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How much botanicals to use in a gin basket?

zizther
edited June 2017 in General

I have been using the botanicals in the boiler whilst doing my current recipes, all has been going well, but I wanted to try some other ingredients in a gin basket. I have read and followed the gin guide on here which has been useful and I have been using the measurement guides.

I was wondering if these ratios were the same when using botanicals in the boiler and the gin basket, or if you would have to use more in the gin basket than you put in the boiler.

I am happy to understand if the ratio is the same or would be double for example, especially when using fresh fruit in the gin basket

I am going to try using fresh lime and grapefruit in the gin basket, and using juniper, coriander, etc in the boiler.

Thanks

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Comments

  • TheMechWarriorTheMechWarrior
    edited June 2017

    Your question is too simple as the variables are far greater than you've mentioned. Can I suggest you just give it a go and see what you think? Have you read the StillDragon manual?

    Vapour is more subtle so you need to use more botanicals.
    Pot distillation results all vary depending on time steeping, concentration of ethanol and temperature of steeping soln, freshness of ingredients, cracked/uncracked etc.

    Cheers,

    Mech.

  • GD50
    edited June 2017

    Read my post in the big gin thread regarding my second last brew. I am not sure if you are talking about a GB4 but in that brew I had approx 460 gms of stuff as per the post ( basically full ). The run the other day I halved the lemon myrtle and grains of paradise and also put 100 gms more juniper in the vertical riser of the pot still. You should be able to roughly compare my concentrations to your macerated brew. My Boobialla you could assume to be half as flavour giving as juniper but similar. Re the fruit if you are doing a gin type brew you won't want too much zest as it will taste like dishwashing liquid.

    I intend to do a high citrus brew by vapor infusion though not figured out that one yet. I believe Richard has a post about doing a gin with a lot of blue berries as well and I think that was by vapor.

    I thoroughly recommend the boiler dilution down to around 20 % as it makes it dead easy to collect in say 1 litre bottles and keep distilling down and calculate the average when all mixed so you hit your target ABV. 20% and say 40 litres seem to work out about right for a GB4 and a 50 l boiler. Not necessary to add any water at the end and also run it really fast. I easily get my desired 46% average spot on. Any more starting alcohol and you would be looking for a bigger basket.

    There would be no problem doing party masceration and part vapor infusion and could be necessary if starting off with more alcohol than me. Up to you to figure that bit. I personally see no need but I have never macerated so I could be missing something. There is not much flavour in the spent stuff in the basket when is over so recovery is good. I am not a fan of swapping over baskets of botanicals mid run as it introduces too many variables for my liking.

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