I never used to like gin. I used to be one of those people who turned up her nose whenever the word was mentioned and the sight of a bottle of Gordon’s meant I would choose a glass of diet coke over alcohol any day. I have since been educated in the ways of gin and the thousands of different varieties that mean there really is a gin out there for everybody, no matter whether you think you like it or not. But what happens if you haven’t found that gin yet and fancy a blend of flavours that just isn’t out there at the moment? My friends, you can now make your own. Let me introduce you to the Gin School.
In a hidden part of Staffordshire is the wonderous delight of Nelson’s gin which is the home of Gin School. The Gin School experience starts with a tour of the distillery and an introduction to the world of gin, how it is made from the collection of botanicals to the labelling process, they leave nothing out!
Say hello to Victory! She is the beautifully shiny machine that makes the gin. She is very special and you will be educated in how she works to bring you the perfect gin.
The bottling, wax lid and labelling process looks very complicated with all the machines but it is actually straight forward when you see it in all its glory.
After the tour and introduction you will settle down to start the process of making your own gin.
It all starts with your botanicals and you really can use a combination of anything. You can either use the botanicals provided by the Gin School or you can bring your own. The amazing staff will check them for you and make sure you add just the right amount so as not to overpower your gin.
I chose vanilla and kaffir lime leaves, like the flavours of Nelson’s gin, but then added lemon, pink peppercorns and a tonka bean. For it to be gin there needs to be juniper so this was added as well as orris before being mixed with alcohol and heated in my own little copper still.
As the alcohol heats it is pushed through the still and dispensed into your jug. This can then be bottled before adding water and blending. Throughout the process you can try your ‘neat’ gin and test the alcohol ABV with a handy electronic gadget. I got around 90% ABV at one point but the flavours of the gin change as the process continues and the different botanicals release their flavour, it is a fascinating process to be a part of!
The last step of the process is to test the final ABV before bottling and then waxing on the cork. The classic Nelson’s gin wax is smooth and halfway down the thin neck of the bottle. Some of our group chose to go thick so the wax dripped prettily down the bottle but I went with the smooth angle but edging it onto the main body of the bottle, I am so proud of my creation!
Keeley’s Gin ended up with an ABV of 53% which is ridiculously strong but it is also smooth with a citrus kick and a light warmth at the end from the pink peppercorns. It is perfectly paired with Fentimans Rose Lemonade and a chunk of lemon, I am so proud of it and I love that the chaps at Nelson’s gin will keep my recipe on file and make me up a bottle if I want more. This makes it perfect for bartenders or restaurants who want their own unique product to sell that they can get again and again for the perfect serve.
The Gin School costs just £95 per person which includes lunch and a number of G&T’s throughout the day. It is perfect to enjoy with friends, as I did, as everyone’s gin is different. It was lovely to try them all at the end and see what they had come out with. The perfect day to make the perfect gin, just for me.
2 Comments
This looks awesome, I like how you made your own personalised gin! I’m not much of a gin lover, but you and Miss Pond are really swaying me to try more!
Thanks for the information