Element Gin - The Making of a Brand

New ideas don't spring from nothing. No concept exists without a foundation. In the case of Element Gin, it's the combination of two long-known aspects that hadn't previously been considered together: the combination of the ancient Greek doctrine that all existence on Earth is based on the mixture of the four elements—fire, water, air, and earth—with the product of spirits.

Sketch: Schematic diagram of the distillation apparatus

The background

The idea for a four-part "Elements Gin" arose during a tasting of essences. The small distillate samples of individual botanicals used in gin blending, and their various combination possibilities, practically begged for inspiration. The goal was to create four fundamentally different gins, each complementing the others through its unique characteristics and embodying an individual gin aroma. Each of these gins was to showcase the essence of one of the four elements. The guiding question for the subsequent experiments was: What is the essence of each element? The development process, which will be discussed in more detail below, can be divided into three main steps.

First, the tasting panel was introduced to the concept and topic of gin. This involved benchmarking and evaluating commercial gins. Next, individual botanical gins were distilled and tasted to categorize them according to their respective botanical elements. The project was conceived as a bachelor's thesis at the Neustadt Wine Campus and was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the "Promotion of Individual Study Paths (FIS)" program for "Research-Based Learning."

First step

The thirty-member panel, consisting of students, staff, and doctoral candidates from the Neustadt Wine Campus, was first introduced to the topic, informed about the planned course of the project, and invited to offer comments and criticism. The inclusion of direct exchange between the panel and the project leaders ensured collaborative work and development.

Photo: Setup of the Botanical Spirits investigation

Subsequently, the following nine different commercial gins were sensorially tested in response to three questions:

1. Gin Sul Hamburg Altonaer Spirituosen Manufaktur 0.5 l
2. Whitley Neill London Dry Gin 0.7l
3. Thomas Sippel Palatinatus Dry Gin 0.5l
4. Hendrick's Gin 0.7l
5. Clockers Gin 0.5l
6. Gin 27 Premium Appenzeller Dry Gin 0.7l
7. Hoos London Gin 0.5l
8. Monkey 47 Black Forest Dry Gin 0.5l
9. Liebl Bavari Dy Gin 0.7l

This was followed by a classification of gin intensities according to the elements, scaled from 1 to 9, to examine the implementation potential of the four-element gin concept in relation to the existing market and the current availability of such flavor profiles. The second question concerned the intensity of the five main gin aromas according to Montserrat on a scale of 1 to 5.

Figure 1: Pearson principal component analysis (n) of the element assignment of the Gins (n=4)

The final check was carried out using a CATA procedure. CATA stands for "Check All That Apply," meaning the tasters had to assign their sensory impressions to predefined attributes. In this case, 23 attributes were assessed. Following the tasting, the panelists were given a themed association task. They were to assign attributes, taste characteristics, emotions, colors, and shapes to the four elements and gather specific associations for the connection between the beverage and the element. The classification of the tasted, commercially available gins within the imagined element concept showed that it was hardly possible to link these gins to the four elements. The testers were in agreement regarding the element assignments of the gins.
They disagreed. They didn't fit into the new concept. Element Gin had to change.

The green line in graphic 2 corresponds to the assignment to the elements, the red lines mark the intensity of the five main gin aromas, and the blue line illustrates the attributes of the CATA method.

Figure 2: Pearson multiple factor analysis (n) of the CATA query (n = 23), the element assignment (n = 4) and the five most important gin flavors (n = 5)

The differentiation between the Fire/Earth and Water/Air groups is clearly illustrated by their comparison in the graphic. However, assigning aromas within the Water/Air and Fire/Earth groups proved difficult: these pairs were sometimes "endowed" with the same botanicals. The Water/Air group is generally associated with fruity and floral aromas, such as lemon, as well as the attributes simple and innovative. The Earth/Fire group is initially linked with significantly more attributes. Spices like cardamom, anise, and pepper are mentioned, as well as the characteristic "herbal aroma." In the association study, the elements Air/Water were assigned relatively similar attributes such as simple, refreshing, and fruity. Earth was described as profound and herbaceous, while Fire was associated with spiciness and intensity. From this, inferences could be drawn about the alcohol content, the

The quantity of botanicals and the flavor profiles of the elements are key. For example, Earth/Fire requires more botanicals and higher alcohol levels, while the values ​​are reduced for the Water/Air group.

Second step

In the second step, the focus shifted to specific aromas and their elemental composition. For this purpose, 37 botanicals were selected from previously collected sensory data, typical gin botanicals, and the experimental spirit and ingenuity of an expert panel. These botanical spirits were then individually distilled. On a small scale (0.5-liter still capacity), these botanical spirits were distilled in the laboratory using a glass, water-cooled still. The quantities of each botanical were individually adjusted according to its degree of fineness, weighed, and macerated in 60% ABV alcohol for 24 hours.

Before tasting the samples, the participants were presented with the results of the previous sensory tests to familiarize themselves with the topic of assigning flavors to the four elements and to prepare for the tasting. The samples were then rated by the testers on an intensity scale of 1-5 for each of the four elements. Only the most significant botanicals that could be evaluated for each element are listed below.

• The botanicals most prevalent in the element of fire are chili, ginger, grains of paradise, cardamom, coriander, orange peel, hop blossom, blood orange, rosehip, patchouli blossom and anise.
  
  
• The element of water is associated with lemongrass, olive leaves, lemon mint, eucalyptus, hibiscus flower, cardamom, peppermint, rose aroma, grains of paradise, lemon peel, rosemary and juniper.
  
  
• The element earth includes thyme, rosehip, licorice root, juniper, angelica root, marjoram, rosemary, pine needles, coriander, patchouli, marigold blossom, hop blossom, fennel, anise and chamomile blossom.
  
  
• The following are associated with the element of air : peppermint, lemon balm, rose aroma, lemon peel, lavender, eucalyptus, blood orange, pomegranate, lemongrass and fennel.

From this data, specific botanicals could be assigned to the individual element gins. These preparations were necessary to begin the test blending of the gins.

Third step

At the beginning of the third step, the results of the previous sensory evaluations were combined to develop various recipes. The table of specific, significant aromas from the second tasting had the most significant influence. However, the results of the association study and the first tasting were also incorporated. An expert panel then tested countless recipes on a small scale using the essences created in the second trial. This was a long and difficult process, carried out with great care and patience. Two test versions were distilled for each element, differing in the concentration of the botanicals.

The version with the lower concentration of botanicals consisted of 250 g of juniper and the corresponding amount of botanicals. The other version consisted of 500 g of juniper and twice the amount of botanicals. The botanicals used in the less intense version comprised approximately 20% of the weight of the 96% ABV spirit. These botanicals were macerated in 5 liters of 60% ABV spirit for 20 hours and then distilled together in a 30-liter pilot still at the DLR Neustadt an der Weinstraße. The entire process was carried out without a column still or fractionation. The resulting distillates were adjusted to 40% ABV and presented to the panel for tasting.

The participants had to answer three questions about gins. These included questions about their preference and the five most important gin aromas on a scale of 1-9. They also had to categorize the gins according to their intensity and assign them to one of four different elements. The participants were very good at distinguishing between the air/water and earth/fire groups, while within these groups, there were still shortcomings in their ability to differentiate between them. The elements water/air and earth/fire seemed difficult to distinguish from one another.

Figure 3: Spider web diagram of preference (n=1) and the five most important gin flavors (n=5), FIZZ ANOVA Fischer LSD

Figure 3 only shows the first two parameters. It is noticeable that the preference of the test subjects decreased with increased spice, anise, or licorice aromas. The gins "Air" and "Water," with their pronounced citrus notes, topped the preference list. The lighter, more floral, and more citrusy the gin, the more the test subjects liked it. It should be noted that the samples were tasted neat. Furthermore, it was observed that the highly concentrated variants showed no significant differences, even with a doubling of the botanicals. It should be noted that gin is primarily used as a base for mixed drinks, and herbal aromas can certainly be more pronounced in a gin and tonic than they were in a direct, neat comparison.

The refinement

Due to some errors during the first distillation, such as the lack of fractionation, and the results of tasting the Elements gins, a further refined version was created. This version utilized three bubble cap trays. The resulting spirits were more harmonious and had shed their rough, harsh, and unfinished character. The hearts were separated down to an alcohol content of 78% ABV. The tails were divided into small fractions and individually tested sensorially. Furthermore, the use of botanicals was reduced. The available results indicated that a high dosage was unnecessary. Recipes were adjusted to eliminate the offending aromas of certain botanicals, which now stood out due to the more refined distillation technique. All these measures resulted in significantly smoother spirits that could no longer be sensorially evaluated within the scope of the project.

equipment

A key factor was the further development of the concept into a holistic external presentation of the product. The Four Elements Gin project borrowed from existing gin design elements, such as the minimalist and purist design of many gin labels, yet created a new design concept by referencing the four elements. This is reflected in all components of the product presentation and packaging, from the labels to the packaging itself.

Photo: The four bottles with the individual elements earth, air, water and fire

The design clearly establishes a connection to the four elements and ancient Greek culture. The upper part of the labels symbolizes the roof of a temple, the middle section is dedicated to the actual sanctuary in the form of the respective element, and the lower section forms the base. The innovative aspect lies in linking the four elements with a beverage that brings their essence closer to the connoisseur in a unique sensory way.

The back label, which lists the gin's recognizable ingredients and aromas, creates a stronger connection to the element and the product itself. It makes it more accessible. The packaging continues the concept of combining antiquity with modern minimalism. One carton of Element Gin will contain one 200ml bottle of each element. The gins' high "play value" stems from their diverse and experimental uses.

Photo: Element Gin retail packaging

Consumers can mix the gins together, incorporating their personal preferences. They can tailor the drink precisely to their taste. In line with the current popularity of DIY (do-it-yourself), which in a broad sense also applies to mixing drinks, this is a significant marketing advantage. All these measures transform the finished product into more than just a conventional gin. The four-element package becomes an experience. Through active tasting and experimentation, the product becomes the customer's own creation. This increases identification with it. The Elements Gin makes it clear: To establish successful products on the market, an experience should be conveyed alongside the product's story. Because a product must offer added emotional value.

• Text and graphics: Philipp Hofmann
• Image: Dominik Hezinger

www.elementgin.com