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 the Gnistas needed to have in order to actually replace fine spirits and wines, the kitchen was a natural place for Erika to start. In principle, Gnista is built and balanced the same way you’d cook a delicious meal. With some classic spirit making techniques and food tech added on top.
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 liquids serves its purpose. For example..
• Rhubarb and sour cherry for acidity
• Oak, treated in different ways, for tannins
• Dried fruits for sweetness
• Ginger, Vin Linh black pepper and Habanero for bite
• Sugar beet syrup for body and because it’s fantastic to smoke (try the combo birch and coffee wood!)
• Wormwood for bitterness
• Lovage and many many botanicals to add nuances (without making drinks that has a specific "taste")
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(es) 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.
The result? Damnio fine. At least that’s what they tell us.
Peace out friends, see you in the glass!
*Complexity, mouthfeel, body, tannins, some acidity, bitterness and that round sensation starting at the nose then ending with a lingering aftertaste.
