The Advisor: the Best Way to Fill Your Own Gin
Like all infused spirits, gin can be infused on its own. If the predominant aroma of your infusion is juniper, then by definition you have made gin. But just because you can do something yourself doesn’t mean you have to do it, so we decided to test three different gin recipes with your own hands without the need for a bath.
Easiest: Homemade Gin Set from HomemadeGin.com
Homemadegin.com is committed to giving you everything you need to “turn a regular bottle of vodka into a unique and delicious homemade blend of your very own gin.” The set is your easiest and laziest option, and in most cases it just involves pouring the contents of the cans into a vodka bottle and waiting.
Cost: $ 49.95 plus the cost of vodka.
How it works: The kit includes all the plants you need, arranged in neat jars. The set, in addition to the parts for the plants, includes a funnel, a strainer and two glass bottles for storage. Besides buying a bottle of vodka, all you have to do is drain, shake and wait. The process begins with juniper berries, which are infused for a full twenty-four hours before other plants are added. After the second can is poured into the bottle, the whole porridge remains for another twelve hours, after which it is filtered into the bottles provided.
Flavor: The resulting alcohol is probably slightly different from the gin you are used to drinking. The set produces an amber drink with a deep aroma that is very different from Bombay, Hendrick’s or Tanqueray.
The main flavor is juniper, but fennel comes in second and almost dwarfs my favorite berry. It also has a root beer / cola quality that is nice to sprinkle with soda water, but a little heavy when used in a cleaner cocktail like a martini. If I were to use this kit again, I would only use half of the botanicals per 750ml vodka bottle.
Conclusion: practically no effort is required on your part, and the funnel, strainer and bottles are of good quality. Once you have the kit, you can order more herbal supplements or go cheat and make your own infusion mixes.
This is a fairly expensive way to get gin, and while it’s a matter of personal taste, the resulting liquor tastes more like a watered-down bottle of bitter than fresh, pure juniper spirit. The scent also continues to intensify; While the strainer is great at removing any large lumps like berries, leaves and the like, it doesn’t catch the more powdery sediment that ends up in the last bottles and continues to flavor your alcohol. I’ll definitely finish (and happily drink) what I’ve made, but I’m not going to reach for him when I’m in the mood for a martini.
One That Isn’t Really Gin: Anova’s 90 Second Sous Vide Gin
If you are the type of person who is more likely to drink a bottle of vodka than a bottle of gin at your home bar, this super- quick gin recipe from Anova lets you quickly add some booze with a dip. circulator.
Special equipment and ingredients: Anova Precision plate or other immersion thermostat, sealed plastic bag, plus:
- 3 ounces vodka
- Zest of one small orange
- 8 juniper berries
- 10-12 coriander seeds
- 2 cardamom pods
- 8-10 grains of paradise (optional)
- 1 tasmanian pepper (optional)
Note: I was unable to find Grains of Paradise or Tasmanian pepperberry at my local hippie grocery store, which makes me think they are very difficult to find.
Cost: Assuming you already own a sous-vide dispenser (and I wouldn’t buy one just for this purpose), you end up paying for botanicals – which could be less than two dollars if your store has herbs and spices are sold in bulk – orange and vodka. Aside from vodka, the most expensive item was a jar of juniper berries, which I could not find in bulk and cost me about six dollars.
Assuming you didn’t have any of these ingredients at home, you’re looking at groceries for about $ 20-30 for three ounces of gin. Of course, most of this water is vodka, of which you still have a lot left. Also, it’s worth noting that the money I spent on herbs and spices was actually enough to make it about four times that much. It’s a bit of an investment in the beginning and may cost you more than a plastic bottle of cheap gin, but if you spend ten dollars on juniper berries and the like, you have enough inventory to make a lot of it.
How it works: Mix all the ingredients in the bag and seal as best you can. The recipe tells you to remove the air by slowly submerging the bag in water , forcing it out, but there is a problem in this regard. Vodka is less dense than water, and a bag filled with herbs and vodka just doesn’t want to be submerged in water.
Since everything should hang for only a minute and a half, you can simply hold it underwater with tongs, then pull it out and let it cool in a bowl of ice, massaging it a couple of times to let the stuff continue to pour. When it’s cool, strain and enjoy.
Taste: I’m not sure if you can technically call it “gin”. If I had not put juniper berries in me, I would not have known that they are there, because they were completely covered with orange peel. Basically, you have a slightly grassy orange vodka, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not gin.
Bottom line: This is a pretty simple recipe to execute, and “Oh let me make a quick cocktail for you” is a nifty party trick, but what you get is not gin . If you want a recipe for a balanced, fresh and pure orange vodka, give it a try, but what if you want gin? Keep moving.
Clear Winner: Anova’s Sous Vide 10 Minute Gin
This 10 Minute Recipe by Anova is exactly what I was looking for. This recipe is as simple as the other two, but as a result, I really want to drink a martini.
Special equipment and ingredients: Anova Precision plate or other immersion thermostat, sealed plastic bag, plus:
- 3 ounces vodka
- 10 coriander seeds
- 8 juniper berries
- 2 pieces dried lavender
- 5 whole black peppercorns
- 2 whole pods of cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
Cost: As with the recipe above, most of your money will go towards vodka and plants, although chili peas and bay leaves are probably already dangling in your closet. Just like the recipe above, the money you spend on a decent bottle of vodka and various plant parts is probably a little more than you would spend on a bottle of cheap gin, but it’s cheaper than top shelf items and this recipe Especially worth it.
How it works: As with the sous vide recipe above, you put it all in a bag and submerge it in a water bath to the best of your ability. I didn’t feel like standing there all ten minutes holding it with tongs, so I just did my best and left it floating partially. After ten minutes, you remove the bag, strain the solids, and refrigerate for at least fifteen minutes.
Taste: This is a gin that I was very happy to eat. It was aromatic, juniper, with spicy and floral notes, and while it was aromatic enough to enjoy on its own or with a little soda, it was pure enough to blend into a cocktail without distorting the flavor.
Bottom line: I think it’s love. Not only is it a quick and easy way to turn a plain, boring vodka into a more interesting and flavorful alcoholic beverage, but also one that I really want to drink over and over again. I drink gin pretty quickly, while my vodka supplies are sadly languishing on a bar cart, but that really could make a difference.
While the original recipe is great, I look forward to playing with it, and that’s really the main benefit of this way of introducing the gin: individualization. Instead of waiting a day and a half for everything to infuse the old fashioned way, you can cook a whole bunch of small batches, customizing the herbal ingredients to suit your very specific and special taste.
Obviously, this isn’t just about gin. Sous vide infusion is a great way to quickly customize any liquor, allowing you to leave a mark on any alcohol you desire. So, long branded cocktails, we moved on to branded spirits.