Making Gin

[baronnahmias]

We are looking into making gin as our next product but I am curious as to what are the general guidelines as to how much juniper and other botanicals are needed to add to the mash during distillation. We will be making our gin from a grain based mash. I appreciate any thoughts.

Thank you!

[pressure9pa]

Someone on here posted a while back of making some practice batches using each ingredient seperately. That way you get a feel for the strength and flavor of each piece. I know you are still looking for a starting point, but I thought this would be helpful as well.

[nick jones]

baronnahmias,

If looking to the amateurs for help doesn't bother you, I was surprised to find how much data was contained on this site: http://homedistiller.org/flavor/gin

Also, a fellow distiller recommended Gaz Regan's The Bartender's Gin Compendium to me, and I've found it to be as good of a reference on this unnecessarily (if you ask me) secretive subject as any.

Alas, I'm still working on my own recipe, so I've got no first-hand help to offer.

In your post you mention adding the botanicals to the mash... Would you mind elaborating? It is my understanding that most gin distillers add the botanicals to some sort of low-wines or neutral spirit. But if you read the CFR's definition of gin, it reads as if proper domestic gin should have the botanicals added to the mash, and the gin should be produced in a single distillation (otherwise they require a formula). Is this what you are planning on doing? Will you be using a column still? What sort of grains are you planning to use?

Nick

[ViolentBlue]

standard practice is to first make GNS from your mash, then either with maceration or vapor infusion introduce the botanicals to the spirit.

Masceration is the usual practice for a London dry style Gin, while Vapor infusion is the method of achieving the more subtle flavor of a Bombay Sapphire style Gin.

Do keep in mind that there are many methods and many end results both between these two points and on either side.

For all Gin the predominant flavor should be Juniper.

for a vapor infused gin, a starting point would be

scale up as required

for every 5 liters of GNS diluted to 40%

3 tablespoons of Juniper, more if lacking in noticeable aroma

4 almonds

Zest 1/4 Lemon, or 2X Equivalent Dried (dried botanicals have less potency over fresh)

a single clove

1/8-1/4 of cassia quill

1 green cardomon pod

teaspoon of coriander seeds

teaspoon of dried licorice root, or substitute for star anise

this recipie shamlessly ripped from a unimpeachable source, who was kind enough to make his recipe public, tested personally with great results.

add, subtract or modify to your desires. Orris root and other such botanicals, are fixatives and keep your flavor profile from breaking down over time.

A macerated gin would follow a similar botanical mix, but would require much more Juniper in order to achieve equilibrium with other volatiles that distill out more readily. Since the Juniper comes over so late in the distillation.

I do reccomend a mix of juniper from a number of sources, fresh and dried if possible, in order to achieve maximum complexity in this fundamental component of Gin

thats my 2 bits anyway

[bluestar]

In your post you mention adding the botanicals to the mash... Would you mind elaborating? It is my understanding that most gin distillers add the botanicals to some sort of low-wines or neutral spirit. But if you read the CFR's definition of gin, it reads as if proper domestic gin should have the botanicals added to the mash, and the gin should be produced in a single distillation (otherwise they require a formula). Is this what you are planning on doing? Will you be using a column still? What sort of grains are you planning to use?

Nick

This CFR definition applies to a "distilled" gin, and as such, does not require a formulation. We are also planning to make one of our gins this way, although very few distillers do so. (I am still awaiting a response from an earlier post from anyone who actually is doing so.) More typically, a "redistilled" gin is made by distilling either low wines, spirit, or GNS that has been steeped or otherwise flavored with juniper and other botanicals. This requires a formulation according to the TTB. Specifically, if the product is distilled more than once, regardless when the botanicals are added, it is "redistilled", according to the TTB contact in formulations. The contact did allow that tails from one distillation can be added to the next distillation, and it would still be classified as "distilled", so long as each distillation is primarily direct from mash.

[baronnahmias]

Thank you all for your input. We are looking to make our Gin from a grain mash we ferment at the distillery and then run as a single distillation.

[pressure9pa]

Thanks for the post VB, I'm sure I'm not the only one finding it very helpful.

[FrEwing]

This discussion has solved one of my concerns. Thanks

[ViolentBlue]

Thank you all for your input. We are looking to make our Gin from a grain mash we ferment at the distillery and then run as a single distillation.

hmm, would you do this with a column still, gin basket installed above the main column? or are you making a more grainy flavored Gin ala Jenver?