Different Distilling Methods of Gin Used

The production of any decent gin entails a two-stage process; first being that a base or neutral spirit is made and secondly it is flavored through red-distillation through seeds, berries, roots, fruits and herbs and spices which is collectively called botanicals.

To create the base spirit, gin distillers from before distilled the fermented wash by the means of a pot still. The first distillation produces a weak, rough spirit called low wines. Repeated distillation of said low wines leads to strengthening and purification of the spirit.

For the production of any distilled gin, the base spirit must be redistilled with the chosen botanicals to extract their essential oils and help flavor the base spirit. Once this is done, the gin flavored spirit is further reduced to bottling strength by adding water. Some of the finest distillers of gin in Denver, Colorado use this age-old method.

Distillers use different methods of distillation for re-distilling and extracting flavors from the botanicals used and their proportions vary from each distiller.

• ‘Steep and Boil’ Method of Gin Distillation

This is the most traditional and common method of gin distillation. A mixture of juniper and botanicals are steeped in the neutral spirit which is reduced in strength with the help of water. Some distillers will leave the botanicals in the mixture for a period up to 48 hours while others believe it messes up the flavor and distills the mixture immediately. The mixture is distilled in a pot still leading to a spirit-filled with aromas and flavors of the botanicals.

• ‘Vapor Infusion’ Method of Gin Distillation

In this particular method, the mix of juniper and botanicals do not come in contact with the spirit at all. The mixture is placed in baskets inside of modified stills and only interact with the spirit in vapor form. The mixture induced vapor condenses inside the still and water is added to reduce the strength for bottling.

• Vacuum Gin Distillation

It is the same as the ‘Steep and Boil’ method but as the name suggests, the spirit is re-distilled with botanicals inside a vacuum thereby reducing the temperature at which the alcohol boils. Distillers using this method claim their gin has a fresher flavor as the need to cook the botanicals is reduced by the lowering of the boiling point. The downside here being that it cannot be scaled to industrial size.

• Individual Botanical Distillation

This is another variation to the ‘Steep and Boil’ method which is gaining popularity. In this method, every botanical is steeped and boiled separately and the collection of these spirits in mixed together to form the finished product. Distillers are split when it comes to the benefits of this method.

‘One Shot’ versus ‘Multi Shot’ Gin Production

The one-shot method entails following a recipe wherein a set volume of neutral alcohol is distilled with quantities of each botanical separately as detailed out in each gin’s recipe.

Multi-shot gin, on the other hand, is produced by multiplying the proportions of botanicals to the base alcohol when redistillation is happening and then reducing the super concentration back to the specified concentration in the original recipe by blending in more neutral alcohol.

Hence, a two-shot gin will be distilled with twice the amount of botanicals and after distillation thinned back to the proportions stated in the recipe by adding the same amount of alcohol. This process yields twice the amount of gin in a single distillation.

Multi-shot has the added benefit of saving on still usage and increasing production capacity and efficiency in the process. Advocates of multi-shot gin production say that it also has the benefit of reducing the influence of inaccurately measured botanicals as the ratio of inaccuracy is reduced when compared to the same mismeasurement in a one-shot gin. Most international brands are of multi-shot whereas one-shot is more of a craft distiller’s taste. Distillers of gin in Denver, Colorado use both methods of production proudly.