Odin's Easy Gin

[TwoSheds]

Now will have to try to leave it alone for 5 weeks.. I expect the tastes to mingle / balance over that time.

Nice work! For what it's worth, I think you should try a sample once a week over the 5 weeks so you get to experience how it changes over time.

Or do what I do and make at least two bottles at a time. Hide one.

TwoSheds

[EricTheRed]

Now will have to try to leave it alone for 5 weeks.. I expect the tastes to mingle / balance over that time.

Nice work! For what it's worth, I think you should try a sample once a week over the 5 weeks so you get to experience how it changes over time.

Or do what I do and make at least two bottles at a time. Hide one.

TwoSheds

+1 (or 3 )

[tarz]

Hey!

Made a batch based on this recipe with a bit less tangerine skins than reccomended and it makes a perfect GIN for a Negroni!

Cheers, Odin!

[Terrenum]

Speaking of OEG, bottled another 12 today!
Used the cardamon and a little lime peel, just fantastic!

Kept it at 50% and haven't labelled yet but I wanted to show off!! OEG Batch 2.jpg

Hey Coogee! Just wondering how much cardamom and lime you added. Was thinking of doing something similar

[CoogeeBoy]

Hi mate,
I am overseas at the moment so I don't have my notes handy but I didn't put a lot of lime peel in, it is powerful stuff, I think I put the skins of one lime and about 4 (maybe 6) cardamon pods which I pounded with a mortar and pestle to release the seeds.
Keep the amount of cardamon in line but slightly less than your coriander.

[Hebden]

Big thanks to Odin, this is a great gin, I've not waited 5 weeks though, tried yesterday and it was good in a blind taste test vs a decent Bombay it won. But today it has come on so far its almost surprising.

[TwoSheds]

Big thanks to Odin, this is a great gin, I've not waited 5 weeks though, tried yesterday and it was good in a blind taste test vs a decent Bombay it won. But today it has come on so far its almost surprising.

Make more, as soon as you can, then more! Not that you need a ton of it, but with a few batches on hand you'll end up having some of it age. It does get better! I don't think it's flavors 'marrying' as much as some of the more volatile and less desirable flavors dissipating and leaving behind the good stuff.

I keep doing variations that are gone in a few weeks, but stumbled on a bottle that was 3 or 4 months old and it was way better than I recalled!

Great method and a great product, for sure.

[Hebden]

Hi Guys,

Well if I never peel another tangerine I will not be sorry, I needed to use all my product to cover my element and so I've started a 35.54L batch @43%. That's 318g of tangerine unfortunately and my technique was terrible. Next time I will use a zester before peeling.
As for tonight I started the batch with just 200g and will finish zesting tomorrow, this shouldn't make much difference over 2 weeks of masceration.
If anyone has tips on this job, I'm all ears.

The reason for my post is just because this thread is now 10yrs old and whilst I accept it works, just perfectly, I wonder how much people have learnt over this period.

Firstly, how much fores to remove. Odin says 10ml up to 10L then 20ml I guess he means to 20L, so should I remove ~36ml?

And Odin says collect 400ml per L (35.54*0.4), that will mean collecting 14.214L @ ~75% = 10.66L of pure alcohol. OK that's the rule, but this means leaving behind ~4.6L pure alcohol.

Just wondering has anybody pushed the boundaries here, my neutral was hard earnt and I am not inclined to throw away 30% of the total neutral used.
Having never run anything like this scale, do I just go for premium product and accept the wastage or have the boundaries been pushed over the years without much sacrifice?

EDIT: Further reading showed this up.

Run to 500ml instead of the recommended 400ml

Expect a good louche.

500ml seems to be pushing further in, that's 25% over 400ml so a big addition.

[Steve Broady]

I followed the recipe more or less to the letter, including the cuts. Like you, I questioned the numbers. However, a quick taste as the run progressed told me that the cuts were spot on, and that I didn’t want to try to save anything past the point Odin say to stop.

You might be able to collect the “tails” and make another neutral out of them, but I haven’t tried that. If you do, I’ll be curious to hear how it goes.

[NZChris]

EDIT: Further reading showed this up.

Run to 500ml instead of the recommended 400ml

Expect a good louche.

500ml seems to be pushing further in, that's 25% over 400ml so a big addition.

Read the whole quote: viewtopic.php?p=7358836#p7358836

That wasn't a recommendation for a tame OEG, if you run a keg charge worth like that you'll regret it.

[Hebden]

That wasn't a recommendation for a tame OEG, if you run a keg charge worth like that you'll regret it.

Thanks NZ, I'll take your advice then, I just thought that I may have been able to push further in seen as the neutral had already had the cuts done prior.

No way do I want to ruin this though after all this effort, orange peeling took 4+ hours and I only got 290g instead of 320g in the end, I distilled the water to take neutral down to 43% and I have distilled the water for post run also ready for the product stage.

There is no mention of Oris Root or Angelica to lock in flavours, no need?

[NZChris]

OEG uses a lot of citrus. If you want to run deeper and get more of the flavors from the other botanicals, use less.

[NZChris]

There is no mention of Oris Root or Angelica to lock in flavours, no need?

There isn't a need if you are happy to make OEG.

I've moved on, so I include both of them and others. I've never used a large still for gin myself, only having made smallish batches in various mini still configurations to learn what works and what doesn't.

I have reprocessed a keg full of bad gin made by someone who made a mistake when hoping to go commercial. It wasn't easy and a lot of alcohol and flavor had to be discarded. Small scale cockups are easier to fix than large ones.

[Hebden]

So now that you've moved on from OEG recipes NZ, do you still colle t just 70% of your good neutral ie 400ml?

[NZChris]

Often around 440ml. I don't always use neutral. Some of mine are made using refluxed feints from fruit, grapes and grains and retain some of their character, which I find beneficial for those gins.

[Hebden]

Well, I've now waited 2 weeks since my 1st maceration of OEG and I'm currently collecting as I type.

However, I've an OEG that I macerated at 62%abv for 24hrs sat in a jar, I was way too greedy and from my 2.22L of 43%abv spirit run, I collected 1,067ml of product at 73.2%abv.
I think the ratio if collected to OEG original recipe would say collect 880ml product from a run this size.

Anyhow just as I went to look at it as it's been sat from the product run on 18th Jan, I see a worrying white separation layer on top, and the top 6mm of liquid seems to be floating above the bulk of the jar.

I'm now confused and worried, was it the tails, the collection jar lids or the relatively new mini test still.
Any ideas?

[Saltbush Bill]

That's one of the last jars of the run I'm guessing.

[NZChris]

I'm now confused and worried, was it the tails, the collection jar lids or the relatively new mini test still.
Any ideas?

It looks like what I would expect from a very greedy OEG.

How much foreshot did you remove?

Does it taste ok? If it does, you don't have to do anything, just accept the extreme louche as your punishment for being greedy.

[still_stirrin]

Also, you macerated at 62%ABV, which is higher than what Odin prescribed. Doing that will dramatically affect the rate of extraction of the juniper oils as well as the flavor contributions from the botanicals, especially the citrus.

This is OK if your goal is a really BOLD gin. And collecting your spirit off of the still will have a higher %ABV as well.

When tempered to 43%ABV as you said you did, it is not surprising at all that the louche would “jump out and bite you”. But, you probably got a big flavor from it though.
ss

[Saltbush Bill]

I don't make Odins Gin, but experience with other gin recipes has taught me that if you go far enough into almost any gin run the last jars will be cloudy.
I never include the first cloudy jar or the couple of jars before it into the final mix.
IMO those last jars are where any bitterness lays , as well as the very earthy / musty flavours......its also where things like Cassia become to dominant.

[still_stirrin]

Uh oh Hebden. Your graduated cylinder is plastic. And I assume that’s what you use to measure your spirits in. Get a glass (pyrex) cylinder…you’ll be glad you did.
ss

[TwoSheds]

I haven't run as deep as you have, but past Odin's original guidelines I find some of what I think are referred to as 'vegetal' flavors. Like celery. Won't kill you but you might wish it wasn't there.

Lots of variables to be dealt with. See how it tastes. If unpalatable rerun it and fraction so you can control your cuts.

Good luck!

[Hebden]

That's one of the last jars of the run I'm guessing.

Yep, the cloudy jar was from my 2nd ever trial run of flavoured product, macerated at 62% - 24hrs (it was not todays run).

I'm now confused and worried, was it the tails, the collection jar lids or the relatively new mini test still.
Any ideas?

It looks like what I would expect from a very greedy OEG.

How much foreshot did you remove?

Does it taste ok? If it does, you don't have to do anything, just accept the extreme louche as your punishment for being greedy.

Well to me it tastes ok at best, I had split a bottle off the jar which is nearly gone and as I looked at the jar today, I got worried.
As long as there is nothing untowardly dangerous, I might just re-run it and stop being greedy.

Also, you macerated at 62%ABV, which is higher than what Odin prescribed. Doing that will dramatically affect the rate of extraction of the juniper oils as well as the flavor contributions from the botanicals, especially the citrus.

This is OK if your goal is a really BOLD gin. And collecting your spirit off of the still will have a higher %ABV as well.

When tempered to 43%ABV as you said you did, it is not surprising at all that the louche would “jump out and bite you”. But, you probably got a big flavor from it though.
ss

I macerated at 62% but reduced to 43% for distillation, I was trying to be clever and shorten the 2 week maceration time. Yes I understand that it will extract unequally over the various ingredients. I need to take a step back I think. It was my rushed way to test a product asap.
Today is 2 weeks later, hence today I ran the first possible properly macerated OEG which turned out better (i think).

Another thing I have been doing is using a spice grinder on my ingredients (possibly another mistake?), perhaps this is exagerating the louching and release of mass flavours.

I currently have 35L macerating at 43% for my first ever product keg run, so whilst I have learnt my lesson on collecting just 400ml per L, I am slightly afraid that my spice grinder usage could take my corriander and juniper flavours too deep. But the tangerine peel was left whole thankfully. I cannot go back now though.

Anyhow, my "original OEG" the 1L ran today having had 2 weeks maceration at 43% came out good. This had whole spices (not spice grinder ground) and after running really slow, I collected 410ml at 77.6%abv. Watered down with my own distilled water and it stayed clear, ie not cloudy.
I took off the first 10ml and I used everything after the 410ml to wipe my laptop and other equipment clean.

This is the 1st non-cloudy product I have made, helped by lower maceration at 43%abv (not 62%) and or using whole spices (not ground in spoce grinder)
It looks and smells better quality, not that I mind cloudy.

Uh oh Hebden. Your graduated cylinder is plastic. And I assume that’s what you use to measure your spirits in. Get a glass (pyrex) cylinder…you’ll be glad you did.
ss

Noted and ordered thank you, so even a few seconds is a no no it seems?

[Hebden]

Hi all,

Well today I ran 35.54L of OEG, my first ever big run. I collected 16L in jars, startin with 3 x 100ml and a 4th 250ml before using larger containers, and finishing off with a set of 500ml jars towards the tail end. I covered all with coffee filters for 6hrs before capping.

I only intend to use 415ml per liter distilled, that's 14.75L, the question is how much fores/heads to disregard off a maceration of 35.54L?

The reason I am asking is because the botanicals seem predominant in the first 550ml worth and after that, by mid collection it almost smells neutral.
Therefore I do not want to lose too much flavour by removing so many fores/heads. Or will the flavours still come through when drinking?

My first 100ml (which was actually 116ml) is definately a headsy beast so that is not being used in any event, but I do not want greed to make me include the 2nd or 3rd 100ml when I may be better off giving them up too, 2nd and 3rd definately smell of citrus but as yet I am not certain if they have a little headsy smell.

Not sure I trust my nose 100% after coronavirus took smell away a while back you see, it has returned but unsure if it is fully how it was.

[NZChris]

If the foreshot smells headsy because the base spirit wasn't well cut, it's probably best not to include it.

Make up samples of the various options you have.

Nowhere in this thread does Odin recommend airing, that's a good trick for making neutral.

[Saltbush Bill]

Nowhere in this thread does Odin recommend airing, that's a good trick for making neutral.

No its not recommended in this recipe Chris, but have you ever considered that in the case of Gin it could be the ethanol evaporating off and the Juniper oils and other flavors could be staying in the jars? If that was the case then Id suggest that the flavors might intensify.
I think I already know the answer, I' ll let you have a play with the idea to find out.
I feel sorry for the angels at your place , they cant get much joy out of life.

[NZChris]

Nowhere in this thread does Odin recommend airing, that's a good trick for making neutral.

No its not recommended in this recipe Chris, but have you ever considered that in the case of Gin it could be the ethanol evaporating off and the Juniper oils and other flavors could be staying in the jars? If that was the case then Id suggest that the flavors might intensify.
I think I already know the answer, I' ll let you have a play with the idea to find out.
I feel sorry for the angels at your place , they cant get much joy out of life.

Most of my gins are so high in VOCs that they louche at 45% unless they have neutral added to tame them so, if your theory was correct, it wouldn't be helpful to me, or to any of the many gin newbies who have come here asking for help because their gin has gone cloudy.

The Angels around here have to party out in the orchard with the fruit flies.

[EricTheRed]

The Angels around here have to party out in the orchard with the fruit flies.

COTM

[BrewinBrian44]

Finally got around to making some OEG for the first time. As this is my first ever gin, I like the simplicity and the fact so many people rave about it. Win-win for me.

For my base, I ended up using some vodka I made from HBB bourbon feints, which is really fucking good. The hint of grain flavor, body and sweetness are truly amazing. I drink it neat all the time now.

I followed the recipe as precisely as possible at the original 1L batch size. For the tangerine, I was forced to substitute with one of those little “halos” brand mandarin oranges. I made sure to scrape as much of the pith off as I could with a paring knife.

I added all the botanicals to the alcohol and macerated for 24hrs.

For distilling, I pulled out the peels and dumped everything else, botanicals and all into the boiler. This was my maiden voyage for an air still I purchased specifically to make gin. I modified it so the fan is plugged in separately to the wall socket and used a 110V power controller to dial it in to what I like.

I ran the thing at a fast drip, set aside the first 10ml and collected to 400ml after that. Wow, Odin was spot on with his cuts. Wasn’t long after 400ml that the flavor took a bitter turn.

I just proofed it down to 45% ABV. Of course, I can’t help myself, I’m gonna drink some. Wow! Very good right off the bat. I’m noticing a lot more citrus than juniper, but from everything I read it’ll appear more with some aging time.

An interesting thing I’m noticing, there’s a distinct bubble gum flavor in the spirit. It’s not bad though! Unique.

Just mixed some with a little tonic, my god… my wife almost hit the floor with how good it is. The sweetness from the base spirit and body make it really special. It louched when I added the ice and tonic, but oh well. I don’t want to dilute the flavor with more vodka.

[Dougmatt]

I just proofed it down to 45% ABV. Of course, I can’t help myself, I’m gonna drink some. Wow! Very good right off the bat. I’m noticing a lot more citrus than juniper, but from everything I read it’ll appear more with some aging time.

An interesting thing I’m noticing, there’s a distinct bubble gum flavor in the spirit. It’s not bad though! Unique.

Agree this is a very good process. Simple and easy. The citrus tames back over the next few weeks (if you stay out of it long enough. I have found some other unusual flavors early that disappear over the aging period as well so the “bubble gum” may go away over time or that may just be how you experience it (juicy fruit?).

I just built a G&T 2 days ago with my first batch that is now over a year old and gotta say, it’s pretty darn good. Juniper really shows through now, the citrus is there, but in the background. Seeing this thread bump reminds me I need to make some more…. Planning to put a little blutwurz in this next batch and see how it comes out.