Ghee Gin infusion log #1

The infusions I am making using butter are coming out, shall we say, not very infused.  The first butter gin infusions I made used ghee instead of butter.  Ghee is clarified butter, meaning the fat has been separated from the solids.  Because of the poor taste transfer using regular butter, I decided to make another ghee infusion to compare the butter taste between the two methods.  Here, then, is the ghee infusion log.

14 May 2014 @ 1:01 pm – Measured remaining Gordon's Gin.  It came to a little over a cup.  I shaved ghee into a clean wide-mouth pint-size glass mason jar until my scale read 2 ounces.  I poured the gin over the ghee and vacuum sealed the jar.  Shook.  Put in kitchen cupboard.  The plan is to refresh it with new ghee in 2 days.

15 May 2014 @ 2:38 am – Shook jar.

15 May 2014 @ 4:03 pm – Shook jar.

16 May 2014 @ 2:44 am – Shook jar.

16 May 2014 @ 1:07 pm – Put jar in freezer for 5 minutes to solidify ghee.  Strained into a clean jar.  Tasted.  Very buttery, but so was the first batch, and that batch did not maintain the butter flavor very long.  Began adding ghee.  Unfortunately, my Salter electronic scale decided to turn itself off after adding about 1 ounce.  Turned scale back on, and added another ounce.  Only had a small chunk left in my hand, so I added that as well.  The total ghee added is somewhere between 2 and 2½ ounces.  Vacuum sealed.  Shook.  Placed in kitchen cupboard.

16 May 2014 @ 5:42 pm – Shook jar.

18 May 2014 @ 2:45 am – Shook jar.

18 May 2014 @ 1:41 pm – Strained infusion into a clean jar.  Tasted.  The butter flavor seems to be overpowering the gin's juniper notes.  I think this batch is done.  Vacuum sealed.  Place on bar with the rest of my spirits.  Have a few hours before work, so decided to go ahead and do Wonkatini™, test #2.  Re-sealed jar.  Will open in a few days to make sure the flavoring is holding.

As for how it compares to a gin infusion using regular butter, there is no comparison.  The ghee infusion creates more butter flavor faster than regular butter.  However, the ghee is also overpowering the juniper.  I will, therefore, try another ghee infusion with a smaller amount of ghee at a later date.

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Gin infusions

All of my vodka infusion experiments were actually just part of the learning curve to get to these few tests.  First, it must be pointed out that one spirit may not taste exactly the same as another spirit.  Just because something is called whiskey doesn't mean it will taste the same as another bottle of so-called whiskey.  There are differences in brands of alcohol as much as there are differences in brands of kleenex.  Therefore, I needed to decide what gin to use in my ultimate recipe (coming later).  The least expensive brand of gin in my liquor store of choice is Skol; the name of choice (because James Bond mentions it in Casino Royale) is Gordon's.  I purchased both for comparison.

The Gordon's has a quite pronounced juniper taste.  It is unmistakable and very present.  As I have said before, it is like drinking a Christmas tree.  The Gordon's is also a smoother drink.  The Skol, on the other hand, has a much subtler juniper note; and the alcohol flavoring is so heavy that it actually makes me shudder.  Just like combining chocolates with wines, I have to figure out which one will best suit my secret ingredient.

Here are the Skol pictures (infused and strained, respectively).  The first thing I was happy to see is how clear the Skol is after the straining.  My ultimate recipe requires color play, so having a clear gin is a welcome result.  As for the taste, I have to say that the secret ingredient almost completely eliminated the taste of the Skol. There was very little juniper, if any at all, and the alcohol was much smoother and did not cause shuddering.  The flavoring itself is light but noticeable, more so than the juniper.  All in all, this is an acceptable and usable result.

I forgot to take a picture of the Gordon's infusion, but here is a picture of it strained.  Looking at the two gins side-by-side, the Gordon's looks a little clearer.  Maybe that is just me.  Either way, the Gordon's definitely presented a more complex taste profile.  One can definitely taste both the flavor ingredient and the juniper, although it, too, was made much more subtle.  In fact, there is a definite juniper aftertaste lingering.  It would be interesting to see if that stays when I assemble the ultimate recipe, which it appears I am now able to attempt.  Well, not NOW now, but now as in no longer impeded from continuing, most likely this weekend.  I already have one hell of a case of heartburn from all those drinks.

The pictures on the page appear smaller than they are.  To see them larger, simply double click on the picture. Also, I always welcome your constructive criticism.  Click on the Comment link below next to the icon of a pencil; it may say "No" or have a number in front of it.