Still Magic: A gin distiller’s guide for beginners

The author gives great background on the different gins and how they are made and then gives a step by step guide on how to create your own recipies. His focus on the basics, the key principles, how to establish and record your recipe creation and how to evaluate your creations is not only applicable to gin but to any other alcohol, baking, fermenting, well just about anything creative!

Being a long-time friend of Mr Thompson, I could hardly let him publish and not read his book, "Still Magic" - the title alone was worth a bit of applause I thought. And the first pun in the Introduction (last sentence, not a typo) had me well hooked.Not being a spirits drinker, let alone a gin enthusiast, I had to hope his natural wit and enthusiasm would come through in the text to help get me through the journey. I wasn't disappointed at all - within the first couple of chapters I had a working knowledge of how gin was made, the vital "3Bs", how one might go about attempting putting new taste sensations together, and I was also learning quite a bit more about cooking in general than I would ever have expected.I even started looking at local distiller suppliers and what botanicals they stocked....While I didn't progress my budding enthusiasm any further let alone so far as to start steeping my own charge, I did continue with the read and became far better acquainted with the nature of botanicals, charge preparation, the essential chemistry at play, and the need for meticulous note-keeping in an A5 notebook. The bit about having an A5 Notebook at hand was reinforced so often there was little doubt that you must have one and use it constantly.("A5" = "half-letter'-size notebook for you US folk that might be wondering).I did start to waver a little at about the 3/4 point as the depth of Marcel's knowledge about how to get "your" flavour just right and how to experiment & test to ensure you could re-make it at command went way past my desire for such detail. But for anyone thinking about making their very own and unique gin I expect this section would instill the necessary essential rigour to guarantee your success.Key themes through the book, were typified through concepts embodied in the acronym "DISTIL" and the slogan "History-Guardianship-Legacy".Those of you familiar with ever-improving quality paradigms will appreciate the DISTIL acronym's place in progressing and perfecting your own gin sensation.History-Guardianship-Legacy was touched on frequently throughout the book, and when I got to the end I got the feeling that this was how the book was structured - intentionally or otherwise it plays well.For these concepts alone the book is worth the read.You don't even have to like gin.Looking forward to the sequel already.

Marcel is engaging and knowledgeable as a distiller and industry insider. Of course his understanding of the many aspects of Gin making are wonderful, but so is his understanding of running a business. His info graphics are extremely useful in terms of tracking flavors and figuring out how to balance a distilling business. As a craft distiller I truly appreciate this resource!

Very useful book if you are starting on your own journey to make a drinkable gin. Lots of useful ideas and techniques that the author developed over his long career. Thank you, Marcel!

Want a flowery, bloviating tome about the creative process that reads like a low rent marketing textbook? This book is for you. Want concrete information about making gin at a commercial distillery? Look elsewhere. I’m sure some will find value here, but this was not what I was looking for at all based on the description and title.

This book covers in detail a structured approach to making great tasting gins. The book is strong in suggestions for getting your botanical combinations balanced and a good base to build from which is advice we really wanted. As a new distillery we are always being asked for a new gin and this has been a very helpful in suggesting the right approach.

It's ok, nothing I didn't already know, some good perspectives from the author. All the info is available online with some research but it is a good one to have in the distillers library nonetheless

This a great paperback on the art of distilling written by an expert in a very easy to read and understand way. It is full of explanations, tips and guidance that is essential to understand what makes a good gin and how to progress your botanical balance. Brilliant book

Author has a great deal of knowledge and puts it over in a well written way. Great read and rewarding if you are planning to make some Gin.

I have started distilling gin and other spirits at home and wanted to find out some good recipes, tips and tricks and actual guidance of the PROCESS of making gin. Instead this book takes you on a lovely, if at times irreverent, journey through gin and its relationship with people, history and the author.Its systematic approach to improving and creating gins is nothing dissimilar to a PDSA cycle most people are already well aware of. Whilst its talk of botanicals is informative, it falls short of actually being helpful.Maybe one day I will use this book to help launch my distillery and make millions (!) but for now I am contented to youtube videos.