It’s possible to make your own gin! During Prohibition, some people even made them in their bathtubs, with more or less convincing results. Follow our tips for quality home-made gin.
A neutral alcohol
Gin is a neutral alcohol base in which various botanicals are macerated or infused. As with other spirits, it is then diluted to obtain the desired alcohol level. Don’t have a still at home to distill 90% alcohol like the professionals? That’s normal. So start by buying a vodka, the neutral alcohol of choice, with a higher alcohol content than what is generally available. That’s between 50% and 60%. They are not commonly found in supermarkets, so turn to spirits specialists to find them.
Above all, remember the 2 essential rules that must be respected at all costs: a dominant juniper taste and a minimum alcohol content of 37.5%.
And the infusion of botanicals
Next step, the infusion. A standard 75cl bottle contains around 2 ½ tablespoons of juniper berries, or roughly 25 grams. As for the rest, the possibilities are endless: you can give free rein to your creativity and vary the recipes to suit your mood.
In addition to juniper, which is inseparable from gin, it’s up to you to learn how to combine your favorite botanicals. Among the most common are aniseed, coriander seed, cinnamon, cardamom and citrus fruits such as dried orange peel and lemon zest. Sterilize the container in which you’re going to make your gin with boiling water, put in your botanicals and fill with vodka. Close, store in a cool, dark place and leave to stand for 24 hours. Test, add new botanicals if necessary to balance things out, and try your luck again 24 hours later. All that’s left to do is filter and enjoy!
And if you’re not convinced by your house spirit, take a look at the Ginsiders selection.
