro plane remove the pith ( white stuff just inside the skin). You can cut it away as well if you don't get all the pith it's not as bitter as lemon but the micro plane is much easier and really does a nice job of removing it.
Safety warning: If you don’t watch the following process the peels will catch fire in the oven.
Place peel white side down on a baking sheet and put under broil until the edges turn dark and just start to look like they are going to burn (when it gets close you have to keep a good eye as they catch fire fast). Turn over and brown the white side.
(Why cook the peels? The peel becomes pliable and tender, the sharp bitterness mellows and mingles with the smoky char, and the fruit gives up its concentrated juices more easily. The natural oils in the peel also intensify over the flame).

For the following herbs I used a Krups coffee grinder to do a moderate to coarse crush:
-108 grams of juniper berries (berries are tart with a citrus flavor)
-54 grams of coriander seeds (coriander has a lemony flavor)
-11 grams of Cumin seed (cumin has an earthy flavor)
-5 grams of Fennel (fennel has a mild anise flavor)
Add the manderine skin, the berries and the seeds to the 2 gallons of 43%

Infuse in a dark place for 2.5 weeks
Filter out the herbs, berries, and skins

Distill your 2 gallons of infused gin in a potstill, do it relatively slowly as in a spirit run
Discard the first 10 ml,
Run yields close to a gallon at 75-80%
Dilute to 45% and let it rest in glass jars for 5 weeks before bottling.

[Bushman]

Below shows equipment used and jar just filled with the herbs, juniper berries, and orange peel added.

After Macerating for 2.5 weeks just before redistilled through my pot still.

[NZChris]

Thanks for that, Bushman.

I've read about baking citrus peels at least once before and it might have been from you, but I haven't tried it yet.

My gin stocks are getting low so it's about time I tried it.

[GCB3]

Thanks, Bushman. I’m getting ready to start a gin run and will definitely give this recipe a try.
Take care.

[Bushman]

Thanks for that, Bushman.

I've read about baking citrus peels at least once before and it might have been from you, but I haven't tried it yet.

My gin stocks are getting low so it's about time I tried it.

Cooking the citrus is used a lot in the food industry. It is the same method I use when making my Grand Marnier.

[GCB3]

Pretty excited about doing this one. juniper and coriander are in. Heading to the store shortly for the rest.

Thanks again, Bushman.

[GCB3]

Oh man, does this smell good today! I hope I can wait 2 1/2 weeks to run it. The roasted mandarin peel seems to be a very nice addition.

[Bushman]

Looks about the same as mine. In two weeks the peels will sink and the color will be as dark as if you put it on oak. The flavor and smell came through the pot still when it was redistilled. Enjoy!

[Expat]

Oh man, does this smell good today! I hope I can wait 2 1/2 weeks to run it. The roasted mandarin peel seems to be a very nice addition.

Worse when you consider the 5 week rest, which is important. LoL

A Christmas treat!

[GCB3]

Worse when you consider the 5 week rest.......

Yeah, I’ve been known to violate Odin’s five week rest a time or two!

[Bushman]

Yummy doesn’t think you need to wait two weeks but he does think the five week rest is important. I would say tasting it anytime during the five weeks will tell you what you want to know. Again this is my first attempt at gin so I am also experimenting.

[GCB3]

Yummy ...... does think the five week rest is important.

I typically like to mix a G&T right after proofing. It gives me a feel for the recipe. But, I do try to get 4 to 5 weeks of aging in before adding it to the bar stock (unless I’m suffering from a drought!). Man, I do love a summer G&T.

One batch last summer was really bad. It tasted like fresh ground pine needles and was bitter. I rediscovered the bottle about 4 months later and it was really good. I was pleasantly surprised. Time is our friend with most things in this hobby.

[Bushman]

Yummy ...... does think the five week rest is important.

I typically like to mix a G&T right after proofing. It gives me a feel for the recipe. But, I do try to get 4 to 5 weeks of aging in before adding it to the bar stock (unless I’m suffering from a drought!). Man, I do love a summer G&T.

One batch last summer was really bad. It tasted like fresh ground pine needles and was bitter. I rediscovered the bottle about 4 months later and it was really good. I was pleasantly surprised. Time is our friend with most things in this hobby.

I found that a small bottle of Rose’s lime Juice poured into a empty 5th bottle and then filled the rest of the way with gin = the same proportions you would make by the glass. That is the way I do it then keep in in the fridge. Now that I think about it I am going to go and pour myself a drink.

[Corsaire]

This sounds tasty.
I need to get off my ass and make some base spirit!

[Yummyrum]

Yummy doesn’t think you need to wait two weeks but he does think the five week rest is important......

Is that me ? Don’t remember ...Only few times I done Gin , mascerated for 24 Hrs and gin was drunk within ... well .. a week ... not my fault ... I got thirsty lot in this house :

Now they all pissed off . Maybe time to try your stuff Bushy . . Still curious , does all that extra time with the maceration make a lot of difference ?

[Bushman]

Yummy I thought it was you but it might of been someone else during a chat on the CCSC site. To answer your question I am guessing one week maceration would be plenty. I left it 2.5 because I was gone one week to my fractional ownership condo and not around. I didn’t think leaving it would make a difference since it was going to be distilled.

[Yummyrum]

Yummy I thought it was you but it might of been someone else during a chat on the CCSC site.

LOL , def not me Bushy , I only ever done chat there about twice .Not my thing

Still , It’s interesting that the extended maceration time is a positive thing .

[GCB3]

I normally follow Odin’s prescribed 2 weeks if I’m planning to distill “off the botanicals”. If distilling with botanicals in the pot, I charge the pot the night before and distill in the morning.

[CoogeeBoy]

Bushman,
What size pot still did you use?
I have a 25l and was thinking 7l was not enough to go with in my still.
Did you dilute down at all ?

[GCB3]

Hey GB. If you are heating with an external source, then it should not be a problem. I use a 5 L Alembic and heat with a hot plate. I have no trouble running a 1 L batch. If you have other concerns, could you possibly scale up the recipe to a larger batch?

[Bushman]

Bushman,
What size pot still did you use?
I have a 25l and was thinking 7l was not enough to go with in my still.
Did you dilute down at all ?

I have a 5 gallon pot still I use for essential oils and to answer your question, no I ran it at 43%. I know that on the forum we recommend 40% or less and thought about watering it down but the recipes I framed my recipe around called for 43 and 45%. Below is a picture of my essential oil still however I did not use the herb basket pictured in the following thread.
5 gallon pot still

[GCB3]

I found that a small bottle of Rose’s lime Juice poured into a empty 5th bottle and then filled the rest of the way with gin

Bushman, how many ozs of Rose’s are you using per fifth?

[Bushman]

I found that a small bottle of Rose’s lime Juice poured into a empty 5th bottle and then filled the rest of the way with gin

Bushman, how many ozs of Rose’s are you using per fifth?

12 fl oz. I did the math and it is the exact proportions that you find on gimlet recipes. The beauty is you don’t have to make it when you want it as it’s ready to pour from the fridge.

[GCB3]

OK, thanks. I will give it a try. I do the same thing with Manhattans. I keep a premixed bottle in the fridge.
Take care.

[GCB3]

I just threw together a 1.5 L maceration of a basic Odin’s recipe using your toasted mandarin peels. There are (per L) 12 g of juniper, 3 g of coriander, and 1/2 of a small mandarin peel. The plan is to let it infuse overnight and then run it with the botanicals in the pot tomorrow. I’ll let you know how this method compares to the two week infusion as per your recipe.

Sorry about the sideways pictures. I must have changed a setting somewhere.

[CoogeeBoy]

Bushman,
Did you dilute down at all ?

Below is a picture of my essential oil still however I did not use the herb basket pictured in the following thread.
5 gallon pot still

Thanks Bushman,
I had seen your herb basket earlier and really like the idea.
I am thinking of suspending the basket somehow, don't know where I will get the stainless steel tubing from.

Kind regards

[SaltyStaves]

I made some Gin Mare and thought the fresh Orange needed to be toned down a bit. Charring it might be a good option and should compliment the smokey olives.
Looking forward to some reports...

[NZChris]

Sorry Salty & Bushman, but for mine, the only resemblance to Bushman's bill/method is the peel.

My wife raved about the taste and smell of Navelina oranges, so I have followed Bushman's instructions to prepare and toast the peel and it is steeping now. The smell that is leaking out of the unsealed still is very nice, but I've decided not to run it until tomorrow.

[GCB3]

Hey Bushman. I ran the Oden’s recipe with your toasted orange yesterday. While it is new make and hasn’t aged five weeks, I’d have to say it has a very pleasant taste. As of now the orange is a little overpowering. I probably should have put the peel in the vapor but I got lazy and just dumped all the botanicals in the pot. We’ll see how the flavors blend over the next month or so. While I may need to adjust the quantity O
or how I handle the citrus, I think I like the toasted orange approach. I’ll be running your original recipe with the cumin in another week and a half.
I’ll give you another report later.
Take care.

[Bushman]

When I get around to tasting mine I might also cut down on the number of orange peels. I took Odin’s proportions and multiplied them to the size of my run. According to the chart it might be too much but mine smells really good. Keep me posted!