RACHEL PARSONS ANDREW HICKS - CRAFT GIN MAKING.

CRAFT GIN
MAKING

CRAFT GIN
MAKING

Rachel Hicks and Andrew Parsons

First published in 2021 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2021

Rachel Hicks and Andrew Parsons 2021

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 815 3

PREFACE

Its been quite a ride! Just eighteen short months, from attending gin school to our signature gin being crowned the Worlds Best Contemporary Gin at the 2020 World Gin Awards, and it has been utterly exhilarating. Along the way we have learnt so much about the art and science of craft gin making, and were delighted to share it with you here.

We have also made many mistakes, from getting the alcohol content horribly wrong to having so much essential oil from the botanicals that our gin turned the colour of milk. We offer all of this to you here, so that you might learn from our experience.

But more important to us than all of this technical knowledge is that we have met some amazing people. Amazing in their skill, amazing in their dedication, amazing in their devotion to their craft, but even more amazing in their willingness to share all of that with anyone who asks. The craft gin industry really is full of people, old and young, who are highly passionate about what they do, and are delighted to share it with anyone who wants to listen. This book is also for them, and to thank them for welcoming us so warmly into the community.

This community is kind, generous and helpful. Take the moment when we were let down by our bottle suppliers who sent bottles but forgot to include corks, four days before the years biggest gin festival. We had no product to sell. Our neighbouring distillery and competitor offered to send us anything we needed. Take also the wonderful maverick distiller who regularly gave of his time and advice (and still does) out of pure love of his craft, to help us solve many of the problems that we hope to help you avoid in this book.

Wed like to think we are now giving some of that back, in the phone calls we regularly take, and the questions in emails that we regularly respond to. This book is part of that. So whether you are an armchair gin lover wanting to know a little more about his or her favourite tipple, or a budding distiller hoping to join the blessed ranks of award-winning master distillers, this book is for you. Take a nip of your favourite juniper-based spirit, sit back, and enjoy.

Rachel Hicks and Andrew Parsons,
Distillers and Co-Founders
Sky Wave Gin
Bucknell, Oxfordshire, April 2020

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Rachel Hicks is a founder, partner and distiller at Sky Wave Gin, the multi award-winning artisan craft gin company based in Oxfordshire, whose London Dry Gin was crowned The Worlds Best Contemporary Gin at the highly prestigious 2020 World Gin Awards. Working daily in the distillery she is responsible for the research, creation and launch of two new flavoured gins. She combines her love of distilling and developing new products with her qualification in Food Technology to evolve new spirits. Rachel runs half-marathons for fun, and once drove across the Sahara Desert in a car she bought for 50.

The authors (centre) accepting the award for The Worlds Best Contemporary Gin, at the World Gin Awards 2020, London.

Andrew Parsons is also a founder and partner, and the Master Distiller at Sky Wave Gin. As an engineer by profession, Andrews expertise is in the science of distilling. He has defined and documented the strict production processes used in the distillery, refining them over time to produce the perfect spirit. At one time or another he has encountered, analysed and solved all the problems described in this book! Andrew takes great pride in the gins they produce, and is always keen and willing to pass on his knowledge to others.