Making Gin With a Turbo 500 Still

Here’s an easy guide to get you on your way to making top-notch gin in no time.

How To Make Gin Using a Turbo 500 Still

There’s something very rewarding about making your own gin from high-quality Aussie botanicals. The results can be so good that your mates will be putting in orders for more! Here’s an easy guide to get you on your way to making top-notch gin in no time.

The botanical basket can be used with both the Turbo 500 Reflux Still and the Copper Dome Alembic Pot Still distillation systems.

When using botanicals it is recommended to use a minimum amount of 6 litres of 40% neutral spirit.

 

Gin Making with Botanicals using the Turbo 500

  1. After distilling neutral spirit from a sugar wash using Turbo yeast and then filtering it through carbon, add the filter spirit to the boiler and top up with water. The volume in the boiler should be a minimum of 10 litres and no more than 25 litres.
  2. Remove all saddles from the column in preparation for the botanicals run.
  3. Now it’s time to reset the tubing on your condenser. The condenser needs to be set as per the ‘Water Distillation Instructions’ (see page 9 of the Turbo 500 Instruction manual). Essentially, the cooling water runs directly through the condenser which will then bypass the reflex coil and water outlet block.
  4. Place the threaded section of the basket on the underside of the lid threading it onto the base of the condenser column.
  5. Add your botanicals to the basket and screw the basket into the base of the threaded Basket Lid
  6. Turn on the boiler. After 30 minutes turn on the cooling water and adjust the flow rate to approximately 2.5 litres per minute. The cooling water flow rate is important as this will prevent steam and will produce liquid infused distillate.  Now you are on your way to making botanically infused gin! Adjust flow rates depending on ambient water temperatures.
  7. You may choose to discard the first 20 to 50ml as this may contain concentrated botanical oils.
  8. Collect your spirit and stop collecting when the spirit reaches 20-30% ABV. Test as you go. Also, if the spirit becomes slightly cloudy it is time to turn off the still.
  9. Dilute your gin to around 40% and leave to settle for a few days before pouring your first glass. Add some ice and your mixer and enjoy

As you can see, the process is simple, and the results are sublime! Whether you prefer your gin as a straight sipping spirit or like to add different mixers, botanicals add a whole new dimension.

Cheers

Hamish and the Australian Home Brewing team.