Ive been out collecting loads of Damsons and I want to make lots of Damson gin :)
Where am I likly to find the cheapest gin? Major supermarkets? Aldi/Lidl Cash and carry?
The quality really doesnt matter as all tastes are completely masked by the Damson and sugar. :)
So far from online prices i have:
Tesco Value Gin £9.27/litre
Asda Smartprice Gin £8.82/litre
Sainsburys Gin Basics £9.27/litre
EDIT: Please move this to the shiny new Food and Drink forum!
Have a look at the price of vodka too, basically its gin without the flavour.
If you really want cheap take a trip onto the continent and buy in bulk.
TBH though I dont like gin, I prefer neat whisky.
Gin is better with damsons. Dont pollute it with other stuff either, so far the nicest stuff Ive made (besides sloe gin) is straight damson gin. I found using gordons instead of supermarket own brand makes it taste *slightly* cleaner, but not enough to justify the price.
Im a whisky man myself too, but flavoured gin is nice once in a while. More popular with the ladies too 8-)
Anyone care to explain what Damsons are please? Never heard of em!
Quote from: jamieLAnyone care to explain what Damsons are please? Never heard of em!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damson
Makes good gin and jam. Not so nice to eat on their own though.
I made Damson gin last year, its really tasty.
Id say its a cross between Ribena and Port (with the strength of gin :) ).
The recipe I use is the 3-2-1 recipe. 3lbs of damsons (each pricked a few times with a pin), 2bls of regular sugar, 1 pint of gin. All goes into a bottle which you turn/shake every day(ish) until all the sugar has disolved.
Then strain the damsons off (wich taste great with icecream) and drink!
Its best left for around a year to get the full flavour but I drank last years batch after about 7 months :-)
It doesnt really need to be left that long. 3 months is fine, you wont get all that much benefit from leaving it longer, since most of the flavour is out of the fruit by then (which means they taste pretty nasty, even with ice cream:()
tried Slo Gin?
wrong season aint it? dont think our sloes are out yet
Ive tried at and love it (sloe gin). I didnt manage to get any last year but i will certainly be on hte look out this year.
Apparently you shouldnt pick them until the first frost (although the may look ready before).
Ive still not made a decison on my gin supplier, im going to check aldi and lidl when i get a chance, and also Booker cash and carry. Dont get paid fof a week and a bit so the damsons are in the freezer til then
Make your Own..
Gin is made from Potatoes aint it?
thats moonshine
Nah its a grain spirit I think, with juniper etc
QuoteGin is a product obtained by original distillation from mash, or by redistillation of distilled spirits, or by mixing neutral spirits, with or over juniper berries and other aromatics, or with or over extracts derived from infusions, percolations, or maceration of such materials, and includes mixtures of gin and neutral spirits. It shall derive its main characteristic flavor from juniper berries and be bottled at not less than 80 deg. proof.
Source (http://homedistiller.org/wiki)
So unless i fancy a bit of distilling from mash(?) or pure alcohol :twisted: ill probably stick to a retail gin :)
Quotethats moonshine
Moonshine is just illicitly, or home produced, distilled spirit, it can come from grain, potato, fruit, vegetables or supposedlyeven wood, although this is likely to make you go blind even faster than apple.
Quote from: sexytwQuoteGin is a product obtained by original distillation from mash, or by redistillation of distilled spirits, or by mixing neutral spirits, with or over juniper berries and other aromatics, or with or over extracts derived from infusions, percolations, or maceration of such materials, and includes mixtures of gin and neutral spirits. It shall derive its main characteristic flavor from juniper berries and be bottled at not less than 80 deg. proof.
Source
So unless i fancy a bit of distilling from mash(?) or pure alcohol :twisted: ill probably stick to a retail gin :)
When starting a batch of grain spirit you crush the malt (some also use raw grain) and add water. This is your mash. by heating it carefully you turn the carbohydrates in the grain into sugar. The fluid that comes off is called wort, with addition of yeast it ferments to create wash. The alcohol that is distilled off.
Fruit just needs to be crushed to achieve a fermentable product, although in some instances they dont need to add yeast and in others they leave dont remove the pulp for some time. The most used vegetable is corn, although I dont know the process for this and have no idea of that for wood.