Fruit Distilling Aging Resources | Forum

Flavouring Gin
 Flavoring
The exact types and amounts of botanticals used in gins are usually a closely
o Flavor
guarded secret. However, by law, gin must contain juniper berries. Juniper
still
berries & coriander seed typically constitute 90% of the total botanicals used.
o Essential
Typical botanicals used include :
Oils
o Making
 juniper berries,
Schnapps
 coriander seed,
 Butters
 angelica root,
cotch
 orris root,
Schnap
 sweet orange peel, and
ps
 licorice powder (root)
 Neutral
Spirits
Commercially they are sometimes made by charging a pot still with a whisky
o Flavored
base at 63%. The botanicals are packed in clean cotton bags, and immersed in
Vodka
the liquid. The still is rapidly bought up to temperature, then the heat input
o Gin
reduced. A small fraction is first collected at 83C, then the gin portion, which
o Absinthe
forms the central fraction, is collected from 83C up to 86-89C. The rest is then
o Flavored
collected as tails. In determining the cut to tails, a smelling test of the distillate
ice
is the deciding arbiter, while the overhead vapour temperature serves only as a
 Liqueurs
guide.
o Fruit &
Berries
Wal writes ...
 Sugar
re .. the Carterhead Still used to produce Bombay Sapphire Gin. I thought
Syrup
the botanicals were in the actual still, which is a type of reflux column, but
 Fruit
this is not so. The botanicals are held in a separate 'basket' which resembles
recipes
a moonshine 'doubler' Diagram from 'Classic Spirits of the World', Gordon
o Herbs
Brown, 1995.
o Citrus
o Spices
o Cordials
o Nuts &
Seeds
o Coffee
o Cream or
Eggs
 Essential
Oils
 Ukranian
Alcoholic
beverages
John V has built a small basket that sits in the top of his distillation column to
hold the berries and herbs ...
herewith my simple attempt at a 'gin head'. My desire has been to produce
gin in the classic manner, i.e. by letting the alcohol vapour pass through/over
a package of herbs & spices suspended in the column. I was not interested in
essences or such. Happily, it works.

Three aspects made it possible.

1) My reflux column is of the 2" diam. variety. Thus there is ample space for
 a packet of herbs & spices.
2) the column is packed with large s.s.scrubbers. By removing the top one, I
can simply set my herb packet in its place.
3) The head of the column is not soldered onto the column, and is easily
removed, exposing the top of the column.

The packet itself is made out of a square of plastic (?) window screen
(8"x8"). I first tested its resistance to ethanol, by boiling it in ethanol.
Whatever it is made of, it is indestructable. I simply rolled it into a tube
about 1 1/2"diam, and folded over and stapled the bottom end. Also a couple
of staples along the seam and at the top.

Spices and herbs are measured out, and poured into the packet. Drop the
whole works into the top of the reflux column, and replace the column head.
The pouch is located just below the T formed by the column and the short
horizontal lyne arm. In the pictures below, the botanicals probably sit at the
level of the white Teflon tape.

Gin botanicals for 20L turbo-sugar wash/ Reflux column

o juniper berry - flat Tbsp

o coriander - flat tsp
o cloves - ½ dozen
o anise - ½ tsp
o fennell - flat tsp
o cardamom - ½ tsp
o lemon - 1" rind
o lime - 1" rind
o cassia / cinnamon stick - 3/4" fragment

Method: I put the whole amount into the small pouch, which seems to be
enough for one distillation run of approx. 20L of Turbo-sugarwash. This
seems a very small amount, but it gives me enough taste. Be cautious with
adding anymore - the juniper berries can be VERY dominant. Also, keep the
cassia/cinnamon to a min. It can really give a burning sensation. What I have
here is about right for me. The lemon and lime rinds are actually v. thin
peels, not including the white fibrous stuff on their underside. Anis and
fennel are approximately the same in taste. I did not crush any of these -
simply put them into the pouch whole. When wiith Turbo-sugar wash, I put
the botanicals into the column with the first (and only) distillation. As the
ethanol is coming off at 94-96%abv I see no reason to run it through
separately to get the botanicals in.
You can either do it this method yourself, or it is easier just to make a simple
gin essence, and add this to some 40% neutral alcohol.

I use a small essence still to make gin essence in. I gently crush up approx 50g
of juniper berries, and a couple of coriander and fennel seeds, and soak these in
alcohol of 75-95% strength, for a week or so. Sometimes add a wee strip of
orange peel too. I put this into the potstill, and add a little water too. I distill off
the essence, up to about 90C, or when the flavours stop. This essence is then
added to neutral vodka at 40% - each litre only needing around 10 mL of
essence to get the right flavour.

If your gin goes cloudy, it means that you have too much oil present for the %
alcohol - either up the % alcohol until it dissolves again, use less oil, or just
drink it cloudy.

Alan writes:

I have found that cloudiness problem caused by excessive oil content in gin
essence can be solved by simply filtering the gin. The oil particles appear to
be relatively large and get caught up by the filter, while the flavours are not
affected.

Jack writes ...

All the empirical data you need in regards to gin distilling has already been
researched for you- by the gin distilleries themselves. Soaking the botanicals
in the mash, and then running them through the still along with the mash
(more likely an already distilled spirit) produces what is considered the
heaviest gin flavors (I couldn't find a commercial distillert that does this).
Some distilleries soak the botanicals for 24 to 48 hours in the base spirit,
filter them out, then redistill (Gordon's and Plymouth soak for less than 24
hours, Beefeater for a full 24 hours) producing a slightly lighter style of gin.
The lightest style of all is produced by a "gin head" still- the botanicals are
suspended in a basket above the spirit in the still (This is how Bombay makes
their gin). Each company argues that their method is best- Bombay says their
 method (gin-head still) results in a more delicate gin, Beefeater says that a
long steeping time gives a gentler extraction, but builds complexity, and fixes
the aroma in the spirit more solidly. Plymouth and Gordon's say a long steep
can allow harsher flavors to come out, and allow certain flavors to dominate.
The first bottle of gin extract that I made was too heavy in citrus for my taste-
I gave it to a fan of Bombay Sapphire. My second gin concentrate consisted
only of juniper - it turns out I like Schlichte brand Steinhaeger dry gin- very
aromatic, but simple. You could always make a juniper extract, along with an
extract of every other herb you can find, and add them 1/4 teaspoon at a time
to a bottle of vodka, until you get what you want.

Mikrobios describes his technique ...

Intinct

o 60 g dried juniper berries,

o 1 g cardamom seeds,
o 1 g coriander seeds,
o 0.5 g dried cinnamon, and
o 0.5g dried rosemary

in 200mLs high proof distillate (95%) for 3 weeks in a sealed jar. The
mixture becomes a murky brown. Don't worry if it smells unpleasant and
medicinal. Then add 100 mLs filtered water, remove the cinnamon and either
pot-still without reflux, or, as I do, use a simple 'internal alembic' made from
kitchen utensils:

This method is very well known, and may be the best for essence distillations
where one is starting with good spirit and where methanol/fusels are not a
problem. I place two vessels in the pan: the collecting vessel is thus insulated
 against the heat of the boiling tincture and at the same time is kept below its
own boiling point by the drops of distillate. When the cooling water is hand-
warm (trial and error) I turn the gas off. About 100mLs of clear distillate is
obtained; I bring this to 150 mL with cold filtered water. It immediately
becomes opalescent. About 4 mLs of this will flavour a litre of 40% spirit to
make a clear and flavourful gin. Calibrating a batch is a delightful way to
spend an evening.

As a alternative method, UPS writes ...

You can order juniper berries at www.penzeys.com It's an American
company out of Wisconsin. I have ordered from them. They have good
products, prices and fast service.

I use juniper berries by simmering them in 50% vodka for ten minutes (with
the lid on), then letting it cool overnight on it's own. The next day I filter this
mess through a couple of coffee filters to get a homemade (and better
quality) gin essence. I use about 35 grams of juniper berries (crushed) and
350ml of vodka - 5ml (one teaspoon) will turn a bottle of vodka into a light
flavored gin. 10ml make a more traditional, strong flavored gin. You can add
other spices like cardamom, coriander, and lemon peel (about one gram of
each) for a more complex flavor in your gin. Using 10ml makes a straw
yellow colored drink.
Regarding other sources of Juniper berriers, Dick advises ..
I hope that was a mistake when you said you haven't got a yew bush for
juniper berries. If what you are calling yew is the taxus baccata then the
seeds in the berries (bright red with an obvious seed visible at the end - like a
cocktail olive !!) are VERY VERY poisonous and should not be eaten under
any circumstances (unless you're a bird, in which case the seeds go right
through & out the other end !!)

The juniper you want is juniperus communis, the berries are green at first
but if left on the bush for a year turn blue/black & have that wonderful
juniper smell when crushed. Juniper is fairly slow growing so you're
probably better off going to a health food shop, herbalist or good cook shop
for supplies - the berries are great for use in cooking & pickling. However if
you're ever in Scotland talk to me 'cos I know where they grow wild !!

Another source might be aromatherapy juniper oil, it'll be very concentrated

but it's supposed to be a pure extract. Don't know if anyone else in the group
has had experience of using juniper in this form.

For more on juniper (Juniperus communis),

see http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/moved/herbarium.htm

From http://www.ddgi.es/ ...

 Juniper (Juniperus communis)

Plant that grows in the upper mountain areas of Catalonia, normally

between 500 and 1,600 m. Although it can develop into a small tree of up to 7
m, it is usually found in bush form, less than 2 m in height. Its more
characteristic features are its needle-like leaves, with a white band on the
upper face, encircling the stem in groups of three. The fruit matures in the
autumn after a two-year period on the plant. This fruit is pea-sized, round,
purplish-blue in colour and surrounded by an aromatic pulp.

Matt writes ...

In Bob Emmons' _The Book of Gin & Vodkas_ he describes gin manufacture
to some extent, even delineating the "cold compunding" method into three
sub categories. Cold compounding is using neutral spirit and basically
soaking the botanicals in it, which is what I see on the amateur sites we
frequent. The other methods are of course distillation of botanicals into oils
and then their addition to neutral spirit and traditional pot distilling of spirit
through botanicals via the gin head.

He says the basic compounding includes crushing the botanicals used, a

 week of steeping in neutral spirit, and a week of resting. Followed by
filtering, dilution, and bottling. It is clear that the filtering is for particulate
matter since neutral spirit is used up front.

re: botanical amounts, he gives a complete listing of the common to the more
obscure (rosemary, savory, etc.) botanicals used. Here's his section on a
basic gin botanical ratio:

Here's a simple recipe utilized for making a basic gin. To 2,000 liters of
100 proof alcohol, add 45.4 kg of juniper berries, 22.7 kg of coriander
seeds, 4.5 kg of cinnamon bark, 4.5 kg of angelica root, 0.45 kg of lemon
peel, and 0.45 kg of cardamom. The end result will be immediately
recognizable as gin.

Well that's good news ;-) He doesn't mention the method used for the above
"recipe" but it would appear to be a cold compounding method.

notes on botanicals: North American cinnamon of commerce is actually the

bark of the cassia tree. True cinnamon is not as easily obtained but it would
seem his basic gin is using the cassia bark. Cardamom in this case would be
cardamom seeds themselves and not the whole pods. Remember to remove as
much pith (the white part) from the lemon peel; it is bitter.
Wal writes ...
For the history of gin (1650)
see: http://cocktails.about.com/library/weekly/aa080899.htm

The Household Cyclopedia (1881) gives a Dutch and an English recipe: "To
Prepare Gin as in Holland" using a proof spirit distilled from a rye, barley
malt mash. Scaled down and converted to metric it consists of macerating
17.5g of juniper berries and 0.75ml (15drops) of juniper oil in 1 litre of proof
spirit and redistilling. "English Genever" is made by macerating 35g of
juniper berries in 1 litre of proof spirit with added water and redistilling.

Some distillers have the alcohol vapor pass through the botanicals (in a gin
head), others macerate together and redistill while others distill various
botanicals separately, and then blend, because different oils have different
boiling points. I suspect some modern gins add essential oils to a neutral
spirit instead of redistilling with botanicals.

Dutch gin (genever) is based on a heavier spirit made from a mash of wheat,
rye and malted barley distilled in pot stills.It is often stated wrongly that
genever uses only juniper. Other botanicals are used. It's the method used
which gives genever its distinctive style. Bols, passes the vapor in a 4th
distillation over the juniper berries. Triple distillation is common, and
juniper is normally introduced in the second distillation, with the other
botanicals being added to the 3rd (or sometimes 4th) distillation. Notaris
redistills with juniper, while a 3rd blending component is distilled with other
botanicals separately. The end result of combining a richer spirit and a
higher percentage of juniper is a spirit which is more powerfully textured
than London gin.

Old genevers were straw-colored and pungently sweet. Early English gin
was also a juniper-laden drink flavored with glycerine and sugar syrup (Old
Tom). Plymouth gin claims to be the first distillery to produce a dry, crystal-
clear gin in the late 18th century. Gin was a perfect medium for bitters (to
prevent stomach problems), lime juice (to prevent scurvy), and Schweppe's
Tonic Water cotaining quinine (to prevent malaria).

There are 2 main ways to make gin: redistilling a neutral spirit which has
had botanicals added to it (Distilled Gin); or adding essential oils (cold
compounding). Distilled Gin (on label) is superior.

The pot stills used have high necks for more reflux than the usual whisky
stills.

All distilleries have their secret rcipe of botanicals and how they put them in
varies. Some put the botanicals in for only a short time before redistilling,
others steep them for 24 hours before distilling, others pass vapor through a
basket holding the botanicals. Not all botanical aromas appear at the same
time. After a quick foreshots run, the volatile citrus notes appear, then come
juniper and coriander, then the roots such as orris, angelica and liquorice.
The length of the run is important. The alcohol concentration of the final
product is also important as citric notes are the most volatile, and should be
greater than 40%abv. Some duty-free gins are 50%abv.

All brands use juniper and coriander, but Gordons uses ginger, cassia oil
and nutmeg. Beefeater uses bitter orange peel as well as angelica root and
seed. Plymouth's 7 botanicals include sweet orange peel and cardamon.
Sapphire uses the now rarely seen cubeb berries (India) and grains of
paradise (Ghana).

For convenience I have scaled down and rounded the quantities for the
recipes for Dutch Geneva, Cordial gin and dry London Gins from 'Muspratt
Chemistry'. I have assumed that the botanicals will be macerated in 1 litre of
50%abv and then redistilled. 42%abv is the original strength of Plymouth
Gin. I have also doubled the quantity for bitter almonds as the original used
pressed bitter almond cake and almonds contain about 50% oil. For the
cordial gins, double the quantity of botanicals and then dilute to 22% abv. I
have omitted the 'West Country Gin' as it contains only 2g of juniper/litre
and a total of about 35g/litre of botanicals seems to be an optimal quantity.

Recipe 1 (from 'The Book of Gin & Vodkas', Bob Emmons)

BASIC GIN
juniper 22.5g
coriander 11.5g
cassia 2.5g
angelica root 2.5g
lemon peel 0.25g
cardamon 0.25g

Recipe 2
BRITISH GIN
juniper 15g
coriander 15g
bitter almonds 12g
angelica root 0.25g
liquorice root 1g

Recipe 3
CORDIAL GIN
juniper 10g
coriander 7.5g
bitter almonds 1.5g
orris root 0.25g
angelica root 0.25g
cardamon 0.06g
liquorice root 1g

Recipe 4
CORDIAL GIN
juniper 10g
coriander 7.5g
orris root 0.25g
angelica root 0.125g
calamus root 0.25g
cardamon 0.05g

Recipe 5
FINE GIN
juniper 10g
coriander 0.5g
grains of paradise 0.5g
angelica root 0.5g
orris root 0.25g
calamus root 0.25g
orange peel 0.25g
liquorice root 10g (optional)
Recipe 6
LONDON GIN
juniper 10g
coriander 10g
bitter almonds 1g
angelica root 0.25g
liquorice root 1g

Recipe 7
BASIC GENEVA
juniper 10g
coriander 12g
cassia 0.6g
angelica root 0.5g
calamus root 0.6g
bitter almonds 1.2g
cardamon 0.05g

Recipe 8
PLAIN GENEVA
juniper 10g
coriander 10g
calamus root 0.25g
bitter almonds 0.5g
orris root 0.25g

Recipe 9
FINE GENEVA (highly recommended)
juniper 20g
coriander 8g
angelica root 1g
calamus root 0.25g
bitter almonds 3g
cardamon 0.125g
grains of paradise 1g

Recipe 10 (from 'The Household Encyclopedia')

ENGLISH GENEVA
juniper 35g

With the aim of formulating a standard model for gin botanical quantities for
the homedistiller, here is a table of the botanicals used in 8 modern gins:
1) Tiger Gin
2) Gordon's Distilled London Dry Gin
3) Beefeater London Distilled Dry Gin
4) Plymouth Gin
 5) Bombay Distilled London Dry Gin
6) Bombay Sapphire Distilled London Dry Gin
7) Mercury Gin
8) Juniper Green London Dry Gin
Botanicals used-------Gin Brand (see above)
-----------------------1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7--
---8
Juniper---------------yes---yes---yes---yes---yes---yes---yes-
--yes
Coriander-------------yes---yes---yes---yes---yes---yes---yes-
--yes
Angelica root---------yes---------yes---yes---yes---yes---yes-
--yes
Cassia----------------yes---yes---yes---------yes---yes---yes
Cinnamon--------------yes-------------------------------------
-----
Liquorice-------------yes---------yes---------yes---yes---yes-
-----
Bitter almonds--------------------------------yes---yes---yes-
-----
Grains of Paradise----------------------------------yes-------
-----
Cubeb berries---------------------------------------yes-------
-----
Bitter orange peel----------------yes-------------------------
-----
Sweet orange peel-----yes---------------yes---------------yes-
-----
Lemon peel------------yes---------yes---yes---yes---yes---yes-
-----
Ginger----------------------yes-------------------------------
-----
Orris root------------yes---------------yes---yes---yes---yes-
-----
Cardamon--------------yes---------------yes-------------------
-----
Nutmeg----------------yes---yes-------------------------------
-----
Savory--------------------------------------------------------
--yes
Calamus (sweet flag)------------------------------------------
-----
Chamomile (?)-------------------------------------------------
-----

The total amount of botanicals used is about 20-35 grams/litre. If we take the
dominant botanical juniper as 'x', the proportions of the botanicals used is:

o x = juniper
o x/2 = coriander
o x/10 = angelica, cassia, cinnamon, liquorice, bitter almonds, grains of
paradise, cubeb berries
o x/100 = bitter & sweet orange peel, lemon peel, ginger, orris root,
cardamon, nutmeg, savory, calamus, chamomile.

If we use x = 20g then x/2 = 10g, x/10 = 2g, x/100 = 0.2g (200mg)

Some current gins do not have a pronounced juniper character as they are
used for cocktails and are more of a flavored vodka - for this type of gin for
'x' use equal quantities for juniper & coriander (i.e. x = 20g composed of 10g
of juniper & 10g of coriander)

The botanical are macerated in 45%abv neutral alcohol (usuallyfor 24

hours), redistilled and then diluted to 42%abv which is an optimal strength
for holding the flavour of the botanicals. Only the middle run (80-85%abv) is
used to produce a high quality gin. Plymouth Gin also comes in a 57%abv
'Navy Strength' and which is also the British 100 proof strength.

All gins include juniper as an ingredient along with other botanicals.

Typically a fine gin contains 6-10 botanicals, although the Dutch Damask
Gin has 17 and the French Citadelle Gin has 19 but this could be more for
marketing reasons and has been criticised for lacking direction.

Botanical names:
juniper - juniperus communis
coriander - coriandrum sativum
angelica - archangelica officinalis
cassia - cinnamomum cassia
cinnamon - cinnamomum zeylanicum
liquorice - glycyrrihiza sp.
bitter almond - prunus dulcis, amara
grains of paradise - afromumum melegueta
cubeb berries - piper cubeba
bitter orange - citrus aurantium
sweet orange - citrus sinensis
lemon - citrus limon
ginger - zingiber officinale
orris root - iris florentina
cardamon - elletaria cardamomum
nutmeg - myristica fragrans
savory - satureja hortensis
calamus - acorus calamus
chamomile - matricaria chamomilla

The usual mash for English gin is 75% maize, 15% barley malt and 10%
other grains, although rectified spirit from molasses is also used. Dutch gin
originally was made from 1/3 malted barley and 2/3 rye meal, although these
days the proportions given is 1/3 malted barley, 1/3 rye, 1/3 maize.
 The Dutch figure prominently in the history of distilling. With their business
acumen, they were quick to make a guilder when the opportunity arose. The
first recorded distillation of gin (eau de vie de genievre)is in 1572 by
Franciscus Sylvius a physic of Leiden, and it was meant as a health tonic
based on juniper berries. Lucas Bols, the father of commercial gin
production, built his first distillery in 1575 near Amsterdam. The first
recorded commercial liqueur was Lucas Bol's Kummel. It was meant as an
aid for digestion i.e. as a digestive. It's based on caraway seeds which are
believed to aid digestion and prevent flatulence.

The use of caraway flavored spirits are still common from Holland to Latvia.
Caraway has a yield of essential oils from about 3-7%, therefore you would
need to macerate about 100 grams of crushed seeds in 40%abv and then to
redistill to get a caraway flavored spirit. This would have about a teaspoon
(5ml or 100 drops) of caraway essential oil. Using a commercial essential oil
is another alternative. Here is a basic recipe for those with a flatulence
problem:

Kummel

o 750ml (3 metric cups) of caraway flavored alcohol 40%vol (5ml essential

oil/litre i.e. redistill 100g crushed seeds in 1L 40%abv)
o 1 cup sugar
o 1/2 cup water

Make a simple syrup and add to the alcohol

You could also make a caraway flavored vodka by maceration:

o 1 litre vodka 40%abv

o 60g (2oz) lightly crushed caraway seeds (4tbsp)
o 60g (2oz) sugar (1/2 cup), or to taste.

Macerate for 10 days and strain.

Pacharan (Patxaran) is a Spanish Basque specialty made by macerating sloe

berries (blackthorn, prunus spinosa)in a dry anise flavored alcohol with
other herbs and spices.Sloe Gin is made by macerating sloe berries in gin.
Here are two recipes from "Wine Making & Home Brewing" S. Beedell
(1970):

Sloe Gin 1

o 1 gallon (4.5L) gin

o 3 and 1/2 (1.6 kg) lb white sugar
o 3 oz (85 g) bitter almonds
o 3 quarts (3L) sloes
o Put all the ingredients into a 2 gallon (9L) jar and shake 2-3 times a week.
Strain and bottle at the end of 2 months.

Sloe Gin 2

o Put 3 pints (1.7L) of sloes in a gallon jar (4.5L) with

o 1 oz (30g) of sweet almonds and
o 1 and 1/2 lb (700g) of white sugar.
o Pour in 2 quarts (2l) of gin and cover.
o Shake the jar every third day for 3 months. Strain, bottle and seal. The gin
improves with keeping.

I have a Ukrainian recipe .. for a 'Ternivka' or Sloe Vodka. It relies on wild

yeasts to weakly ferment the sloes.

Ternivka (Sloe Vodka)

Fill a large jar with ripe sloe (blackthorn) berries that have been pricked in
several places. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover neck and let it stand in the sun for
6 weeks. When fermentation has ceased add to every 10 kg (20 lb) of berries
500 ml (1 pt) of vodka. Let it stand for several months. Strain. Add more
vodka (quantity not given, but going by sloe gin recipe it could be up to 10
litres or 20 pts).

The English make a Plum Gin from Damson plums, which are related to the
French Mirabelle plum, from which the well-known eau-de-vie de Mirabelle
is made. Here are two recipes for Damson Gin from "Winemaking and Home
Brewing", S. Beedell (1970).

Damson Gin (Fortified) 1

o 1 lb (500 g) damsons
o 1 and 1/2 pts (850 ml) gin
o 3/4 lb (350 g) sugar

Mix all together, and shake well two or three times a day till the sugar is
dissolved. Store for at least a year before using.

Damson Gin (Fortified) 2

o Damsons
o Cloves
o Essence of almonds
 o Unsweetened gin
o Sugar candy

Wipe the damsons, removing stalks, and prick each one in several places
with a pin. Prepare some dry quart (litre) bottles, and half fill them with the
fruit. To each bottle add 1 clove, 2 oz (60 g) of crushed sugar candy and a
few drops of essence of almonds. Then fill up with unsweetened gin. Cork
securely, and keep in a warmish place for 3 months, shaking occasionally.
Strain the gin until it is clear then rebottle and cork well, and store until
wanted.

Pacharan is a Spanish liqueur.

o 1 litre dry aniseed flavored alcohol (e.g. arak,raki,ouzo or you could add
4tsp aniseed to 1litre of vodka)
o 250 g sloe berries (blackthorn, prunus spinosa)
o 2 tbsp sugar
o stick of cinnamon
o 6 coffee beans
o camomile flowers (say 1 tsp)
o dry orange peel

Macerate the sloe berries in the alcohol until it becomes a characteristic

intense red, then add sugar, coffee beans,camomile flowers,cinnamon,
orange peel. Macerate for at least 30 days. Strain.
Variations of the above exist. The use of sloe beries is reminiscent of English
sloe gin.

Baker quotes from "The Alcohol Textbook" by Jacques,Lyons & Kelsall :

Production of gin

The BATF definition of gin is a product obtained by original distillation from

mash, or by redistillation of distilled spirits, or by mixing neutral spirits with
or over juniper berries and other aromatics, or with or over other extracts
derived from infusions, percolations, or maceration of such materials, and
includes mixtures of gin and neutral spirits. It shall derive its main
characteristic flavor from juniper berries and be bottled at not less that 80
proof (40 %). Gin produced exclusively by original distillation or
redistillation may be further designated as distilled. The regulation also
states that dry gin (London dry gin), Geneva gin (Holland's gin) and Old
Tom gin (Tom gin) are types of gin known under such designations.

This regulation means that gin may be produced by

1) distilling spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals, or
2) mixing spirit with a distilled gin concentrate, or
3) mixing spirit with a blend of essences of juniper and other flavorings.

The spirit used in gin production is usually neutral, but in the production of
Geneva gin, which is popular in the Netherlands and Quebec, it is a heavily
flavored distillate referred to as malt wine.

Distilled gin is normally produced in batch operations using pot stills. The
pot still is usually filled with neutral spirit diluted to 45-60 %, and then the
juniper berries and other botanicals are added. The berries and botanicals
may be added directly to the spirit either in loose form or contained in a
cotton sack. Alternatively, the mixed botanicals may be suspended above the
liquid surface either in a cotton sack or in a wire mesh rack. In the gin
distilling process the pot still is heated by steam indirectly through a
calandria in the bottom of the pot.

The distillate coming over in the first few minutes of flow is normally
discarded as heads for reprocessing. The main bulk of the distillate is then
taken as product, and the final portion distilling below a predetermined
proof (of about 45 oGL) is discarded as tails for reprocessing. The pot still
product is then sent to the bottling department for dilution and bottling.
There is usually no storage or blending of different gin batches.

In the preparation of gin concentrate the distillation process is much the

same as for distilled gin, but a much greater quantity of botanicals is added
in the pot still. The gin concentrate is then simply blended with neutral spirit
prior to bottling. Gin essences are prepared by blending essential oils and
other extracts derived from juniper berries and botanicals. With the
introduction of highly concentrated gin essences, it is possible to use as little
as 0.01% by volume of the essence in a blend with neutral spirit.

Some internationally known brands of gin are produced by all three methods
(i.e. distilling, concentrate blending, and essence blending) indifferent
countries without appreciable variance in taste and odor when normal
quality control procedures are used.

The quality and type of juniper berries and the mix of other botanicals
largely determines the nature of the end product. For example, the flavor of
London dry gin is strongly influenced by large amounts of coriander seeds in
the botanical mix. Simpson (1966; 1977) and Clutton(1979) have listed
several botanicals commonly used in gin production (Table 2). Another
frequently used botanical is the chamomile flower (Chamaemelum nobile).

Table 2. Botanicals used in production of gin.1

Common name Botanical name
Juniper berries Juniperis communis
Coriander seed Coriandrum sativum
 Liquorice root Glycyrrhiza spp.
Fennel seed Foeniculum vulgare
Cubeb berries Piper cubeb
Cinnamon bark Cinnamonum zeylanicum
Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
Aniseed Pimpinella anisum
Grains of paradise Afromomum melegueta
Cassia bark Cinnamomum cassia
Sweet orange peel Citrus sinensis
Bitter orange peel Citrus aurantium
Cardamom seeds Elettaria cardamomum
Angelica root Archangelica officinalis
Lemon peel Citrus limon
Orris root Iris pallida
Callamus root Acorus calamus
Caraway seed Corum carvi
Adapted from Simpson (1966, 1977) and Clutton(1979).

As with vodka, great care should be taken in handling and bottling gin.
Unlike vodka, however, the problem is not picking up flavors from other
products. The risk is contamination of other products with gin. If it is not
possible to use a dedicated set of tanks and bottling equipment, everything
coming in contact with gin should be thoroughly washed before use on any
other beverage.

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