T500 and first try at gin

[eattheliving]

Hi Everyone,
just after a bit of guidance now.
As the title suggest i am going to give gin a try.I am going to try Odins easy gin recipe using my t500 with the still spirit botanicals pot and an alembic head.
I have approx 4 litres of neutral strip at 70% ready to go back into the still this weekend. i will be diluting this down to approx 30% so i'm guessing i would have about 6 or 7 litres of neutral strip.
so here where the help is needed.
1: Do i do a spirit run first before botanicals are added to the ss pot?
2: How much Juniper,Coriander and tangerine would i need? the recipe states for 1L of neutral at 43%to use:
12G Juniper
3G Coriander seeds
Skin of 1 Tangerine.
3: Do i crush the botanicals?
4: If i go straight into the spirit run with botanicals would i loose flavours in the gin because i would need to discard the first 200 to 400 ml?

cheers guys.

[gaza the instructor]

There are many ways to make Gin.
Personally I use Good neutral.
Try 3ltrs neutral add 3ltrs water.
Look in the Air Still section some
very good recipes there.
If they are for one ltr xby 3 for
your botanical s. Load your Gin
Basket and get collecting. Dont
need to make cuts, already done.
So yes to your question spirit run
then Gin run.

[Toper]

I would have thought that a significant amount of flavour would have been extracted in the portion you intend to discard.

I would recommend a Spirit Run first and a Gin Run using the finished product.

[eattheliving]

thanks guys for the responses.
defo spirit run then gin run and multiply botanicals up, got it and thanks.

will post back when i have a drinkable gin.

cheers n thanks.

just had a thought.... i know dangerous.

if i want a more fruity gin... add more tangerine?

[gaza the instructor]

If that is your (or wifeys) wish for lots of fruit.
You really dont need a lot to taste it, maybe 3 or 4
2" strips will give you a nice twang.
Try not to use the pith it will carry bitterness thru
or maybe you want that?
That is the beauty of what we do one mans nectar is
another mans mouthwash.
Keep experimenting and if you do a good 'un post the
recipe and we can all try it.

[Maker]

Some advice given by Myles in another post was not to forget layers, you can produce a gin from the still with some flavour and finish by adding another flavour in the bottle such as adding dehydrated citrus peel and leaving for a week or how ever long takes your fancy.

[gaza the instructor]

Oh yes you can always infuse to get added umphff.

[eattheliving]

thanks guys for the info. will be stilling soon
do i need to crush the coriander and junipers up before i put them into the basket?

[gaza the instructor]

You dont really have to smash they.
Just give them a little cuddly with
a rolling pin or.....

[eattheliving]

cheers gaza.

[Mash]

You dont really have to smash they.
Just give them a little cuddly with
a rolling pin or.....

Hmm. I have been beating the beejeebers out of them in a granite mortor & pestle. Might try gentler...

[gaza the instructor]

Mash I dont have the word gentle in my vocabulary
But it seems to help release the flavour more.

[Mash]

Will I thought so. Beginning to think it was just me.

[eattheliving]

well that's the first gin bottled.

i had about 4 litres at 70% thinned it down to approx 30% then ran the flavouring through it.

I used the following:

40g juniper
10g coriander
5 strips of grapefruit peel... i didn't have any oranges so i improvised.

i must say that the citrus smell coming off the liquor was great. just need to wait a couple of weeks then taste.

[gaza the instructor]

Nice one. Grapefruit is a very strong flavour.
Made some last year and will do again.