How to: Make DIY Gin at Home (without a still)

At least where I live, making your own spirits at home is still considered moonshinin’, and therefore illegal. Were it not, I think I’d try to built my own mini-still and experiement with distilling and aging my own spirits. 

Until then, I’m committed to the workarounds, like making infusions, liqueurs, and bitters at home using storebought spirits. I’ve had lots of fun playing with fruit & vegetable and herb & spice infusions, and I think I might be ready for the grandaddy of all aromatic, infused spirits: gin.

While gin is so much more than vodka infused with spices and aromatics, it is kinda vodka infused with spices and aromatics. Jeffrey Morganthaler says, “What many people don’t realize is that gin and vodka begin life in the exact same way. You could even say that gin is nothing more than infused vodka. In fact, I’ve used this exact line on so many customers trying gin for the first time that I’ve decided to prove it to myself! What a better way to waste a bunch of time and ingredients while getting an opportunity to learn more about my favorite mixable spirit, right?”

He provides a great, basic recipe for making your own DIY gin from nothing more than a bottle of vodka and spices you can find in your average grocery store. Nothing fancy, so no special ordering.

My friend Megan of Not Martha also tried her hand at some DIY gin. The first (pictured at top) was a bit too intense, but like Morganthaler, she nailed it on the second try.

How to Make Your Own Gin without a Still [Jeffrey Morganthaler]

DIY Gin, Take Two [Not Martha]

Wanna try your hand at some homemade tonic water to make the perfect DIY highball? Check out: How to: Make Tastier DIY Tonic Water at Home (Perfect for Gin!)