StillSmart

Mash wrote:Do it, do it, do it!

If you fancy a go I will share the latest recipe!

I have done 6 runs now. None have been a failure. Just fine tuning...
Same more kale is on. Definitely the best base for gin.

That's it, I'm on a search for a colinder now

I have this week proved that a 48% seems to get a better flavour.

1l in at 40% + 1l water
75cl out at 48-50%. 2 hours later.

I usually run my gin at 50 - 52%, 1.8L in the still and collect 900ml. Then I collect down to about 40% to accumulate, redistill, and filter for "desperate times" gin.

chill wrote:I usually run my gin at 50 - 52%, 1.8L in the still and collect 900ml. Then I collect down to about 40% to accumulate, redistill, and filter for "desperate times" gin.

Maybe it is my state of alcohol,but I struggled with this for a while,I'm with you now Chuck.

Robert.

My mission this weekend is to find the bits to build a Sputnik :-)

Go forth intrepid adventurer.

I will be worth the effort.

So far today it's a fail, been around my local town but no suitable colander :-(

Gotta be in it, to win it.

Ebay?

Anavrin wrote:So far today it's a fail, been around my local town but no suitable colander :-(

Feel the force...

Robert.

NOt sure I posted recipe so here goes.....

Ingredients ONE LITRE
• 13 g juniper berries.
• 8 g coriander seeds
• Whole skin of one tangerine.
• 1/2 lemon (potato peeled)
• 1g Angelica
• 0.1g orris root
• 4 black peppercorns (NO MORE)
• 1 L 50-55% neutral
• 1 L water

Method:
Lightly crush the seeds.
Fill Air still with water & alcohol
Fit basket. Then fill with crushed botanicals. Doesn't matter if some dust falls through.
Run Air still. Check at 1.5 / 2 HOURS
Taste immediately to celebrate !

Notes
STANDING for 1 week improves.
The basket is a small colander (no mesh) intentionally - it is much easier to clean.
The extra litre of water is to give the still something to work with, stop is boiling dry and give plenty of time for the steaming.

Conclusion.
First run. Properly f chuffed. Subsequence runs were required to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

I am sure this recipe can be developed, but this is a v good start. It also scales 1-1 perfectly.

Thanks.
All the info needed.
Robert.

Well I built a sputnik and completed my first run today - now drinking my first Sputnik Gin (aged all of 10 minutes!). It is excellent! I lined it up against a Tesco gin and the Sputnik smells and tastes way better. It will be interesting to compare it to Bombay Sapphire when I have some.

I followed Mash's recipe almost exactly - just used a clementine skin instead of tangerine skin as that's what we had. It goes slightly cloudy when tonic added but I see from the thread that this sorts itself out with a bit of aging (it will be hard to let it age ). Thanks for the recipe and sputnik idea Mash - truly excellent.

One question - I see your Apple Vodka idea - what difference would it make to do the apple vodka in the same way as the Gin? i.e. distill it in 2 hours rather than infuse it for a week or so?

Thanks for the positive feedback. Pleased it hits the spot.

Good idea about he apple vodka. Perhaps chopped up smaller. Cinnamon sprinkled on top.

I might nip out to the cellar a bit later a try it.

I gave this a try yesterday.
Doesn't seem to carry the apple flavour through as much as a slower extraction.

Perhaps the flavours are not oil based so are not being extracted by the stream.

For anyone who what's to try this I have by accident found some baskets....
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 31&alt=web

Less than a fiver delivered... Not worth the fuel to Asda!