How to make Gin from Sugar

Are you new to distilling? Check our our Gin Distillery Kit. It has all the equipment and ingredients you need to make the below recipe.

You can also get all the ingredients for this recipe (minus the sugar) with our Gin Distiller's Yeast Pack. We recommend using the Turbo 500 to make the pure spirit.

Using 25 L (6.6 US Gal) 14.4% ABV Pure Sugar

 What you will need:

• 20g Distiller’s Yeast - Gin
• 150g Distiller’s Nutrient - Light Spirits
• Still Spirits Turbo Carbon
• Still Spirits Turbo Clear
• 6kg Sugar (or 6.6kg Dextrose)

Directions:

1. Add 21 L (5.5 US Gal) of water at approximately 30°C (86°F) to your clean fermenter.

2. Add 6 kg (13 lb) sucrose or 6.6 kg dextrose and stir to dissolve. You will now have approximately 25 L (6.6 US Gal) of sugar solution ready for fermentation.

3. Take your Distiller’s Nutrient – Light Spirits and shake it well. For up to 15% ABV, measure out 150 g (5.3 oz) or see the instructions on the label or the Distiller’s Nutrient – Light Spirits page in the Distiller’s Range booklet for further measuring unit options.

4. Take your Distiller’s Yeast – Gin, and at the same time take the measured out Distiller’s Nutrient – Light Spirits, add them both directly to the fermentation vessel and stir well to dissolve, then fit your lid and airlock (half filled with sterile/boiled water).

5. Leave to ferment at 20-32°C (68-90°F) ambient temperature for optimum performance and quality. If you wish (it is optional) you can also add Still Spirits Turbo Carbon to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation, improving the quality of your alcohol.

6. Once your airlocks stops bubbling, this indicates fermentation is complete. This should happen within approximately 7 days, providing the temperature has been 20°C (68°F) or above throughout. If you taste the wash at this stage it should taste dry and not at all sweet, or if using a hydrometer the gravity reading should have stabilised.

7. You should now leave your wash to stand for 1-2 days for any remaining solids and yeast to settle out. Still Spirits Turbo Clear should be used here to improve the clarification process.

8. You are now ready to distil your wash to make spirit. The wash should be siphoned into your still to leave behind the sediment. For best quality spirit we recommend using a column still such as the Turbo 500 with Condenser Column for your first distillation, followed by a second distillation with Botanicals Basket infusion to flavour your spirit. (Note that use of a pot still such as the Pot Still Alembic Copper Dome and Condenser will yield lower quality alcohol, requiring double distillation and resulting in very low yield). Please refer to the instruction manual for your distillation unit for detailed instructions on distilling your spirit.

9. After your first distillation (or double distillation if using a pot still), you may wish to filter your spirit through a carbon filter to polish the spirit, for cleaner, smoother gin. For this purpose we recommend the Still Spirits EZ filter.

You are now ready for your botanical infusion distillation run. For this we recommend using a pot still such as the Pot Still Alembic Dome Top and Condenser with the Still Spirits Botanicals Basket attachment, but alternatively the Turbo 500 can be used with the saddles removed (also with the Botanicals Basket). For your botanicals, you can either use one of the Still Spirits Gin Botanical blends, or make your own blend based on your own custom recipe. Please refer to the instruction manuals for your distillation unit and botanicals basket for detailed instructions on distilling your spirit.