Gin Basket results

[fahdoul]

Tried using a gin basket for the first time, to make some ersatz Hendricks gin.

I had the ingredients from Hendrick's literature, and guessed at the amounts using the ratios extrapolated from other recipes, which gave me just under an ounce of botanicals total for a slightly over 1 liter (at 85%) batch. It's really suprising how little of everything other than juniper and coriander it takes - just a pinch of most. So little that you wonder if they are really there to add flavor, of just so the maker can claim "a rare blend of 14 botanicals" etc.

I wrapped the botanicals in stainless steel screen, and stuck them up in the column just below the condensor, so the scrubbers would hold them in position.

I was really suprised how efficient the "basket" worked. I was afraid that wafting the vapors over the botanicals would be somewhat hit or miss and considerably less efficient than, say, boiling them, especially as I had not cracked or ground the juniper, cubeb or coriander seeds. I needn't have worried - the gin came out so heavily flavored that I am probably going to have to tone it down by adding some neutral spirts. iInterestingly enough, it was coming out just as strongly flavored at the end of the run as midway, and I have a feeling I could have used the same batch of botanicals to flavor another liter or two.

Duplicating the Hendricks flavor was less sucessful - the flavor is only vaguely similar, though I won't really know how well I have done until I blend it with the cucumber/rosepedal enfusion.

[nanosleep]

Even though it didn't match the production gin you were trying for, did it produce a quality gin of some sort? How does it taste when cut with neutral spirit or water to get a resonable level of flavoring? How hard was it to clean your still and remove the smell? Have you run a batch of neutral spirit since the gin run? Do you think you'll need two stills to avoid having everything be gin flavored?
I've only done in-still flavorings with lemon peel. And then I didn't use a gin head. I simply put the peel in the boiler. The result was something similar to a furnature polish! It was very strong and bitter. The lemon smell wasn't difficult to remove from the still.

[fahdoul]

Remember, I am not trying just to make gin, but to duplicate a very complicated "boutique" gin.

Since my last post, though, I have made the cucumber enffusion and cut the gin with it, and done side by side tests with the real Hendricks. If you try them side by side, the Hendicks is superior, but mine is a very satisfying drink with very similar attributes, and if you didn't do them side by side it quite possible you wouldn't notice the difference.

The botanical flavor was a bit too strong so I dilute the gin with 50% neutral spirts, before cutting it to 40% with a 50/50 mix of cucumber enfusion and water (enfusion wqas made by peeling the cucumber, pureeing it in a blender, then filtering it with coffee filter). The one place where my version falls down a bit on direct comparison is the rose flavor. Hendricks apparently uses bulgarian rose pedals (sp?) that gives a wonderfully subtle flowery aftertaste. I didn't have any on hand so I used some Indian rosewater whcih either seems to be, depending on how much you use, too weak or too strong, but never just right. Though too weak is definately better.

But that is to quibble. All in all, the result is very drinkable. Don't know yet about gin contamination, the still was due for a good cleaning so I have scrubbed it out with hot water and detergent, hope that will do the trick.

Even though it didn't match the production gin you were trying for, did it produce a quality gin of some sort? How does it taste when cut with neutral spirit or water to get a resonable level of flavoring? How hard was it to clean your still and remove the smell? Have you run a batch of neutral spirit since the gin run? Do you think you'll need two stills to avoid having everything be gin flavored?