Odin's Easy Gin

[guest5234]

Odin, I have been pointed to your post, can you tell me the quantities I need for this run...doing it this way do I need to crush the botanicals or can they go in whole.?

I have stripped 3 x 25 litres washed through alembic pot still, going to water to 30% and run through T500 column making cuts, then keep just the hearts for final spirit run through alembic pot still where I will keep everything except for first 150ml
Can anyone give me a recipe for gin, amount in weight of each botanical please. I want to soak botainicals overnight.

[NZChris]

Try reading the OP. It's on page one.

[guest5234]

the OP reads...... Let it macerate at room temperature for two weeks and then putting through an air still........, mine will be distilled with botanicals in it.
would just like odin to give his thoughts on quantity and if they need to be crushed the way I am doing it.
Would it be beneficial to heat spirits to 50c the night before then throw in botanicals to steep an run spirit run next day with botanicals in.

[NZChris]

Odin gives the quantities he recommends and doesn't say anything about an air still. If he did say to use an air still, I would have ignored everything he ever said from that point on.

I think you should just use Odin's Easy Gin method rather than inventing guest5234's difficult gin method and asking Odin how it might turn out.

[guest5234]

Sorry thought that what he meant when he stated 1litre.
What do you think about heating the spirit to 50c and throwing in botanicals the night before as some craft distillers do, and the running next day with botanicals in, crush the botainals or put in whole and keeping all of the last spirit run except the foreshots.
Its all about picking some ones brain who knows his stuff and asking asking asking to make sure you understand fully, reading through the entire thread I still have a couple of questions. No harm in asking is there.

[NZChris]

If you are going commercial, get a small still and experiment. It's not difficult. The answers you will get on forums are far less valuable than results from your own trials.

[still_stirrin]

...What do you think about heating the spirit to 50c and throwing in botanicals the night before as..and the running next day with botanicals in...crush the botainals or put in whole and keeping all of the last spirit run except the foreshots...

First off, heating during maceration isn't necessary because it will affect the rate that the botanicals infuse. The corriander will find its place quickly if you attend to the quatities of botanicals outlined by Odin (and Zymurgy Bob).

There has been much discussion in this thread regarding how long the maceration is necessary too. NZChris proposed infusing during the startup of the gin run alone rather than overnight or longer, and that's how I do it too. Typically, the herbs and spices liberate their character very quickly in the spirit, especially during the heat up. If you're not careful, they'll overwhelm the finished flavor profile.

I DO crush the juniper berries when I add them to the boiler. I also crush/crack the coriander as well. Other botanicals, if used are in such small quantities that I typically don't crush them. And yet, their flavor addition is very large, so be cautious how you use/add them.

Finally, you mentioned "foreshots". There really aren't any foreshots in a gin because it is assumed that you're using the best "clean" hearts (neutral) you have. What comes through the still first when running are the juniper oils. So, Odin recommends discarding only 10ml initially. If you were to sample them, the juniper character is monumental.

From there, the juniper character balances well until you get closer to the end of the run. Again, it is not "tails", rather it is when the character of the herbs and spices predominate the spirit taste.

If you follow the guidance laid out by Odin, you WILL produce a tasty gin the first time through. Once you've established that baseline, then go ahead and experiment with your own signature.
ss

[guest5234]

Cheers for info

[The Baker]

I have just set up a little still. A stainless pressure cooker that holds four and a half litres, I think from Zymurgy Bob's pattern. I put most of the copper tubing together with fittings and got our bakery's refrigerator man to finish it; silver solder or whatever. It turns out that he has had a lot of experience making condensers, can't remember what for. Maybe pre-coolers from milking machines, and such. He has made liebig, and shotgun types of condenser...
Since I had most of the copper, just needed a few fittings; and I had the pressure cooker; and he was installing an air-conditioner at home at the time....
It won't cost much at all.
I will try to make a bit of brandy from discarded wine, for practice (later I will use an electric still I am making from from an old urn, it will mainly work on our solar panels....)
And then I plan to try gin with the little still.
That is when I will be looking at your instructions; thanks, Odin.
Geoff

[geoff400]

Sorry but I could not find the answer to this.

When resting for 5 weeks do you seal the demijohn or cover it with something like a coffee filter?

[bitter]

I bottle mine with corks and let it rest in the bottles if it lasts that long. Letting it air out will cause you to loose alcohol.. and also some the flavor.

B

[NZChris]

Sorry but I could not find the answer to this.

When resting for 5 weeks do you seal the demijohn or cover it with something like a coffee filter?

Cork it or the angels will scoff the best bit and leave you their dregs.

You don't have let it rest for five weeks. Just make enough that there is still plenty left after five weeks

[geoff400]

Thanks guys, seems obvious once it's pointed out

[Amrut]

Very good recipe, very good flavor (you only have to be careful with the amount of citrus, with some tangerines you have to put a little less), thanks Odin!

Something that catches my attention, after 3 different runs, 20L, 12L ans 5L all the times the first shots (74 / 78C) are yellow .. and because the little volume on the stil this can not be puke.

any idea?

[still_stirrin]

Amrut,
Do you use botanical and citrus ratios as specified in Odin's recipe? If so, I suspect that the color is from your tangerine skins. They wouldn't be artificially colored at all, would they?

The spirit out of my gin still is always clear...no color, even in the very 1st drips. But I don't use excessive citrus amounts. And sometimes I even use dried citrus peels (much more subtle flavor and aroma contribution to the gin).
ss

[srpompon]

Still_stirrin,

I use the ratio that appears in the recipe ... the mandarins are bought in a normal food store, do not know if they have any tincture, I do not think ... i wash them with a brush and with a potato skinner just remove the colored part, avoiding it white, I will try using less next time or use dry peels, but they have ugly appearance and much of the bitter white part.

Some times i distill a lot of orange peels to make orange liquor and all the run is clear... crazy.....

Something is wrong in my potstill is a Portuguese Copper Alembic....

[Wiz of Oz]

Been reading and re-reading this post and I can't wait to make me some gin! I am currently in the process of making and stocking up on All Bran in order to make some gin for spring and summer, well heck, anytime really.

I only have one pot still right now and it's a 50 liter pot so I plan on making a minimum of 25 liters of gin. I am wondering though if I can use dried orange peel vs fresh tangerine? Reason being that if I do 25 liters of Odins Easy gin I need to peel 25 tangerines. That's not a problem but eating 25 tangerines might be and I don't think I can eat 25 tangerines before they go bad . Any ideas of how much dried orange to use? Bitter or sweet?

I really enjoyed Odins video and at some point would like to try that recipe, at what ratio is St. Johns wort used?

Cheers!

[still_stirrin]

...I am wondering though if I can use dried orange peel vs fresh tangerine? Reason being that if I do 25 liters of Odins Easy gin I need to peel 25 tangerines....Any ideas of how much dried orange to use?

Wiz, I have used dried orange and lemon peel. It is fine to use. The citrus character is more subtle with the dried peel than fresh zest however. But I kinda' like the subtle better than the bold.

How much? Well, I weighed it and used the weights according to Zymurgy Bob's formula. But then again, I only make 2 liters at a time. I can't imagine what I'd do with 25 liters at once. I made a small stock pot gin still exactly for the purpose of making gin.
ss

p.s.- Here's a cross reference to Zymurgy Bob's formula: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62832#p7427876

[Wiz of Oz]

Thanks SS, perhaps I'll make a small gin still one of these days. Lets see how long it takes me to go through 25 liters of gin

So do you think that St Johns Wort would be a x/10 or a x/100?

I might just need a small gin still just to play around with the herbs bill!

I sure do love this hobby!

[still_stirrin]

So do you think that St Johns Wort would be a x/10 or a x/100?

I've never used it. How does it taste...smell? Big taste and/or aroma?

I suggest starting with a x/100 ratio and see if you like it. If you want more character, then bump it to x/50 and see if its close. And ditto from there.

This is exactly the advantage of a small scale gin still. Some here have even crafted a coffee pot into a small gin still. You could too, especially if you're trying to create your own recipe permutation.
ss

[Wiz of Oz]

Thanks again SS for taking the time to respond.

Kind of what I was thinking but it's always nice to have it echoed by someone else.

Might just have to build me a small gin still one of these days.

I was reading one of Odins threads over on the ADI forum and sounds like he was quite sick at the end of the year so perhaps he'll chime in with his 2 cents when he is feeling better, which I hope is soon for his sake.

[xyz123]

If I am reading this right, do I put the gin in the boiler at 43%?

I had thought it was dangerous to go above 40% in the boiler?

[still_stirrin]

If I am reading this right, do I put the gin in the boiler at 43%?

I had thought it was dangerous to go above 40% in the boiler?

You can do it. Just stay close and keep your eyes on it. Or, if you're worried, dilute to 40%ABV....it'll make gin just the same although the output proof may be just a touch lower...maybe.
ss

[Wiz of Oz]

If you re-read the whole post you will see that Odin says you can dilute it down to 30%-35% and you will gin that is less dry. Not a problem but like Still Stirrin said your ABV may be lower.

[xyz123]

Thanks guys.

[workpress]

Hi Odin

I have followed your easy gin recipe to the tee. It smells awesome , I am just now running it through my still and tested the proof, (190 and that is on my pot still on the second distillation. I find that high so I checked my proof & tralle's scale in 50% rubbing alcohol and it was right on) and holy cow I am amazed at the flavour still comes through. Amazing

Thank you for the recipe.

Workpress

[workpress]

[quote="workpress"]Hi Odin

190 and that is on my pot still on the second distillation. I find that high so I checked my proof & tralle's scale in 50% rubbing alcohol and it was right on


Is there a more accurate way to test this as I am sure it must be off....it just seems too high a reading.
Sorry for the off topic posting here

Workpress

[NZChris]

This method doesn't have a "second distillation".

[workpress]

To clarify the first distillate was done and adjusted to 43%, and then the ingredients were added and left to sit. then run through the still again low and slow.

Workpress

[NZChris]

And you collected 400ml/litre of the original charge and it was 190 proof?

With a pot still?