Infusions: Making Batch 5
In Batch 5, I wanted to further refine three of the infusions from Batch 4 (Making Batch 4 and history; Batch 4 tasting): Má là, Sunday Breakfast, and Gin-ass Gin. I decided to try A/B testing in this batch, infusing two of each, but with a difference between the two.
Má là
The Szechuan pepper, chilli pepper and goji berry combination, creating an experience of Szechuan pepper tongue-buzz, chilli pepper bite, and goji berry sweetness.
I was concerned that the taste and effect of Má là would fade over time, so I tested adding angelica root (often used in gin as a fixative to hold the gin flavour to the spirit).
Má là (a) contained angelica root, while Má là (b) did not. Particularly for this infusion, I’ve put one bottle of Má là (a) and Má là (b) away, and I’ll revisit in a few months to see whether the flavour stays.
Sunday Breakfast
In the previous batch, Sunday Breakfast was intended to capture an entire marmalade toast breakfast, using grapefruit, lemon, orange and lime to emulate marmalade, toasted walnut pieces for the toast, and the contents of a tea-bag for the tea.
For the Batch 5 version, I split out the tea and toast elements, only including them in Sunday Breakfast (a). Sunday Breakfast (b) is just the citrus (still grapefruit, lemon, orange and lime). I’m hoping that comparing these two will isolate what the tea and toast elements add.
I also switched out the walnut for black sesame seeds this time. In retrospect, sesame may have been too strong and iconic a flavour, but testing will tell.
Gin-ass Gin
This continues my line of attempts to create a standard gin base on which to experiment further. Gin-ass Gin #2 (from Batch 4) included juniper berries, coriander seeds, grapefruit peel and angelica root. This “gin” was ok, although I felt it was overpowered by the angelica root.
In Batch 5, I added cardamom pods (another standard gin ingredient) to the Gin-ass Gin. I also did an A/B split, and added oregano to Gin-ass Gin (a). I’m hoping this will steer the gin towards a more herbal gin, but only tasting will tell!
Bottles
Another difference in Batch 5 was the bottling. Where previously I filtered the infusions and then put them into used (and thoroughly cleaned) glass orange juice bottles, this time I bought some hip-flask-esque 100ml bottles from a packaging company.
IDK LOL
I had a bit of vodka left over when I set up the infusions, so I used it for a little unholy infusion (named IDK LOL), infusing juniper berries, sesame seeds, and goji berries. I don’t imagine it’ll be amazing, but it’s amusing.
