Buying neutral spirit for gin: quality and contracts

Why the base matters

Gin is a neutral spirit flavoured predominantly with juniper. The spirit is not flavourless in practice. Traces of other compounds from fermentation can carry through into the gin, especially to a drinker who has tasted it many times. A clean, consistent base lets your botanicals speak and lets batch ten match batch one.

It is also a large cost. See the cost of a bottle for where it sits in the sum. A small change in the price per litre moves your margin.

Raw material and process

Neutral spirit is ethanol made from fermented agricultural material, such as grain, molasses, sugar cane juice or grapes, then rectified to a high strength. Different sources can give slightly different character, though a well-rectified spirit is very clean. In India, the term extra neutral alcohol, or ENA, is the common name for rectified spirit used in drinks.

Ask the supplier about the raw material, the number of distillation columns and how they remove impurities. A supplier who answers clearly is easier to trust.

Write a specification

Ask for a written specification covering:

• Strength, typically very high for rectified neutral spirit.
• Appearance: clear and free of haze.
• Limits on impurities: methanol, aldehydes, higher alcohols, esters and acidity.
• Odour and taste: clean, with no off notes.
• Packing and delivery: drums, totes or bulk tanker.
• A certificate of analysis for each lot.

Your supplier will have its own standard. Compare it with what your recipe needs. Ask for tighter limits if your gin is delicate.

Test what arrives

Do not rely on the paper alone. Check strength with a calibrated instrument. Smell the spirit neat and diluted with water to bottling strength, tasting responsibly and in tiny amounts, or by aroma only. Keep a retained sample from every lot.

Compare each delivery with a reference from a lot you know. If a lot smells different, hold it and talk to the supplier before it goes into a batch. The cost of holding a delivery is small next to a ruined run.

Contracts and terms

A supply agreement should cover:

• Price and how it can change.
• Volume commitments, minimum and maximum.
• Delivery schedule and lead time.
• Specification and lot certificates.
• What happens if a lot fails.
• Payment terms.

Spirit prices follow the cost of the raw materials and the market, so a fixed price for a long period may not be available. Discuss a formula or a review date instead of expecting a promise.

Licences and movement

Spirit is regulated at every step. Buying, moving and storing it usually needs permits. The paperwork differs by country and, in India, by state. Often the supplier must be licensed and your premises approved before spirit can be moved to you. Check these with the regulator or an adviser before you order. See licensing steps for the common sequence.

Goods-in routine and the cheapest option

When a delivery arrives, check the paperwork against the order, the seals on the drums or tote and the lot number. Take a sample from a clean, dedicated container, not from the top of an open drum. Measure strength, look for haze, smell it and compare it with your retained reference.

Record the result. If the spirit passes, release it for use. If not, quarantine it and tell the supplier the same day. Store spirit in sealed containers, away from heat, with fire precautions that meet the rules of your jurisdiction. Losses from evaporation and handling should be counted, because every litre lost is a litre you paid for.

The cheapest spirit is not always the cheapest gin. A cheaper spirit with more impurities may need harsher cuts, leave a rougher finish or vary more between lots. Run a trial with two suppliers' spirits through the same recipe and taste the results, in small measures and with water. Then decide on the whole picture of price, quality and reliability, not on price alone.

Reduce single-source risk

One supplier is simple and risky. A fire, a licence issue or a price change can stop your production. Qualify a second supplier by testing a sample and keeping the details on file. You may not buy from the second one regularly, but you will know you can.

Common questions

What strength should neutral spirit be?

Rectified neutral spirit is typically supplied at a very high strength and diluted later. Your supplier's specification states it.

Does neutral spirit affect the taste of gin?

Yes, a little. A clean, consistent spirit lets the botanicals show and keeps batches alike.

Do I need a certificate of analysis?

You should ask for one with every lot and check the lot yourself on arrival.

Can I buy from any distillery?

Only from licensed suppliers, subject to permits for moving spirit. Rules differ by country and Indian state.