Spirits: Gin/Vodka Flashcards
EU definition of Gin
- min 37.5% ABV
- ethyl alcohol flavored predominately with juniper
(US mandates 40% ABV min)
London Dry Gin - allowed additives
- sugar - but can’t exceed 0.1 g/l in the finished product
- water
London Gin definition
in addition to juniper, distinctive citrus and spice flavors. the style is process driven- botanical flavors are be added through re-distillation. no flavors can be added after.
Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon’s, and Boodles.
Requirements:
First, a neutral base spirit must be distilled to at least 96% ABV. 70% EU
None of the botanicals added can be synthetic or artificial – they must all be natural.
All botanicals must be added during the distillation process- not after
US min 40%
EU min 37.5%
PGI gin (2)
Gin de Mahon (Menorca)
Vilnius Dzinas (Lithuania)
Genever
The earliest form of Gin, created in Holland. * Malt wine + neutral grain spirit restilled with botanicals in pot still
* JONGE: max. 15% malt wine, max 10gl sugar
* OUDE: min 15% malt, max 20gl sugar; the traditional style
* Korenwijn: 51%+ malt
Malt wine = distillate of corn, rye, wheat
Gin distillation methods
(most) are redistilled with botanicals in a pot still
- steep and boil: steep/macerate before distillation
- vapor extraction: uses a “gin basket”; place botanicals in copper basket in headspace. Strips oils, carries them to be condensed
- vacuum distillation
List 3 Japanese gins
Nikka (yuzu + sour citrus)
Suntory Roku (Sakura flower, sakura leaf, sencha tea, gyokuro, sanshō, yuzu peel)
Kyoza Shuzo (yuzu)
Aquavit
Scandinavian liquor aquavit, a clear spirit made from fermented potato or grain, and flavored with caraway root and other aromatics, is basically flavored vodka.
Gin Basket
Vapor extraction method
botanicals are placed in a stainless steel “basket,” as the alcohol evaporates, if passes through the basket before being condensed, being flavored in the process
Plymouth Gin
- revived in 1996; only made by Plymouth, Coates & Co.
- fuller bodied than London Dry, very aromatic
- Pink Gin
Old Tom Gin
Lightly sweetened, old style
* Hayman’s revived the style
* the “Tom” in the Tom Collins
One shot gin
One shot means all the botanicals are placed in the still or vapour basket at once.
Multiple shot means botanicals are distilled individually or in groups, but not all together, and then blended back together to make the final gin. Multiple shot allows a distillery to keep a concentrated form of a single botanical and then easily switch up the recipe.
benefits of copper distillation
antibacterial properties
good conductor of heat
removes volatile sulfur compounds: sulfur compounds react with the copper and create copper sulfides, which stay on the walls of the still
higher / wider stills= more contact with copper = more compounds removed = lighter spirit
shorter / narrower = less contact = heavier
Potato vodka vs Grain
Starch vs. Sugar:
* potatoes = starchier base. Wheat, corn = more sugar
* starches convert into sugar that yeasts feed on to produce alcohol. Starch is more work to convert, which leaves…
* leftover starches = thicker, creamier mouthfeel in potato vodka
Distillation Choices:
* potato vodkas go through fewer distillation processes compared to grain vodkas. Each distillation purifies the alcohol further, but it also removes some of the flavor compounds. Since potato vodka producers often aim for a distinctive taste profile, they might leave in some of these flavor elements, resulting in a fuller-bodied vodka.
Corn vodka
Tito’s
Nikka Coffey Vodka
Prairie Organic
