How is gin distilled?

Ever wondered how that wonderful substance we all know and love, gin, is actually made? You wouldn't be alone. Even before I started writing about gin, I only had a vague idea. So let's take a dive into the processes behind making one of the wonderful gins we all know and love today.

The process is essentially the same, regardless of which method the distillery uses - whether that be the simpler pot distilled method, or the modern column distilled method. It all starts with a base spirit - one with a high alcohol content, usually derived from some sort of grain (although other materials of agricultural origin can also be used), and it can reach up to 96% ABV if using a column distillation method. Generally, the base is "mashed" and then put into the apparatus used to ferment the mixture. Once the spirit's prepared, it's usually redistilled with the botanicals and other ingredients used to flavour it. (If you want to find out more about botanicals - what they are, what they're used for and how they're chosen, you can check out our article on the subject here)

Using the pot distillation method, the botanicals are usually placed into the spirit, like a big stew, and redistilled that way - usually aged in wooden casks, it tends to retain a heavy, malty flavour, similar to whiskey. Whilst, if using the column distillation method, there's usually a "gin basket" positioned in the head of the still, suspended in such a way that the evaporating alcoholic liquid can extract flavour from the botanicals. This yields a gin lighter in flavour than pot still methods, and is one way in which the popular London Dry gins are made.

Of course, what's produced at the end of the distillation process isn't close to what ends up on the shelves - remember, column distilled gins can be at up to 96% ABV! Many distilleries will purify their gin in order to remove any excess botanicals that may have made their way into the gin whole, and will then bring it down to bottling strength - usually around 40% ABV, sometimes more and sometimes less. Different agencies disagree, but minimum bottled strength is usually given at around 37.5% ABV. Some gins, like Ableforth's Bathtub Gin, come in navy-strength variants - in this case, bottled strength is 57% ABV, which is considerably stronger than many others. This is because the navy often wanted to cut down on weight, so navy-strength gins were developed - they were able to take less gin onboard and still had enough for their sailors.

Gin is a fascinating beverage, with several complex and unique distillation methods - and, of course, it tastes great too! If I've made you fancy a gin yourself, why not check out our gin shop? With over 80 gins, we've got something for everyone.