The Big Gin Thread

jbierling

From left to right (all around 96 proof):

• Crushed Juniper (two months old)
• Crushed Juniper (freshly distilled)
• Whole Juniper (two months old)
• Whole Juniper (freshly distilled)

We all know that crushed juniper releases more oil, but what is your theory on why the cloudiness (louche) disappears over time? What are your thoughts on which tastes better? I've noticed things other than juniper also clarifying with time.

Some theorize that gin needs a few months before it stabilizes. Does that it shouldn't be bottled immediately? Is there any discernible difference between a gin bottled immediately and a gin that has sat unbottled (near bottling proof) for a while?

What are your thoughts? I have some...

grim

Are the two jars on the left produced in the same way, with the only difference being time?

jbierling

Yes

grim

The only time I ever got milky gin distillate like that was when I pushed straight water vapor/steam through the botanical basket. Adding neutral to it make it clear.

My guess is oil forming globules that eventually dissolve.

Kaisa

Hi there,

I am super happy with my new StillDragon!
(I will use it to find out and try new flavors and recipes and then scale up)

I have been getting help to make a large amount in a pot still and wanted to add some extra dill seeds flavour to it so I am now using vodka to run in the new StillDragon with the gin basket... but having a problem with the color... it becomes slightly yellow and tried after to run it through a carbon filter but didn't work. Also I tried with macerated spices (that was 2 weeks soaking) and thought it would maybe disappear in the distilling.. then also roasted dry ones in the basket... but both ways left the same color. As I can see the water is bubbling very high up and the fluids is touching the basket.... so maybe its not even possible to make the fluid clear with this method?

Or do you have any other suggestions?

Also one of the check valve didn't work but according to my buddy it didn't matter because the cooling system was working anyway and could regulate on the other side.. but maybe it does (why otherwise be apart) and that it goes to fast in the columns... hmm.. I could see that it is a lot of fluid bubbling in the top bubble plate and also where the gin basket is... could that be something too that instead of vaporing the spices.. they get soaked??

Thank you for any responds! ^:)^ <3

jbierling

Liquid is likely building up in your gin basket and making its way into the condenser leading to the color. Try distilling slower or increasing the height out of the basket.

This isn't the only thing that could be happening, but the most probable.

DonMateo

The same thing happens with me and my gin still. I am running a standard StillDragon GB4 with a 250mm 4" extension on it to get a second botanical basket on time. So the solution for me was two fold, the first was I put in another 125MM extension on top and that worked and the other thing that I found that worked was I had stainless steel filter section, i.e. a fine stainless steel mesh. And I stuff that down the tube to the top of the basket. And then no problem, clear gin in a single pass.

What I am guessing is happening is as the vapor moves through the basket it accumulates there and then forms bubbles of liquid mixed in with parts of the botanicals. If you put the filter mesh on top that basically pops any big bubbles and makes them all into small bubbles which pop quickly allowing the vapor flow to pass on up. I tried this as an experiment and it worked two times in a row. The other thing I would do was just run the gin for a second time without any baskets in the vapor flow, and that really did created a really nice product and the color stayed in the still and through the process of the second distillation the flavors mixed really well. But its a second run and there is an energy cost there.

Kaisa

Ahhh Thank you so much..!! Yes it make sense too, awesome so I will try to make that tomorrow! Making today first another run through with vinegar just to make sure B-) Hopefully it works.. tbc! :-bd

Moonshine

@Kaisa said: Also one of the check valve didn't work

That's most likely because it has applied the wrong way, because these valves are directional (you should be able to see an almost invisible arrow black on black on one or either side of the valve). So just try the other way around. ;)

crozdog

@Kaisa said: As I can see the water is bubbling very high up and the fluids is touching the basket.... so maybe its not even possible to make the fluid clear with this method?

Can you post a picture of your setup?

GD50

I have always had a bit of a fascination with Yuzu.

I bought a bottle of ETSU Double Yuzu Gin from Japan which i quite like.

Yuzu is pretty rare in Australia but becoming available with the season about to start soon. I have sourced a box of Yuzu fruit and want to have a go making a Gin with it. Anyone have any ideas on how to get the best out of it. I was thinking of a pretty base juniper gin and vapour infusing the rind in a GB4.

Any suggestions. I will also make red Yuzu Kosho which i also like which is just rind Chilli and salt. Nice with fresh locally caught tuna.

GD50

Just goes to show I should have read the bottle a bit closer.
All I need to give it a go.
Most of my gins have been vapour infused so it will be a new process for me - but all the info is there.

crozdog

Hi @GD50 A mate of mine made a Yuzu gin by vapour infusion. It was really nice. Personally I'm not a fan of maceration prior to distillation purely for the cleanup factor. I know some swear by it and the depth of flavour they get from harder botanicals such as seeds and roots. Each to their own.

GD50

Yes I am more inclined to the vapour infusion method - having said that the last batch I made I did put extra juniper and some harder bots in the wash. Might just have to do it both ways. Getting the quantities right will be interesting.

crozdog

Yeah more delicate botanicals are better in the basket. That said, I get big juniper character by simply adding more to the basket. lol

Working out ratios is part of the fun when making gin. Have fun mate

DonMateo

I am a vapor infusion guy. Actually I have been helping some monks get going in making booze. Yes monks from a monastery. Anyway they were doing maseration and not getting great results and switched to vapor infusion and started getting very good results and making lots of great product to sell. And they sell it all pretty fast.

richard

I must be honest that for the last 2 years I have been doing primarily a maceration and delicates in a basket at column base. Results have been good. Then I tasted some other guy's gin that he had vapour infused and it was just fantastic.

So I am doing a mod on my LM column for a vapour infusion trial where I am raising the position of a basket so that its somewhere near the top.

DonMateo

There were some guys here in Buenos Aires that were smart and before they started up their gin making they tried about a hundred other artesenal gins that were all done with masceration. Most of them are average in my opinion and these guys agreed so they set up a 400l still with a big gin Basket and started only doing vapor infusion. They went from nothing to the top selling Artesenal Gin maker in BA. From zero to selling about 4000 bottles a month in 6 months. Vapor infusion just makes a better product. @richard. Look mate. We agree on something finally. How about that?

richard

;)

Smaug

Gosh, the love in the room is heart warming.

GD50

@DonMateo. I am going to put hungry boards on my GB4 like you have done. Was yours a 100 mm spool section ?

DonMateo

@gd50. Yes it was 4" or 100mm spool and it was 330mm long. THat gives head space on top of the basket and of course at the top was the 2" exit to go to the condensor.

punkin

@Smaug said: Gosh, the love in the room is heart warming.

Gives you a chubby doesn't it?

DonMateo

Not me mate. I am a pitcher not a catcher.

punkin

You are the only one that needs the chubby then.

DonMateo

Well @richard is definitely not my type. Hot argentine women are my type now.

richard

Ditto for @DonMateo . No it was not a nasty but a smile .... trying to do a smile. You see not everyone has bad thoughts to others. Hey but this is a new day and the sun is out.

richard

Thought that some may find this useful for a carbon filter build that I manufactured this last month. Works a treat.

Distillate flow at inlet (at top) is controlled by a needle valve. Outlet is just below from where the anti-siphon is positioned. In this way, the column is always flooded.

DonMateo

@richard I take back everything I said about you. Well most of it. You are a great engineer.