Compound Gin

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StarkBlood1980
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Compound Gin

Post by StarkBlood1980 »

So I doubt this gin is anything revolutionary but I have been trying to approximate Ableforth's Bathtub Gin, I’m not sure if this gin is only available in the UK but it’s essentially a compound gin so no redistilation after the botanicals are macerated.
The recipe I tried i have been working on is...
Per litre of 40% neutral
28g juniper
10g coriander seeds
3g cinnamon
2g dried orange peel
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
3 peppercorns
0.2g orris root powder.

I crushed the juniper and coriander and macerated this giving it a good shake every time I walked past. After 24 hours I crushed and added the rest of the botanicals, again shaking regularly. After another 24 hours I filtered though an unbleached coffee filter and let it sit for a few days.
I must say as an approximation to bathtub gin, I’m pretty happy! I think the best way to describe it is a spiced gin, nothing like a London dry as the cinnamon and cloves add a warmth that mellows the sharp freshness of the juniper. This is a gin to warm you though the winter rather than refresh in the summer.
I’m on my second batch now as SWMBO pretty much nailed the first bottle!
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fizzix
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Re: Compound Gin

Post by fizzix »

As much as I like Odin's Gin's simplicity (and the raves it gets), I'm interested in a "loaded" gin.
Never heard of cardamom and orris root, so there you go, I've learned something new today.

I'm bookmarking this post as I've got gallons of neutral from a marathon run just awaiting a recipe such as this one.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Compound Gin

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Most gins use orris root as a fixitive
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fizzix
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Re: Compound Gin

Post by fizzix »

You scared me there for a second, Saltbush.
"Fixative" sounded like a patch to fix a bad drink :lol:
Some research straightened that out:
Fixative
While flavors like citrus may stand out when tasting a gin, the most important botanicals are called fixatives,
which structurally bind the flavors of the gin together and create the spirit’s distinct body and character.
Examples include grains of paradise, cubeb pepper, orris root and angelica root.
Thanks for more education, 'Bill!
And thanks for the recipe, StarkBlood1980.

EDIT: Got the ingredients on order. Gonna make 1 gallon. Looking forward to this!
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fizzix
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Re: Compound Gin

Post by fizzix »

WOWZA is this a carousel of flavor!
Starts off with the traditional juniper, then you get only what I can call a mouth rush of mentholated liquor and then a quick snap of citrus.
These flavors will likely marry together with a long rest. But for now, I'm serving this (along with other liquors of course) at Christmas.
The hardest part will be pushing a brown gin.
StarkBlood1980
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Re: Compound Gin

Post by StarkBlood1980 »

fizzix wrote:WOWZA is this a carousel of flavor!
Starts off with the traditional juniper, then you get only what I can call a mouth rush of mentholated liquor and then a quick snap of citrus.
These flavors will likely marry together with a long rest. But for now, I'm serving this (along with other liquors of course) at Christmas.
The hardest part will be pushing a brown gin.
It does blend and mellow with age but then what spirit doesn’t lol. I’ve not found anyone to be fussed with it being brown once it’s diluted with a mixer and people have tasted it.
Ableforths bathtub gin sells pretty well and that’s brown.
I’ve got another less spiced, more summery blend on the go at the moment.
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