Citrus concentration preferences?

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MartinCash
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Citrus concentration preferences?

Post by MartinCash »

Hi everyone,

I've been making a few batches of gin recently, and I'm slowly working my way to optimising my recipe for my own taste.

Some recipes here are very citrus heavy, for example Odin's. They work very well in a G&T but the citrus is too forward for me to enjoy neat. Widely shared proportions recommend 1/100th as much citrus as juniper. There are also people using no citrus at all. I've slowly been reducing the amount of citrus I use, but I know that I like at least some evident citrus in my gin.

This has been making me wonder: how much citrus do you like, personally, in your gin?
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NZChris
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

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Do two runs, identical except for the citrus, too much in one, none in the other. Find the blend you prefer and use the ratio to calculate how much to use in the future.
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

Post by SaltyStaves »

I have the option of using an offset gin basket, which means the heavier compounds/oils from the peels can't fall back down into the boiler charge. This makes for a lighter, fresh aroma/flavour. I find it works particularly well with lemon peels and I can get away with using more than what I would if the peel was in the boiler or in the basket immediately above it.

On the other hand, it can sometimes be too light. Subtle botanicals can come out quite weak in the end. Choices are good to have though.
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

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MartinCash wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:40 pmSome recipes here are very citrus heavy, for example Odin's. They work very well in a G&T but the citrus is too forward for me to enjoy neat.
Obviously tastes will vary but... it sounds like you may have skipped initial cut or the 5 weeks of rest; In which case it would would be citrus forward.
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

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Expat wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 12:50 pm Obviously tastes will vary but... it sounds like you may have skipped initial cut or the 5 weeks of rest; In which case it would would be citrus forward.
No, I did not, my OEG is now months old, as are a few of my subsequent batches. The citrus has mellowed indeed and the juniper, which was totally absent after distillation, is now evident, so I understand where you're coming from.

In my own efforts I'm getting close to what I like, but I don't have to ask someone else what I like, if that makes sense, no-one can tell you what to like... I probably didn't make myself clear enough. I love Odin's gin and I think it's a fantastic recipe, I'm not trying to diss it at all, just using it as an example of a citrus-forward gin.

What I'm interested to hear is the range of what YOU all like in YOUR gin, with the full knowledge that no two people's answers will be the same, and there is no 'right' amount.
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

Post by Expat »

MartinCash wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:08 pm
Expat wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 12:50 pm Obviously tastes will vary but... it sounds like you may have skipped initial cut or the 5 weeks of rest; In which case it would would be citrus forward.
No, I did not, my OEG is now months old, as are a few of my subsequent batches. The citrus has mellowed indeed and the juniper, which was totally absent after distillation, is now evident, so I understand where you're coming from.

In my own efforts I'm getting close to what I like, but I don't have to ask someone else what I like, if that makes sense, no-one can tell you what to like... I probably didn't make myself clear enough. I love Odin's gin and I think it's a fantastic recipe, I'm not trying to diss it at all, just using it as an example of a citrus-forward gin.

What I'm interested to hear is the range of what YOU all like in YOUR gin, with the full knowledge that no two people's answers will be the same, and there is no 'right' amount.
Didn't think you were dissing on the OEG, just thinking diagnostically :)

To me the citrus component of OEG is correct, my later iterations added more juniper and a few of the spicy earth toned botanicals to fit my taste.

For transparency i'll note that I enjoy most things citrus, and usually make a G&T rather than sipping my gin.
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

Post by kiwi Bruce »

The answer (my two C's) to lowering the citric on something like an Odin's easy is to reduce the maceration time to just a couple of hours and defiantly not two weeks.
Last edited by kiwi Bruce on Wed Sep 09, 2020 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Citrus concentration preferences?

Post by NZChris »

My gins vary a lot in styles, steep times, peel placement, length of the run etc.. Today's run has 1/100 mandarine peel, 3/100 navel orange peel, will get about six hours steep then a one hour run, off grid, with everything in the boiler of a copper alembic with the intention of serving it as G&T for the guests who watched it run.
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