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Vapour Infused Raki

edited September 2020 in Recipes

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone has done a vapour infused raki/arak?

Interested to see how much aniseed to spirit you're using in a gin basket as everything I find is about macerating 75-100 g / litre before redistilling...

I'd prefer to not contaminate my still with a lot of aniseed ;-)

Comments

  • Computer, ping @Sadi!

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  • No. However I have made commercial 'ouzo' via maceration with SVR a long while ago, lets just say last century, and I still have SS fittings in a bin that reek of anise to this day. We operated two totally separate stills in different buildings to avoid contamination. In the end we sent the ouzo production off site, 150 km off site! Sorry I cannot be of help. I still have nightmares, that hint of .....

  • edited September 2020

    Good idea @crozdog, it goes against the standard thinking and ruffles me to think of a subtle ouzo/arak but it makes a better gin, so may make a better raki.

    I have to say (star anise instead of anise) that i never had a problem with contamination of my still with arak and i made it often by maceration.

    Good one to experiment with on a small scale before stepping up.

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  • edited September 2020

    @crozdog Yes I have but did not get enough anthol to make it go white when water is added. It tastes good though.

    I think a combination of maceration and infusion would be the go.

    I also have a huge alcohol library of Raki and arak brands from all around that region as sweet pea likes arak and water in place of wine and is very set on what tastes good.

    I have not had any problem with contamination but may have chucked the components in the dishwasher. Only ever used aniseed never star anise

    Lot of good info in the thread from the master @Sadi

    Also used to make the base alcohol from Tarac Industries grape juice concentrate

  • edited September 2020

    @GD50 said: Lot of good info in the thread from the master Sadi

    Raki by Sadi

    Just too bad that @Sadi hasn't been here for quite a while and likely has moved on to other things.

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  • thanks guys, have been reading the top work by @Sadi however he macerates.

    @Bomber1004 yeah i'm wanting to avoid that!

    @GD50, can you recall what ratio of anise to spirit you used in the basket? the maceration recipes all seem to be in around 10% - @Sadi states that too.

    a 380l boiler is a bit big to chuck in the dishwasher - lol, might look at draining then part filling with fresh water and adding caustic or sodium percarbonate then pumping it through everything to clean - that's if I macerate.

    Guess I'm just going have to try a few options on the 50l rig before stepping up.

  • Cleaning the boiler is easy, it's the vapor path through the PC that's the b!tch.

    Washing from up the business end (PC) helps, but really getting that vapor path squeeky clean - that's the trick.

  • Thanks @grim. I've recently converted to pumping cleaning fluid in from the PC end

  • edited September 2020

    Really regretting not buying that gin/botanical rig from @Smaug.

  • @grim, wondering if you have any thoughts on the ratio of anise to spirit in a vapour infused raki compared to macerated?

  • edited September 2020

    @crozdog. I know I was experimenting with a grape juice concentrate wash. Was playing with Pisco and Raki.

    I have a 45 l boiler and would have filled to this level at 35%. I took off around 5 l of attempted Pisco. Then I roughly filled the GB4 with aniseed and took about 2 l more. To me the key point is the ability to go white when mixed with water and I was not there. I would also think what I did might be noted in that thread more accurately.

    I would guess I have my notes but in middle of major house Reno so everything is nowhere or anywhere.

    Yep 360 l would require a big d washer.

    Tis a pity @Sadi is not still contributing as he had it pretty well dialled in. Might have to re read it all when I go back in that direction.

  • @gd50. How was your Pisco ??

  • We add 40g star anise per Lal in the still.
    We don't macerate or vapour infuse, plus there's also a bit of citrus and fennel etc. But that seems to be stabile down to around 40% with the right cuts

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