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In this Discussion
- CothermanDistilling May 2019
- crozdog February 2019
- DonMateo February 2019
- Fiji_Spirits May 2019
- FloridaCracker May 2019
- GD50 February 2019
- grim May 2019
- Kapea February 2019
- MaKa February 2019
- N_D May 2019
- richard February 2019
- Smaug February 2019
- Sunshine February 2019
- TheMechWarrior May 2019
Comments
I've known several Filipino women who treat there botanicals like it's a wrestling match... ;<)
(I think it's a cultural thing)
I'm more like I am now than I was before.
Is there an age limit here :-/
We are trying to clear our schedules for the ADI Gin Summit as well, looking forward to meet you there in person if we manage to get there.
@Kapea
Couldn't agree more. Barrel aged can be delightful.
StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America
Thanks for the comments on barrel aged. I just did a 30 l experimental run that I have to put somewhere. I live this forum.
I am in the process of doing something similar for developing some gin recipes. I am also keen as this will allow me to understand each botanical and understand the flavour it adds and the interactions the botanicals have.
Have you thought about the botanical loading you will use for each individual maceration. So for example, say you want to have a juniper heavy gin which calls for 20 g/L juniper loading, you would have to consider making this individual maceration at say 60 g/L so that you only need 1/3 of the total volume to be made of this individual maceration, leaving space for other macerations. If you didn't you would end up with a light juniper flavour as each time you add some of your individual maceration liquid to your mix you will dilute your flavour
Yes but any individual macerations combined in the end become a taste decision so it’s all academic. And if it’s a development then the final combined run will be different again and will also be another taste decision.
You just gotta do it. Also different botanical purchases will change things again.
And...seasonality and regionality completely change your profile.
Just because your supply from one supplier or one location was great this year, it might be rubbish next year. There is no fixed formula or easy to follow guaranteed pathway to success.
We have to forge this path in our own individual and unique ways.
What @themechwarrior said. Just as an example the first couple of gin recipes I did I got a 2kg bag. OK I played with it did half dozen tests and two large runs at 20 litres. I was getting my flavor profile spot on at about 12g/l juniper. Then I bought a batch of 25kg of of Juniper that was a lot fresher and I used 15g/l and it tasted like 25 and far too much Juniper for that recipe I wanted to run. So I had a mistake and 20l of gin that I wasnt happy with the flavor. But my mates still drank it for free. And I put it down to rest and after about 6 months it was a lot more balanced.
@MaKa. Your concern about volume is valid but in my limited experience you should try and get to where you can hit a flavor you want at an ABV you want first time everytime without dilution. I once accidentally made a 70g/l juniper test batch. Man it was tough. I only had a couple of glasses and had to throw it out. Gin is an experiential and experimental thing. The only way you find your way is by doing and tasting. My floral gin to 3 attempts with 1 litre batches. Then I nailed it and ran 20l. Now all my mates want some, and not because I am giving it away.
I have an extra 5gal freshly dumped rum barrel laying around, trying to decide if I should change botanicals for the gin that goes in it..
Chai in dark rum works really well
Are you thinking Chai spirit or Chai forward Gin?
Chai forward gin to play off the darker, richer rum flavors imparted from the barrel.
Chai has lots of similarities with the spices used for spiced rum, as well as some botanicals used in gin.
There's got to be a way to make that work.
Cardamom, Ginger, Allspice, Clove, Cinnamon.
mmm sounds great
Would have to be on the warmer, richer side. Something like orange would work from the citrus side.
It would definitely push the limits of "gin".
We are working on a few collaborations with a local high end tea company. The chai spiced dark rum works really, really well.
@grim, I was thinking of doing a rum just so that I can do a spiced rum and run it through my gin basket. or a gin basket and wash the hell out of late later on so my gin doesnt taste like rum for the next 4 or 5 runs. I tried a gin about 6 months ago that used Rum to make their neutral and it wasnt very neutral.
GB4s fit nicely into a dishwasher.
I'm more like I am now than I was before.
@grim - if I were to do a 2-3 case, 5 gal of finished product, GB4 gin basket test batch, would 4oz of 'classic chai' tea mix from the local tea store be way too much or way too little?
I'll let you know tomorrow, I have a grams/liter we worked out written on the test bottles.
It would definitely push the limits of "gin".
I think you're really on something there, keep us updated.
Hey Guys!
We finally pushed the button for our first batch.
More updates to come soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A21RMcmpPhE
Congrats!!
StillDragon Europe - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Europe & the surrounding area
Go for it mate.
I like it!!!
Thanks guys!
Starting to batch up maceration samples in line for distillation to get to learn the botanicals quality and to finally get to play around. For this samples all of the bottles have 60% ABV and i dilute to 18% ABV prior the run.
Do you guys have any good advice regarding the more delicate botanicals as for maceration % ABV and time that you would like to share? Are some of the main botanicals sensitive to macerate too long?
Delicate botanicals, flowers you dont really macerate unless you have too. I havent done a lot of maceration so others can help with that but I have read Odin recommends and I beleive it that the main botanicals you macerate are Juniper, Corinader and cardomon. The seed types.
try soaking for different times, in different proofs 190, 140, 80, 40, 0 and distilling at both atmospheric boiling temp and at lower temp(vacuum).. try ground vs un-ground... there are thousands of things to try...
I want to try the lard extraction and then distill... like in the movie perfume...
I always thought over-maceration generally resulted in bitterness, unless bitterness was the point. Kind of a universal.
@grim, true. Also the case at higher abv.
Do you guys have any inputs on flow rate based on picking up best flavours during the run based on boiler size and power throwing at it? Spent last week at a distillery running their 1400L 22 plate Carl still, powered with steam. They tried to collect 35-40L/hr during spirit run and gin run, gin run directly from pot to PC.
Also, seems like bunch of distilleries in Europe prefer to go 50/50 GNS/Water for maceration over night and gin run. Based on the quality aspect i think there is only some of the botanicals that will macerate well in that ABV for that time?