Foraged Gin

Gin can be pretty cost effective and easy when juniper is nearby. There are several varieties of Juniper, and the edible kind are always sweet and earthy (pine-like) tasting while bitter are the toxic-in-large-amounts resin filled ones. Taste test to distinguish between the two and spit out if bitter! did you know Gin is named after Juniper for its distinct flavor and main infusing ingredient? That being said I personally love the idea of drinking my own gin made from locally foraged juniper berries and other infusions. Think of it as an alcoholic tea! See below for a perfected recipe of a few different kinds of foraged gins collected from my own backyard. 

First you are going to want to soak your foraged juniper berries (ahechm... their actually cones) in a quart-sized jar of neutral spirits. I personally like to use vodka nothing real special about it, just what I like. 

Then you are going to want to let that sit in utter darkness covered for 12 hours to give that cheeky gin kick. 

After this, you'll infuse whatever else you want to make an aromatic and delightful alcoholic beverage of your choice. Leave these essential infusions with the juniper berries to sit and cover for another 36 hours, or until the color turns yellow.

Strain, and enjoy your new alcoholic tea! It's super easy and a pretty fast brewing period. 

Feel free to comment what concoction you made!

personal favorite infusions:

Spring Gin: 

wild blueberry or huckleberry, white sage, bay leaf, magnolia petal, juniper cones, pink jasmine, home grown strawberries, rhubarb, rose water, rose petals, sweet pea flower, funnegun sprouts.

Summer Gin:

spear & strawberry mint, bay leaf, white sage, vanilla bean (1), juniper cones, dried hibiscis, lemon zest, rose water, rose hips, white mulberry (dried), rose petals, cherries.

Autumn Gin: 

Himilayan blackberry, white sage, juniper cones, bay leaf, orange peel (oven dried), pink lady apple, rose hip, rose water, cider spice, cedar sprig.

Winter Gin: 

Juniper cones, douglas fir sprig, cardamon seeds, orange peel (oven dried), funnegun sprouts, allspice berry, white sage leaf, bay leaf.