Imbibers, this is going to change your life.

Not only can you make gin at home, its actually very easy and will drastically reduce your liquor bill! For most, the biggest challenge will be finding all the herbs and spices. If you live in NYC, I highly recommend you check out Kalustyans - A Landmark for Fine Specialty Foods in Manhattan. This place has a huge selection of herbs and spices, as well hard to find imported food. Kalustyans will be an essential stop if you begin to make your own bitters.

As for the recipe bellow, it comes from Ian Knauer’s article in Gourmet, and should be used as a jumping off point. Feel free to experiment with different aromatics or with infusion time. But remember, as Knauer says, "Gin’s not gin without the juniper.“

Once you’re gins ready, start experimenting with gin cocktails! 

1 (750ml) bottle of inexpensive vodka
2 Tbsp juniper berries
¾ tsp coriander seed
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp fennel seed
3 green cardamom pods
2 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf, torn into pieces
1 (3-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1 (2-inch-long) fresh lemon or lime peel
1 (1-inch) sprig fresh lavender

Infuse juniper in the vodka for about eight hours. Add remaining spices and herbs and let them infuse for about eight hours, then strain the botanicals.

Recipe from Ian Knauer, Gourmet