How much juniper should I use in a homemade gin recipe?

Juniper is the defining botanical in gin — EU and UK law requires it to be the predominant flavour. A typical starting point is 15–25 g per litre of neutral spirit for a classic London Dry style.

What is the difference between one-shot and two-shot gin distillation?

One-shot distillation macerates botanicals in a volume that produces the final gin at bottling strength directly. Two-shot uses double the botanical quantity, producing a concentrate diluted 1:1 after distillation.

How long should I macerate botanicals before distilling?

Most gin distillers macerate for 12–24 hours at room temperature. Roots, dried citrus peel, and seeds benefit from 24–48 hours. Delicate florals are best added just before distillation or via a botanical basket.

What neutral spirit base should I use for homemade gin?

EU and UK regulations require gin to be made from agriculturally sourced ethanol. Wheat-based grain neutral spirit is the most common base. A high-quality sugar wash distilled to near-neutral (95%+ ABV) works well for home distillers.

Gin Botanical Recipe Scaler

Gin Botanical Scaler

Amounts are per litre of spirit at ~60% ABV for maceration

Style preset — loads a starting recipe

Spirit Volume for Maceration

Volume of base spirit at ~60% ABV

Maceration Time

hrs

Hours before distillation (12–48 typical)

Botanical g/L Min g/L Max g/L

Scaled amounts

Amounts are guides, not rules. Botanical potency varies significantly by supplier, harvest, and freshness. Always start at the lower end of ranges and adjust based on tasting. Macerate in glass or stainless steel only.

Gin Styles and Their Botanical Profiles

London Dry is the classic style — juniper forward, with citrus, coriander, and angelica as the supporting cast. All botanicals must be distilled with the spirit, no flavours added post-distillation. The juniper must be the dominant flavour by definition.

Contemporary gin uses the same distillation process but allows the distiller to emphasise other botanicals over juniper. Cucumber, tea, yuzu, and exotic spices are common. Juniper must still be present but doesn't need to dominate.

Navy Strength gin is bottled at 57% ABV minimum — the traditional 100° UK proof. Higher ABV means more intense botanical character and better integration with tonic water. Botanical amounts per litre are typically higher to match the extra spirit strength.

Maceration time dramatically affects the final product. Delicate botanicals like cucumber or fresh citrus zest should macerate for only 4–8 hours; robust dried botanicals like juniper and coriander work well at 12–24 hours; harder botanicals like dried roots can go up to 48 hours.