Fruits in alcohol, what are you busy concocting?
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EdS
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Finished the crab apple vodka, siphoned off the sloe Gin, the bog myrtle, sloe and caramel vodka will be ready at the end of Jan, so I've started a rosehip spiced rum liquer today 
I'm hoping to shoot for a gorse flower infusion next. I think that will require quite a clean spirit, probably a straight vodka.
I'm hoping to shoot for a gorse flower infusion next. I think that will require quite a clean spirit, probably a straight vodka.
Finished the crab apple vodka, siphoned off the sloe Gin, the bog myrtle, sloe and caramel vodka will be ready at the end of Jan, so I've started a rosehip spiced rum liquer today
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I'm hoping to shoot for a gorse flower infusion next. I think that will require quite a clean spirit, probably a straight vodka.
I've been thinking about what would be the most Ghetto version of s Still one could knock up out of easy to access items.
Ideas?
Alcohol Duty: detailed information
Guidance and forms about Alcohol Duty. Including rates, Small Producer Relief, submitting returns and paying duty.
Airstill Alcohol Kit (no fermenting equipment included) UK version
Supplied with standard 3-Pin UK plug. Not suitable for use in the EU. Complete Home Still to make Distilled water, Alcohol (see legality), Essential Oil and Fuel Ethanol. Comes with over £20 worth of free Turbo Yeast, Turbo Carbon, Turbo Clearing, Flavourings and carbon cartridges. You also get...
www.lovebrewing.co.uk
MAKING SPIRITS AND LIQUEURS AT HOME - OVERVIEW
Home made spirits and liqueurs are as easy to produce as any other home brewed drink. Using similar equipment to wine making you can produce high quality, high alcohol drinks which are almost indistinguishable from their commercial counterparts and at a fraction of the price. The first hurdle to...
brew2bottle.co.uk
The first hurdle to get over is the question of legitimacy. In the UK it is not legal to distil alcohol without a licence from Revenue and Customs and this includes alcohol for your own consumption. You are free to make naturally fermented alcohol for your own use and the development of special alcohol tolerant yeasts has made the production of 'spirit and liqueur' drinks from high alcohol washes (typically 20% abv), a practical proposition. It is not unknown for some people prepared to take the risk, to make their own stills from information available on the internet. There are also some who make use of equipment intended for the purification of water or essential oils, but it must be stressed that this is illegal in the UK.
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I have a very nice water distiller that does the job very well. I can't find a link so it may have been taken off the market - I'll do a better search later though there are plenty of others out there.
When I looked into this a few years ago, I found a clause that said you can make small amounts of home spirit without a licence but you can't sell it. It's for personal consumption only so, theoretically, you can't give it away either. However, I can find no such statement now
Anyway, to be clear, I am not making my own base spirit, that I do not add botanicals and flavours to, that does not turn out at about 50p a litre!
- I'll do a better search later though there are plenty of others out there.When I looked into this a few years ago, I found a clause that said you can make small amounts of home spirit without a licence but you can't sell it. It's for personal consumption only so, theoretically, you can't give it away either. However, I can find no such statement now
Anyway, to be clear, I am not making my own base spirit, that I do not add botanicals and flavours to, that does not turn out at about 50p a litre!
I have a very nice water distiller that does the job very well. I can't find a link so it may have been taken off the market
When I looked into this a few years ago, I found a clause that said you can make small amounts of home spirit without a licence but you can't sell it. It's for personal consumption only so, theoretically, you can't give it away either. However, I can find no such statement now
Anyway, to be clear, I am not making my own base spirit, that I do not add botanicals and flavours to, that does not turn out at about 50p a litre!
Any chance of a Photo of this Water distiller please? What sort of space / area / volume does it all take up?
It's very similar to the one in the kit you linked to. There are plenty out there that look/do the same. I think my model has been discontinued/updated which is why I couldn't find it at first. It's around 4L capacity - I've managed to get a full demijohn of liquid in it but I have a suspicion that it works better half-loaded.
These distillers are set up for water. I know other people who have modified the temperature to the ideal of around 80C.
These distillers are set up for water. I know other people who have modified the temperature to the ideal of around 80C.
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There are loads of commercial spirit flavourings such as these:
www.homebrewcentre.co.uk
But, I've never tried them. The best whisky flavoured drink I've made I used Werther's originals to impart a slightly sweet caramel flavour and scorched oak chippings to add smoky flavour - it was quite passable
It's worth experimenting - I'm trying botanicals from the wood for my own gin like drink and I've managed a reasonable tasting brandy. I have to be honest though, as a malt and Armagnac drinker, I'll probably just stick to the gins.
Spirit Flavourings
We have a wide range of spirit essences available to satisfy any taste.
www.homebrewcentre.co.uk
But, I've never tried them. The best whisky flavoured drink I've made I used Werther's originals to impart a slightly sweet caramel flavour and scorched oak chippings to add smoky flavour - it was quite passable
It's worth experimenting - I'm trying botanicals from the wood for my own gin like drink and I've managed a reasonable tasting brandy. I have to be honest though, as a malt and Armagnac drinker, I'll probably just stick to the gins.
How did the vodka turn out?We have some of our early forced rhubarb in some nice vodka as a test. I prefer rhubarb a little sharp so I didn’t add much sugar. We shall see.
The sloes are looking good, if a little small, on the bushes round here. However this year I think I will try making some sloe jelly, by following Hugh’s YouTube video…
I let it steep for 5-6 weeks and then tried it. It was pink and rhubarb-y but not such a strong flavour as I’d hoped. Shortly after the taste test our blackcurrants were ready, so I added a handful of those to the main steeping jar. I then divided the resulting dark liquid into smaller 125ml bottles when I strained the fruit out, just before Christmas. It was excellent as a digestif served cold from the fridge, and all except one bottle went over the holidays. I put the remaining bottle into the village fete during the following July, and won first prize.
I haven’t forced any rhubarb this year as the plant needs to recover a bit, so I will try something different this time…
American Telly has a series on moonshiners.
We have the ‘pear fruit’ from prickly pear cactus available in
The Mexican grocers. It is delicious. I have some in a bottle of Everclear grain alcohol- a dangerous brew not legal to sell in California. The Spaniards introduced the cactus to the Spanish Sahara as emergency livestock fodder. The pads are edible ( Nopales) and high in calcium.
We have the ‘pear fruit’ from prickly pear cactus available in
The Mexican grocers. It is delicious. I have some in a bottle of Everclear grain alcohol- a dangerous brew not legal to sell in California. The Spaniards introduced the cactus to the Spanish Sahara as emergency livestock fodder. The pads are edible ( Nopales) and high in calcium.
I have a batch of sloe wine soaking at the minute. I can't remember where I got the recipe but you strain the sloes out of your sloe gin, put them in a new jar with more sugar and a bottle of red then leave for 3 months or so. Strain the liquid off, add a bit a brandy and job jobbed.
Sent from underground
Sent from underground
