Using flavourings/extracts to make ‘flavoured gin’ (or other flavoured spirits) – first and foremost, if using flavourings or extracts as opposed to real fruits, we would always add these to the spirit after its final distillation (if re-distilled the majority of the flavour and aroma would be lost). Some sugar can also be added (to taste) for a sweeter spirit, which lends itself well to fruit flavoured gins and vodkas.
Making bathtub gin – this is where the botanicals (fruit, herbs, spices etc) are infused with distilled alcohol to give a typically full flavoured, sometimes coloured spirit, retaining all the natural flavour, colour, and sweetness of the added flavouring adjuncts / botanicals. Again, some sugar can also be added (to taste) for a sweeter spirit, which lends itself well to fruit flavoured gins and vodkas.
The infusion would typically be done in a mason or kiln jar, or a glass bottle with a lid that can be sealed tightly, and this is a more natural way of flavouring neutral spirit after it’s final distillation, typically resulting in more ‘rustic’ drinks (given there is typically less control over the flavour, aroma and colour derived form the natural botanicals used when compared with flavourings and extracts.
Making London Dry style gins – this is where the spirit, which has already been ‘rectified’ (i.e. distilled sufficiently to render it clean and completely neutral in character), is then re-distilled through the botanicals (which are typically held in a basket like our SS botanicals basket) which are positioned at the bottom of the distillation column (or top of the alembic dome) so that the alcohol vapour passes through and extracts the flavour compounds before the alcohol vapour is condensed into liquid spirit.
Note here that it is possible to combine techniques for bathtub and London Dry style gin making – i.e. infusing the spirit before then re-distilling through further botanicals; this allow the combination of flavour and aroma profiles from both techniques to create a new, more complex type of gin.
Making brandies and schnapps – here the fruits are fermented, such as when making a cider or wine, before being distilled. However, to retain the flavour it is important to distil with a relatively low level of rectification (i.e. to a relatively low ABV) to avoid the fruit flavours being lost. For this application the T500 with Alembic dome would be ideal, with a double distillation usually being adequate to make a good product (alternatively the T500 with condenser column can be used if the saddles are removed to reduce the level of rectification).
Note that the final distillation or when the spirit would be classed as rectified would depend upon the type of still being used; if using the T500 with condenser column a single distillation to > 90 % ABV (ideally followed by carbon filtration, but this is optional) would be sufficient, whereas making neutral spirit using only the alembic dome is more challenging (given this type of still is designed for full flavour spirits such as whisky, rum etc). However, it may be possible to double distil followed by carbon filtration, although ideally the spirit would be triple distilled.
As for pink gin, there are two ways it can be made – for a sweet and fruit berry flavoured gin we would infuse with fresh fruit post-distillation to extract flavour, colour, sweetness, and acidity from the fruit. The other botanicals such as juniper, angelica etc could also be infused at the same time (bathtub style), or for a more refined product you could distil through the botanicals London Dry style before infusing with the fruit). For this fresh or dried fruit can be used, but the impact from fresh fruit will result in a fresher, more vibrant colour, flavour and aroma.