StillSmart

After a break, I decided to try a gin and then a rum.

I made two variants of something similar to Odin's gin.
2 x2L of 40% neutral spirit infused with botanicals for 7 days.
I wasn't sure how do do the cuts, so I ended up with the following on my first run after discarding the foreshots:
200ml 77%
200ml 73%
200ml 60%
200ml 30%

I just made it and not sure what to make of it, but the taste so far is quite pure, but with disappointingly low juniper taste. It has been a while, and I know I should have studied the forums better before starting, but any thoughts on this and how I best should blend and dilute this? And could I give it another infusion to bring up the taste?

I'll be absolutely honest, I have not made Gin like this. But when I do use botanicals for other spirits I always infuse at a higher ABV and dilute after. If this is not the case with making Gin please ignore me.
But to answer your question, yes you can give it another infusion and for as long as deemed necessary.

What quantities of botanicals did you use?

Are those numbers right? 2 x 2L @ 40% is 4L @ 40%? I usually make mine in batches of 1.8L @ 50% and would expect to collect 900ml @ ~77%. After that the taste gets too floral and I keep the next 300-400ml for filtering and reuse and shut off the still. That 900ml gets watered down to 1.5L at my preferred (higher) ABV.

You seem to have collected only 800ml which is roughly half of what I would have expected but the ABV you report does indicate that the useful gin run was ending after the first 400ml. Where did the alcohol go? Was the neutral covered when you were macerating it? Did the alcohol just evaporate? Something is fishy here.

Also if you are using neutral, you have already made cuts and discarded the foreshots. There is no need to do so again. The first 50ml or so might be very citrusy (which you may or may not like). I usually keep that and run until it starts tasting less good (tastes like violets then to me). Then I stop collecting for drinking and start collecting for re-use. That is the only cut needed.

For 2L of 40% neutral I used:
35g crushed juniper
10g koriander seeds
1g cinnamon
4g lemon peel
6g orange peel
a pinch of anis, fennel and angelica root

infused for 7 days

* yesterday I did my second run. This time I collected 600ml of 72% and 300ml of 30%.
The first taste was... interesting. a smell of ripe orange, but the taste was more like a mosquito repellent

Thanks for the input. I agree, something is fishy.
I kept the lid slightly open during the infusion. And I measured the ABV only before. So maybe some did evaporate. I was very conservative when making cuts and discarded foreshots just to be sure. I will check the result one more time, but is tempted to dilute what I have to 50% and follow your procedure chill.

I think the miss understanding here is that claes made two separate macerations,
and posted only the results from his first. At first.
Hence the large amount of missing alcohol.
Re reading from the start may help here.
Rewind,re think

Robert.


Edit. Of course I could be wrong.

Ok. So the ABV question seems partly solved. With the two separate macerations, I guess I was a bit conservative and also some may have evaporated.

But the taste is still not to my satisfaction. Too "artificial" and too low on juniper? Could that be too low ABV during maceration, too short maceration, bad mix of botanicals, something wrong during distilling or all of them?

OR should I simply wait a bit and see how the taste evolves?

If I choose to do a new maceration, should I dilute to 50% and filter it again first?

To me it looks like you made Gin Essence. Try diluting it with neutral and see if you like it better.

This is roughly my recipe:
For 2L of 50% neutral I use:
15g crushed juniper
1.5g koriander seeds
Tiny sliver cinnamon
2-4 pieces of lemon peel removed with a serrated peeler
large pinch of anis, fennel
small pinch orris root, angelica root
Whatever else strikes my fancy, usually cardamon, lavender flowers, apricot seeds

I don't macerate, just grind, toss in the neutral and fire it up. I have also made macerated version but that requires patience and planning, two things I am short of. I don't find the macerated version any better.

... I don't find the macerated version any better.

+1 to that. I discovered exactly the same. It was that which lead to the sputnik.

Aha! This is earth shattering information! I will try all of this.

But is the Sputnik a must have?

I'm reading about the Sputnik in the forums, but just to make it clear - the purpose for it is that the vapors from the neutral will "go" through the botanicals? So the container must be suspended over the liquid?

I will try to build one. Just a bit unsure on the specs.
Could I for instance use something like this?: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/76113785/

- and instead of having feet on it, tie it up with thin string that I tape to the outside of the smartstill? (not an elegant solution of course).

[quote="chill"]To me it looks like you made Gin Essence. Try diluting it with neutral and see if you like it better.

You were right! I diluted it with 2/3 neutral and now it's a completely different story! I will still try to do a version with the Sputnik for comparison.

claes wrote:I'm reading about the Sputnik in the forums, but just to make it clear - the purpose for it is that the vapors from the neutral will "go" through the botanicals? So the container must be suspended over the liquid?

Yes you are correct
I will try to build one. Just a bit unsure on the specs.
Could I for instance use something like this?: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/76113785/

Yes you could

- and instead of having feet on it, tie it up with thin string that I tape to the outside of the smartstill? (not an elegant solution of course).

I am less sure of this

Robert

Defo Not sure about taping it.

Dead easy to build.

You want a small ss colander.

Something like this.

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fRIAAOSwH ... s-l300.jpg
Wobble the handles till they drop off.
Fits inside. Snug fit to lid.
Punch or drill 3 holes in the lip.
Use stainless threaded rod to make legs.

I think someone found a good fit colander in sainsbury?