FIRST, A RECAP
We are dedicated to creating liquids that give the distinct taste, look and feel otherwise known only from fine spirits. And since we get a lot of questions on the topic, we wanted to share our approach!
Our founder Erika is a brainy cook, after nearly twenty years working with food and foodies whilst relentlessly foraging parks and woods, and eagerly experimenting in her kitchen. (Before Gnista, she didn’t know much about spirit making, we should probably add. Luckily, there are quite a few fantastic mixologists around to fill the gap.) After having investigated what characteristics Gnista needed to have in order to actually imitate a fine spirit* the kitchen was a natural place for Erika to start. Taste inspiration was found in classic and modern spirits, and we also use some spirit making techniques. But in principle, Gnista is built and balanced the same way you’d cook a delicious meal.
Gnista Staples
As any food lover knows, compromising on quality is not an option. Produce is organic when better and locally grown when possible. And every ingredient included in our spirits serves its purpose.
• Rhubarb for acidity
• Oak for tannins
• Raisins for sweetness
• Ginger, Vin Linh black pepper and Habanero for bite
• Sugar beet syrup for body, as a flavour carrier and because it’s fantastic to smoke (the combination birch and coffee woods we recommend!)
• Wormwood for bitterness
• Lovage and other botanicals for character
Gnista Methods
The above are then treated separately or together, always careful to keep as many flavour nuances as possible.
• Maceration
• Steam distillation
• Infusion
• Smoking
• Filtration
A Master Blender, Another Essential
Just like all produce, the ingredients reflect the terroir from which they come and the season in which they are harvested. (Spring rhubarb contains less sugar and more acidity than late summer one…) That we had planned for. But we also discovered that the ingredients react with each other in not always logical ways. Which means following the same recipe each time would make the variations between the batches too big. And This is of course is why master blenders are the crown princes of spirit making!
We found our master blender in Fredrik, a humble man with a palate beyond this world and with much experience from state-of-the-art food production. We make Gnista by hand and in small batches. This is craft. And it’s Fredrik’s task to add that attention to detail, as well as to maintain quality and stability over time.
The result? Damnio fine. At least that’s what they tell us.
Peace out friends, see you in the glass!
*
Complexity, mouthfeel, body, tannins, bitterness and that round sensation starting at the nose then ending with a lingering aftertaste