First Small Batch Gin Run

[tom sawyer]

Ran some sugar wash through the pot still with thumper twice, got some pretty clean white liquor to try my hand at gin. Used the stainless thumper to run a batch like Odin described, heated with an induction hotplate and small cast iron skillet with cooking oil. Allowed me to boil with the herbs in the pot. I used a wooden dowel to plug the inlet of the thumper, it's working perfect. With the temp setting at 220F it's coming out in a fast drip, slower than the broken stream I go for during a regular run.

I used Odin's three ingredient recipe as a base and added pinches of several other herbs because I simply can't follow directions.

[tom sawyer]

Finished up the run and diluted the product to 90 proof. Gave it a try before it even cooled from adding the water. Has a great nose, nice balance of citrus and juniper. The flavor was a bit restrained, not surprising given the short maceration time of 12hr. The "neutral" spirit I used was pretty darned clean for a pot still product.

I've got a lot of different herbs and spices to try, and now that I figured a small still setup out I'm ready to go. I have 2gal of 80% shine to play with.

[OtisT]

Congrats on your first gin run Tom. 30 minutes ago I just finished my first gin run in over a year, with my best friend here learning the ropes. We are sippin’ on a martini of that stuff right now. Mmmmmm.

So is the bottom of your boiler simply capped and tri-clamped and sitting in the oil?

Enjoy the ride. Gin is a lot of fun.

Otis.

[Demy]

I use a similar system with an electric plate, I built a small 4-liter max boiler and a pot-still column with used pieces I had at home

[howie]

Finished up the run and diluted the product to 90 proof. Gave it a try before it even cooled from adding the water. Has a great nose, nice balance of citrus and juniper. The flavor was a bit restrained, not surprising given the short maceration time of 12hr. The "neutral" spirit I used was pretty darned clean for a pot still product.

I've got a lot of different herbs and spices to try, and now that I figured a small still setup out I'm ready to go. I have 2gal of 80% shine to play with.

i don't think the 'short' maceration time will restrain the flavour, the boiler method seems to extract every last drop of flavour.
the flavour will change over time.
did you crush, grind any of the botanicals?
was there any flavour left in the botanicals afterwards?

[tom sawyer]

The thumper boiler bottom is welded so it's just a canister basically. I plugged the normal inlet with a wooden dowel.

I didn't grind or break up the juniper berries, most everything else was in pretty small pieces. Everything was store bought stuff including the tangerine and grapefruit peel. Good to know I don't need to soak for days when I'm heating the botanicals in the boiler.

[Saltbush Bill]

You will get more juniper flavour if you course grind or smash the berrys in a mortar and pestle .....that is if you want more.

[howie]

and make sure your botanicals and spices are fresh, and probably don't use the coriander seeds in them small jars from a supermarket that have been in your cupboard for years.
indian grocers are good for coriander seeds, the difference is huge.