Making Gin

[Bushman]

Thought this would catch Odin's eye also Dad300 was in the same seminar where some of this information was obtained.

Definition from Internet:
A clear alcoholic spirit distilled from grain or malt and flavored with juniper berries.

Botanical Infusion & Production Techniques
Common Gin Ingredients
Angelica root
Coriander
Grains of paradise
Bay leaf
Cubeb
Juniper berry
Cardamom
Fennel
Lavender
Citrus peel
Ginger
Orris root

Other ingredients that can be added
Cinnamon
licorice
bitter almond
bitter & sweet orange peel
lemon peel
nutmeg
savory
chamomile

Recommended proportions
x = Juniper berry
x/2 = coriander
x/10 = angelica cassia, cinnamon, licorice, bitter almond, grains of paradise
x/100 = bitter & sweet orange peel, lemon peel, ginger orris root, cardamon, nutmeg, savory, chamomile

Vapor vs Maceration
Problems with Vapor basket (Gin)
❶ Stuck chamber
❷ Puking the vapor

Problems with Maceration
❶ Over cooking botanicals
❷ Off flavors
❸ Clean-up

If your not happy with your product a couple things to consider (by no means a complete list).
❶ Quality of the botanicals
❷ Imbalance of flavors (see recommended proportions above)
❸ Problems listed above with either vapor or maceration process.

As you can see by the possible ingredients listed above you can come up with a lot of different flavors of gin depending on what you choose to put in it.

[dirtymax731]

Sweet! Gonna try this soon

[bearriver]

Thanks Bushman! Wish I went to that seminar as well...

I would like to one day be able to reproduce Tanqueray No.10. Shooting for the stars here I recommend to anyone they try No.10, the next time out having drinks. It's on my "no touchy for you" shelf in the liquor cabinet.

[Saltbush Bill]

A damn good guide for making Gin Bushy, the Recommended proportions guide is spot on with most all else that I have ever seen.
From my own experience "❶ Quality of the botanicals" is also quite important , it can be hard here to get quality fresh Juniper berry's.
If the seller wont let me get one berry out to give it a good squeeze to see if it is slightly soft , sticky and moist inside, and has a strong Juniper smell then I wont buy it.....a lesson hard learned.

[Goose]

Awesome post mr Bush.

I guess the list could be expanded ad infinitum, and there are many herbs that achieve similar or like favours, by example licorice. I use star anise because its readily available in dried form where I am, and dirt cheap to boot, but it packs a punch and can be dominant if not used subtly. You could probably guess I am a fan of Ouzo which technically is a gin except anise is the base instead of juniper.

But we cant stop there. One of my favorite guides is here (which I am sure must have been posted b4 ), even if I don't agree that licorice root should not be in the same category as star anise

[Saltbush Bill]

The star anise that ive bought and used for Ouzo tastes and smells nothing like liquorice root that ive used in gin.