How is Vodka and Gin made?
When it comes to spirits, Vodka and Gin are two of the highest selling in the UK.
There popularity can be attributed to their versatility. Vodka’s neutral flavour makes it ideal as a base for cocktails mixing with a range of other spirits and fruits without overpowering their flavours. It has also benefited from heavy investment in marketing, the introduction of flavoured vodka’s, a range of prices that make it affordable as well as a culture shift from beers to spirits and mixed drinks. Gins popularity is based upon many of the same reasons. It also has a historical back story with its use by the British Armed forces in India in the 17th Century to make quinine tonic water more palatable, resulting in the Gin and Tonic. The rise in the small local craft gin distilleries in the 21st Century is also a significant factor in it’s more recent popularity.
Vodka and Gin are closely related, due to their similar base spirit. The difference is Gin adds flavour through the introduction of botanicals.
The alcohol in spirits is produced by fermentation.
The raw material used are sugars or starches, which can be converted into sugar. Fruits such as grapes and apples naturally contain sugars, whilst grains such as barley, rye and wheat, contain starch, from which sugar has to be extracted. This is done by malting, that is soaking them, allowing them to germinate and in the process activating enzymes that convert starch to sugars. They then need to be mashed by mixing them with hot water to further break down the starches into sugars, creating a sugary liquid called Wort in brewing and Mash in distilling
Fermentation takes place by adding yeast, a microorganism, which consumes the sugars and produces alcohol. For spirits the fermented Mash needs to be distilled. Quite simply the liquid is heated and as alcohol has a lower boiling point than water it vaporises first and is condensed into a liquid form in a separate container creating a base alcohol with circa 95% ABV.
For Vodka, its alcohol is made this way. The choice of the base raw material can subtly change its favour. Multiple distillation produces a purer product and a more neutral flavour. Filtration also helps with purity and a smoother taste. Finally, the addition of water makes the pure alcohol into Vodka by reducing the distilled alcohol from 95% ABV to the 40%, seen in many Vodka’s.
When it comes to what is Gin made from, the base alcohol is infused with botanicals. To be a gin Juniper is the essential botanical required by law. It imparts a piney, resinous, slightly citrus flavour that is central to gin’s character. Coriander is also used in most gins together with Angelica and Orris, the latter two used to fix and stabilise the flavours from other botanicals.
The botanicals can be introduced by Maceration, soaking the alcohol in the botanicals, or by Vapour Infusion, passing the alcohol vapour through a basket of botanicals. The infused spirit is distilled to extract and concentrate the flavours, the first and last part of a distillation being discards to retain the middle part, the heart, which contains the best flavours. Post distillation, gin is usually diluted with water to create an alcohol content of 40 to 50% ABV.
The botanicals used in a gin depends on what flavour the distiller is looking to achieve as an end product. As well as Juniper and Coriander the more common botanicals include Angelica, Orris, Citrus Peels, Cardamon, Cinnamon, Liquorice, Nutmeg, lavender, Rose Petals, Rosemary and Peppercorns, the list goes on.
At the Adventurers Drinks Company, we have created three amazing Gins with our distillers, all with their own unique botanicals connecting them to their back stories.
Peak Baggers Gin, inspired by Claire Hughes and all you Peak Baggers out there. Those who do it for fun, for the physical and mental challenge, or for the records. Created on the classical foundations of Juniper and Coriander together with Angelica and Citrus, it embraces its back story with its unique flavour coming from the botanicals found on the mountains and peaks of Great Britain including Bearberry, Blueberry, Heather, and Mountain Ash. Bearberry provides a natural sweetness complementing the slightly bitter taste of Mountain Ash. Blueberry provides a real depth of fruit flavour, and the Heather provides a subtle perfumed aroma, imparting a delicate grassy floral note.
Together they produce a fresh vibrant gin, with an aroma that gives you that fresh invigorated feeling one gets when you are on top of the world.
Our Rowers Gin is inspired by Phil Kite and all the rowers out there, those who do it for fun, for the physical and mental challenge, or for the records.
Created on the classical foundations of Juniper and Coriander together with Angelica and Citrus, it reflects its rowing backstory with its unique flavour coming from the botanicals found on our riverbanks, coasts, and the Atlantic Ocean that surround us. Meadowsweet, in abundance along riverbanks with creamy flower heads, offers a bewitching sweet aroma, reminding us of summer regattas. Rock samphire, found on our coasts gives an incredibly concentrated burst of flavour, reminiscent of those crashing waves. Sugar kelp, found in the Atlantic Ocean, gives a soft slightly sweet maritime flavour, with a gentle saltiness, bringing memories of those ocean crossings. Together, these amazing botanicals, create a gin reflecting our rowing heritage and our Adventurous Spirit
Explorers Grand Slam Gin is inspired by Sir David Hempleman Adams, the first person to walk to the North Pole and South Pole and climb the highest summit on all Seven Continents. The gin is hand crafted with botanicals found on all seven continents. It is truly the Inspirational Spirit.
