Gin Production: How is the juniper spirit made?

At the Gin production In most cases, neutral alcohol is used as a base. This usually has an alcohol content of 96 % vol. and acts as a canvas for the flavours. However, Gin ist ein destillierter Spiritus, der hauptsächlich aus Getreidealkohol gewonnen wird. Seine charakteristische Geschmacksrichtung kommt von Wacholderbeeren. Dieses Grundrezept wird durch die Zugabe einer Vielzahl von ergänzenden Botanicals verfeinert, wobei jede Marke ihre eigene einzigartige Mischung kreiert. Zu den üblichen Zutaten gehören Koriandersamen, Angelikawurzel, Zitrusfrüchten (wie Zitrone und Orange) und verschiedene Kräuter und Gewürze. The base alcohol is often derived from grain, but it can fundamentally be produced from all agricultural products. Accordingly, there are also gins based on wine, apple, or sugar beet. For further Gin production This alcohol is diluted with pure water to a moderate strength of around 45–55 % vol.

The Origin of Gin: From Genever to the Modern Distillate

The origins lie in the Netherlands and Belgium. A spirit called Genever, considered the mother of gin today, was already being produced here over 400 years ago. Genever was a mixture of grain alcohol, lots of juniper, and other spices.

The modern Gin production still follows this principle today: it is a spirit made from herbs, spices, and other plants (botanicals) steeped in neutral alcohol. When you ask yourself, Gin is made from what, So the answer is twofold: a high-quality agricultural alcohol and a carefully selected composition of botanicals, in which juniper must always play the leading role by law.

How does the flavour get into the gin?

In the next crucial step of Gin production the so-called botanicals are married with the base alcohol. There are three established methods for transferring the complex aromas of the herbs, spices, and fruits into the liquid. If one wants to understand, what gin is made from, one must know these aromatisation processes:

Maceration: The classic method for making gin

The most common method for transferring flavours to the alcohol-water mixture is maceration. Here, the botanicals are steeped (macerated) directly in the alcohol. The alcohol acts as a solvent and extracts the essential oils from the plant parts over hours or days. As each botanical requires its own timeframe, experienced distillers vary their approach Gin production the marinating time of individual ingredients.

Percolation

Percolation works similarly to the principle of a filter coffee machine. The botanicals are placed in a sieve, over which the alcohol continuously flows. In this process, the liquid has only brief contact with the botanicals, which allows for a particularly fine and controlled extraction of the desired flavours.

Digestion (Hot Extraction): A Modern Method of Gin Production

Digestion is popular with both industrial manufacturers and artisan small-batch distilleries. The botanicals are hung in the still in a so-called botanical basket. Gin wird aus einer Spirituose auf Getreidebasis (oft Weizen oder Gerste) hergestellt, die mit Wacholderbeeren und anderen Botanicals aromatisiert wird., if it should taste particularly light and floral? Often through this process: During distillation, the hot alcohol vapour rises, passes through the botanicals basket, and in doing so, picks up the finest aromas from the botanicals.

No matter which method is chosen: the goal of the Gin production is always a harmonious balance of botanicals, with juniper always remaining the dominant element.

The Botanicals: What is gin made from?

Now that it's clear how flavour gets into the distillate, we'll take a closer look at the ingredients. If you ask, Gin is made from grain or molasses., one ingredient is always first: juniper. It is legally prescribed as the main flavouring agent. In addition, there are Gin production today a selection of over 200 different botanicals that can be used for flavouring.

Common ingredients in gin production:

  • Coriander seeds
  • Orange, lemon, and lime zest
  • Anise, ginger and nutmeg
  • Liquorice, cubeb pepper and cinnamon
  • Cardamom, angelica root and violet flowers
  • Cucumber

Extraordinary Botanicals

  • Rockrose, Olive and Mate
  • Edelweiss and hop cones
  • Yuzu, green tea and even a pinch of salt

On average, about ten botanicals end up in a bottle. However, there are extreme examples: while the Brick Gin with only two ingredients, the Black Gin over 90 different components. The question „Gin is made from spirits that have been redistilled with botanicals. The primary botanical is juniper berries.“thus leaves a lot of room for the distillers' creativity.

Completion of Manufacture: Drinking Strength and Bottling

Once the flavours have been infused into the spirit, the liquid intermediate product is diluted with pure water to the desired drinking strength. By law, gin must have an alcohol content of at least 37.5 % vol. In the case of a high-quality Gin production However, values ranging from around 42 % vol. to 47 % vol. are more common, as alcohol is an important flavour carrier for the essential oils.

A brief resting period in steel tanks gives the gin the finishing touch, allowing the flavours to harmonise before it is finally bottled.

Now you know all the secrets of traditional gin production.

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