Gin basket placement

[bt1]

Howdy,

Which angelica strain? There's sinensis and archangelica on ebay...

Angelica archangelica is the go the white flowering type...the purple tastes very different.

Just a couple of further tips.
If your on a pot if you can arrange a way to get the botanicals on the downward vapour path, say a small caddy before the condenser your far better off. Sticking the botanicals in bag in the throat will work but a lot of the heavier oils won't make it over the bend and into your collection jar simply falling back into the boiler.

Same applies to a bubbler. just prior in a caddy to the PC works best....the heavier oils etc can literally fall into the jar ...In the neck you end up with same issue as the pots a sterilised gin missing the real bite.

In both cases it avoids lots of heavy cleaning to rid still of the oils etc.

There's as many recipes for Gin as there are ppl making it. If you like a little challenge give this a go and then play with other recipes....

Enjoy it,
I always have

bt1



bt1

[MacStill]

Same applies to a bubbler. just prior in a caddy to the PC works best....the heavier oils etc can literally fall into the jar ...In the neck you end up with same issue as the pots a sterilised gin missing the real bite.

bt1

I can disagree with this cant I ?

For the simple reason.

By having the botanicals above the reflux condenser you are infusing "only" the vapour being taken as product.

[MtnMoonshiner]

I've been thinking about learning to make gin as of late. Do y'all think it matters what kind of still I use? I'm ok with constructing a different type of still if I need to, but do I have to?

[Cane Toad]

I wouldn't think so MM,you're running a pot still correct,you may just have to introduce a bit of 4" to hold your botanicals between the worm and the end of the pot,if you know what I mean :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bt1]

Howdy,

yep it's only the product vapour with this method. But that was the best result ..it got all the goodies out of botanicals into the collection jar.

I tried several by using OD's original bag/caddy method in the neck pre plates and one I sat a bag on a false plate in the gap between the top of RC and the 4" to 2" reducer cap.
The still "trapped" several slight colour variations on some plates (different botanical elements I guess) and all I got was a rather bland gin...mainly citrus. On finish a lot of the flavour/smell had simply dropped back into the wash.

geez cleaning a plater after a gin run ain't much fun either...Half the reasoning for placing pre product condenser cos all I needed to soak and was shotgun condenser, caddy and parrot.

Mtm +1 gummy's comment, a real simple one is two lipped SS bowls with a gasket between clamped together. Input pipe size in to top section, take off at the bottom to your worm/condenser with a little bit of SS mesh/wire(I cut up a cheap SS sieve to get fine stuff) to strain/prevent botanicals falling down to condenser/worm and it's done.

Had thoughts but, this is so close to a mini thumper - would it be worth making a mini thumper...would help abv's on a pot for each run and also serve as a caddy for infusions for gins ...not sure cos never made it.

bt1

[MacStill]

bit like hop oils I guess when distilling beer ;-)

trouble is mate, I've found no such issues in my trials

[bt1]

can't say I've ever distilled beer..

normally just drink it...not sure what you mean here...is there enough hop oils in beer anyway?

On my 6 plater bottom few plates had a milky mix on them... be worth having a look see when you next run.

Fist time I ran it post...

http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2783&hilit=+caddy#p39208

bt1

[MacStill]

OK I'm going to allow you the last word as another topic is starting to get derailed, I still disagree & believe you may have had other problems.

Back on topic now please.

[Brendan]

Is this not relevant to the title of the topic? You're discussing how to get great gin...

I'm looking forward to trying my own experiments with gin, and will be starting with this recipe. I like the pre PC basket idea, but am worried the flavours would be too strong...can always dilute with neutral/water though I guess to get the mix you desire...

[MacStill]

Is this not relevant to the title of the topic?

OD is a bit of a gin guru and has his botanicals below the plates in his column, as do a few others I know of, yet "none" of them have "ever" reported anything negative from doing this.

My gin basket R&D over 5 months, with 4 in use by others with no negative feedback holds absolutely no weight against an experience with a single failed run from an individual.

But hey I guess we could all be wrong ;-)

[blond.chap]

My experience is from a total of 2 runs, I've had the gin bag immediately above the RC.

Without having tried any other method, I can't say what the difference is. What I can say is that the way I've been doing it has been working just fine.

[Brendan]

I think I'll probably make a post RC basket, and a pre PC basket just for experimentation purposes. It's the same vapour, but maybe some of the heavier compounds don't make it over the arm? I would prefer a lighter gin style anyway, so the post RC may suit me.

I can add that I have seen at least 5 professional gin distilleries, that clip their basket inside the top of the boiler, underneath the start of the column. But they would have a lot of trouble accessing a basket above their RC, because they are sealed units, and the RC can be 3 stories high :shock:

[MacStill]

With the gin basket I've developed you can add it anywhere in the column before or after the RC, but hey if people want me to make a 2" version to fit above the PC it's just a matter of changing a few sizes in AUTOCAD and sending it off to the manufacturer.

However, I believe the way I've designed the 4" GB is the best option :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Sam.]

It seems we are talking about botanical flavours acting the same way in the column as the vapor from the wash.

Obviously we have stills designed to get the correct density vapors out the end.

I don't see the flavours acting the same way. I can't see them falling into the boiler surely they are all carried through in the moving vapor path?

[MacStill]

I've been thinking about learning to make gin as of late. Do y'all think it matters what kind of still I use? I'm ok with constructing a different type of still if I need to, but do I have to?

Quite a few just use a pot still to infuse neutral with the botanicals in the head space of the boiler, but as suggested elsewhere you could utilise your thump keg in the same manner. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[blond.chap]

It seems we are talking about botanical flavours acting the same way in the column as the vapor from the wash.

Obviously we have stills designed to get the correct density vapors out the end.

I don't see the flavours acting the same way. I can't see them falling into the boiler surely they are all carried through in the moving vapor path?

It looks like some experiments are needed, my logic would be though:
- Below the RC, a portion of the gin oils (particularly any that have a high BP) will be returned to the keg with the reflux action
- Above the RC on the upward path, most oils will be carried over, but some dense oils will fall back into the column and therefore the keg
- On the downward path before the PC, virtually all oils will be carried over

So it all depends on which flavour compounds are desirable, and probably just how you like your Gin.

Another thought I had a while back is it would be good to be able to remove foreshots before putting the botanicals in, I feel like I waste a lot of the flavour in making nice smelling window cleaner. You could avoid the issue by either using stripped low wines or stopping the run, letting the column cool a bit and putting the gin bag/section in after.

[SBB]

The best gin Ive ever had or seen made never even used a basket, the botanicals were simply left to soak in 95% neutral over night, the next day the whole lot was dilute down to 40% and added to the boiler, it was then run through a simple pot still, the resulting spirit was then diluted back down to 43%. I believe the basic recipe for this gin originated from OD as well.
It was Stubbiedrainer who made it and gave it to me, i think the recipe and method are posted around here someplace.

[bt1]

Howdy,

there's lot of ways to do a gin. My thanks have always gone to OD for opening my eyes to it.

When I use the pots I used to have the old gin clip, a blanket pin I think they are called and tie the bag to that and hang it in the neck of the pot. it worked , it tasted fine. Once I built the first bubbler just caused a re think.

As mentioned I've tried botanicals in the upward side of vapour path several times on the plater it also works and tastes ok... reckon it lost it balls somewhat...like making a really big heavy Tanqueray style is fail taste wise, it fell "flat". Same for a Dill/ Clove one but I've only done dill/clove as per below.

2 thinks I do know about putting it just pre PC as mentioned ...
It tastes dam fine imho... caution here I like it well flavoured...may not suit all but that's more about blending it.
saves cleaning

But the best thing is we're talking Gins and that's dam good news...cos it's well a under rated drop and is so nice to drink and play with the ingredients.

Made a 3 pepper gin once...different but nice... real good with a Malaysian, mild Indian or Sri Lankan curry or cheese plates with some good water crackers and fresh cut greens.

Let's throw up a few more recipes...and give it a go...we could be Gin specialists in no time. I'll post the three pepper later tonight in recipe development.

gin happy,
bt1

[SBB]

real good with a Malaysian, mild Indian or Sri Lankan curry

Fair go BT, I haven't had dinner yet and ya making me drool. :sad:

[bt1]

Howdy all,

Personal fave this site it's where I go for inspiration for gins...

http://www.theginblog.co.uk/home/

Enjoy...I have
bt1