StillSmart

Been quiet for a while as I've been experimenting with various gin recipes (mostly variations on those posted on here). Most have been very drinkable but I'm wondering if I'd get better results using fresh juniper berries rather than the dried variety that's normally advertised. Found these..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Juniper-berries-berry-very-fresh-and-fragrant-200g-finest-Croatian-variety-4-GIN/201748816031?hash=item2ef92aa09f:g:NL8AAOSwYHxWOzDA

Any thoughts on whether this is likely to improve the finished product?

As an experiment for xmas I've currently got the following soaking in a litre of (42%) gin.

1 apple (peeled and cut into chunks)
300g blackberries
150g demerara sugar
1 vanilla pod

It's now been soaking for more than a fortnight. Had a quick sip this morning - very nice.

You are compounding these rather than distilling I assume? My guess is that the fresh berries would work better for a bathtub gin like this. Don't know if it would make much difference if it was run through the still.

Worth a try though

I distill my gins using an Airstill / sputnik. My question was around whether or not fresh juniper would be worth trying rather than the dried products that are usually available. Any views on quantities as compared to the dried variety would be useful.

The only compounding has been adding the apple / blackberry etc to a gin I've already distilled. I'll sieve out the fruit and won't be re-distilling.

Ted wrote:Been quiet for a while as I've been experimenting with various gin recipes (mostly variations on those posted on here). Most have been very drinkable but I'm wondering if I'd get better results using fresh juniper berries rather than the dried variety that's normally advertised. Found these..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Juniper-berries-berry-very-fresh-and-fragrant-200g-finest-Croatian-variety-4-GIN/201748816031?hash=item2ef92aa09f:g:NL8AAOSwYHxWOzDA

Any thoughts on whether this is likely to improve the finished product?

As an experiment for xmas I've currently got the following soaking in a litre of (42%) gin.

1 apple (peeled and cut into chunks)
300g blackberries
150g demerara sugar
1 vanilla pod

It's now been soaking for more than a fortnight. Had a quick sip this morning - very nice.

Maybe it is me, and the time of night where I am, but I see no juniper or corriander in this botanical list.
The two most important in a gin.

Maybe you are doing as I do and making a Juniper and Coriander base ,and flavouring up from there?

And I would expect fresh Juniper to add something that dried does not bring to the party.
But I am a 'Romantic' at heart.

Robert.

I would expect it would have a slight green vegetal taste and will not be as strong as dried.

Dried have been concentrated by that process.

Robert - Maybe I wasn't clear, the 'xmas gin' has the apple, blackberry etc soaking in a litre of my own (42%) gin made with juniper, coriander, angelica, orris root and lemon peel.

Mash - Interesting comments. I know that dried juniper is used commercially but had seen something on the ginfoundry site which suggested that flavour and odour is stronger when fresh and then declines during drying and storage.

I'm thinking I'll give it a go and maybe distill a straightforward mix of fresh juniper and coriander seeds which I can compare to a similar attempt using dried. If the result isn't as expected I'll hopefully be able to blend in some way.

Thanks for your help.

Ted wrote:
Mash - Interesting comments. I know that dried juniper is used commercially but had seen something on the ginfoundry site which suggested that flavour and odour is stronger when fresh and then declines during drying and storage.

Yes they do fade. It's the oils that carry the flavour.

Easy way to test and compare is to pour two tumblers of nuetral and add a single bot to each and cover with cling. Taste and compare over the next few days.

Let us know how it goes!

I'm guessing that it is a weight for weight thing.
A fresh Juniper berry may be funkier than a dried one, but if it takes two dried ones to equal the weight of a dried one, then they may steal the lead?
How many rectifiers could cope with using fresh berries?
I suspect dried botanicals simplify the process.

Robert.

Yes indeed. I am sure it is a storage /preservation thing for shipping purposes.