StillSmart

Morning guys,
I’m looking for a bit of advise making a compound gin similar to Ableforths bathtub gin.
I know you’d normally redistill a gin but I’m only making 4 litres of 40% neutral at the moment and and need to build a smaller still to rerun a gin which I just can’t be bothered with at present.
Anyway here’s my starting point per 750ml.
* 2 tbsp juniper berries
* 1 tsp coriander seeds
* Peel of 1 orange
* 2 cloves
* 1/2 cinnamon stick
* 3 green cardamom

Can anyone see where improvements could be made?

Thanks
Chris

I always find do botanicals by weight its
more accurate that way and easier to replicate.
Dont forget to note your recipes as well.
A small amount of Angelica or Orris root will
set your flavours in the finished produce.
Personal opinion I think 2 cloves may be strong.
And zest the orange no pith, its very bitter.
Probably not a whole orange it will take your
Gin over, or that may be what you are looking
for.
Mash I said pith not P+**

EZ peelers are great for orange peel. BUT BITTER orange is stunning...ebay or a HBS

Yes 100% Mash but a totally dif flavour to the peal.

Bathtub does have quite a strong taste of cloves, it almost tastes like a spiced gin to me but perhaps I’ll go with 1 to start with as I can alway add more if needed.
I need to get myself some micro scales for weighing out ingredients but until then measures will have to suffice.
Someone else recommended reducing the orange peel so that’s already been noted!

Try and test mate. Everyone's tastes are different.

I have a Satsuma or two for breakfast often, and while the peel is still moist scrape the pith off and dry the peel for later use.
I once watched a video on Youtube concerning the making of Triple sec, which showed them taking in dried Bittter orange peel, rehydrating, and then scraping the pith off.


Robert.

We dont want anyone taking the pith now
do we!!!

A bit of an update on this particular experiment. The recipe I tried in the end was
Per litre of 40% neutral
28g juniper
10g coriander seeds
3g cinnamon
2g dried orange peel
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
3 peppercorns
0.2g orris root powder.

I crushed the juniper and coriander and macerated this giving it a good shake every time I walked past. After 24 hours I crushed and added the rest of the botanicals, again shaking regularly. After another 24 hours I filtered though an unbleached coffee filter and let it sit for a few days.
I must say as an approximation to bathtub gin, I’m pretty happy! I think the best way to describe it is a spiced gin, nothing like a London dry as the cinnamon and cloves add a warmth that mellows the sharp freshness of the juniper. This is a gin to warm you though the winter rather than refresh in the summer.
I’m on my second batch now as SWMBO pretty much nailed the first bottle!

SWMBO pretty much nailed the first bottle!

thats always a compliment!!

Is there a change to the recipe this time?

Mash wrote:

SWMBO pretty much nailed the first bottle!

thats always a compliment!!

Is there a change to the recipe this time?

The first bottle only had 20g of dried juniper and I think the other botanicals over powered it but that’s the only change so far.