Batch 5 tasting and a bigger batch of Má là
Continuing my vodka infusion journey, I’ve now tested all of Batch 5, including the “Longitudinal Study A/B Tests” (LSABT, aka I shoved half of them in the cupboard for three months to see how they’d last).
I’m also trying out making a larger bottle of Má là (700ml). This is partially motivated by wanting to see if the recipe scales up, but it’s mostly because I want a fresh batch to share with some colleagues, and the ones I made months ago have lost their buzz (see below).
Tasting Má là v5a and 5b
Má là was a continuation of my attempt to create an infusion combining Szechuan peppercorns, chilli peppers and goji berries, capturing the buzz of the Szechuan peppercorns, the bite of the chilli peppers, and the mix of herbal and fruity flavours from the three.
The A/B test for Má là was to see if the addition of angelica root would help maintain the effects and flavours over time. Angelica root is often added to gins as a fixative, ensuring the flavour stays strong for longer.
It was immediately evident, in tasting Má là, that the angelica root was an overpowering flavour (and scent). Even in a minuscule amount (0.2 grams in ~150mL), it became a dominant flavour.
Luckily, this wasn’t enough to overpower the chilli or Szechuan pepper flavours (or effects), and the goji berry still came through strong. The angelica root did suit the flavour of the Má là, but it wasn’t a flavour I’d been aiming for.
In tasting the long-term tests three months later, both 5a (with angelica root) and 5b (without angelica root) had lost their Szechuan peppercorn buzz, but retained the chilli burn, and the flavours of all three primary ingredients.
It’s evident that the angelica root doesn’t do what I was hoping it would do (preserve the effects of the Szechuan over time), and has an outsized effect on the taste of Má là. I didn’t include angelica root in the new big batch (see below).
Tasting Sunday Breakfast v5a and 5b
Sunday Breakfast was my attempt to create a vodka infusion calling to mind marmalade on toast with a cup of tea. In Batch 4 I had used toasted walnuts to give a toasty flavour, but this hadn’t quite hit the mark.
For Batch 5, I tried to elicit a toasty flavour with lightly toasted black sesame seeds, thinking seeds might more closely match the flavour of toasted bread. For my A/B test, Sunday Breakfast 5a included the collection of citrus peels, the contents of a bag of tea, and the toasted sesame seeds, while 5b was just the citrus peels.
My intention with this test was to see what effect the tea and toast had on the overall flavour.
In tasting, Sunday Breakfast 5b was essentially just a citrus infusion. It tasted very pleasant, but it was evident that the tea and walnut from Batch 4 had added a depth to the flavour that was now missing.
Sunday Breakfast 5a (with tea and toasted sesame seeds) was strongly overpowered by the sesame seeds. I hadn’t factored in the very strong and identifiable flavour that sesame adds. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it overpowered the marmalade, and didn’t evoke a Sunday breakfast as much.
This confirmed for me that if I pursue Sunday Breakfast I should continue looking for a source of toasty taste, but it should probably not come from sesame seeds.
Tasting Gin-ass Gin v5a and 5b
Gin-ass Gin was a continuation of previous attempts (including in Batch 4) to create a basic gin recipe that I can then build on top of in future.
In Batch 5’s Gin-ass Gin, I decreased the angelica root from the previous batch (0.5g/150mL down to 0.1g/150mL). I also increased the grapefruit peel, hoping to play up that element of the flavour, and added some cardamom.
For the A/B test, I added a small amount of oregano to 5a. I was hoping to taste a noticeable difference between 5a and 5b, but they were both still quite overpowered by the angelica root (similar to the issues I was having with Má là).
My lesson from this is that I may need to work in larger batches in future, in order to limit the amount of angelica root I use. Aside from the dominant angelica root, the current recipe is very drinkable.
Big batch of Má là
In an attempt to create a larger batch of Má là, I’m infusing the ingredients in the bottle the vodka came in.
I did have to remove a bit of the vodka first, as the ingredients took up space in the bottle, so I won’t end up with a full 700mL.
I’ve taken the amounts I used for Batch 5’s Má là and multiplied it by five. This is working on the assumption that each of the batches in the last lot were about 150mL. If this is right, then this batch will have a slightly higher ratio of ingredients to liquid, but I’m not sure if it will scale cleanly anyway.
As mentioned in the introduction to this post, this batch is mostly an attempt to end up with something very similar to Má là v5b (no angelica root) that I can share with colleagues. Testing infusing a larger batch is a bonus.
