GINKING wrote:I'm starting to think its the juniper that over powering everything else. (to prove this I might just do a juniper only run)...
A little process I found useful was to scale my recipe down and macerate the base/common botanicals separately in 200ml jars (don't re-distill them). I could then taste each one individually and then blend them to my taste. When I found a ratio I liked I could then scale the recipe back.
I think I had 5 jars - juniper, coriander, angelica root, orris root and liquorice.
My favourite recipe to date is:
1 Litre 45% ABV neutral spirit
20g Juniper Berries
10g Coriander seeds
2g Angelica root
2g liquorice root
200mg chamomile flower
1 strip of grapefruit skin
1 strip of lime skin
1 strip of orange skin
Directions: Lightly crush the berries and seeds and add to neutral spirit .
Seal the jar and macerate at room temperature for 14 days. (or 2 days and place all in the boiler to re-distil)
Strain / filter liquor into a potstill (or Airstill)
Place remaining ingredients (roots, flowers and fruit skins) in botanical basket and re-distil slowly.
Discard first 10mls (oils)
Collect 400mls - down to about 60%
Dilute to 45%ABV (@ 20 deg C) and condition in glass for 5 weeks.
Here's a link to a handy bit of info.
https://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/guides/st ... botanicals