I need some help

[elimsprint]

A question for the tree experts on here. Am I correct in assuming this is juniper and these are juniper berries? If so are these "ripe" or do I have to wait for later in the year? Also, are there any trees that grow in BC that have poisonous berries that look like these? I want to make some gin and I would like to do it with local juniper if I can.
https://i.imgur.com/djMMm0f.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tu9LuRv.jpg

[nelsonob1]

Looks like juniper. Does it smell like juniper?

Bit early to harvest those, especially if wild. Elevation will also impact timing. They will be blue when ripe. I believe they can be picked all year once the plantvis a few years old.

[HarryToolips]

I am not aware poisonous look alike and I have eaten them in small quantities with no ill effects, as they have historically been used in small quantities to aid digestion, but I have read that some contain high amounts of thujone which can make one very sick... I have never made gin however, and from the pics you provided those do look like juniper berries, which are not actual berries they are the cones of the female plant..

[Weatherby Fan]

Definitely Juniper and yes you can eat them but they are very strong and distinct in flavour, mostly used for making sauces for meat, like peppercorn sauce for example, you won’t need much for a sauce as again they are very strong

for years we used to put our hunting clothes in a bag with juniper branches and berries !

[Arctic Lake]

Good luck with your Gin making ! Man oh man I love a good gin and tonic . Use Fentmans Tonic .
Arctic Lake

[wildcatter]

I use Broker's London Gin for my gin and tonic.
Tried many others and this is what I like the most.
And yes, those are definitely juniper berries.

[Harvest the Land]

A question for the tree experts on here. Am I correct in assuming this is juniper and these are juniper berries? If so are these "ripe" or do I have to wait for later in the year? Also, are there any trees that grow in BC that have poisonous berries that look like these? I want to make some gin and I would like to do it with local juniper if I can.
https://i.imgur.com/djMMm0f.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tu9LuRv.jpg

Wait to pick the berries until they turn blue (are ripe) later in the year and give it a try and let us know how it works. Good luck

[elimsprint]

Thanks all, I figured it was juniper but I wanted to check as on the distillers site I use they said there were poisonous trees in the woods that looked the same as juniper. I have never heard of any but thought I would check with one of my main "brain trusts" and that is of course you guys. Arctic Lake, if you're up this way after I get some gin made you are more than welcome to come on up and give it a try. Have you tried Urban Distillers Gin? It's amazing but as I have a bunch of my high test sitting around I thought I would give making gin a try.

[Arctic Lake]

Thanks for the invite Elimsprint will do ! I have not tried that gin but have tried the smaller distiller Victoria Gin also a small distiller near Sooke B.C Sheringham Distillers and of course Bombay
Arctic Lake

Thanks all, I figured it was juniper but I wanted to check as on the distillers site I use they said there were poisonous trees in the woods that looked the same as juniper. I have never heard of any but thought I would check with one of my main "brain trusts" and that is of course you guys. Arctic Lake, if you're up this way after I get some gin made you are more than welcome to come on up and give it a try. Have you tried Urban Distillers Gin? It's amazing but as I have a bunch of my high test sitting around I thought I would give making gin a try.

[GEF]

Crush a few in the butter in the frying pan when you cook your grouse breast and finish the demi glaze with chardonnay and a little flour .Drizzle over the breasts and roasted baby potatoes.Heaven!Seriously Juniper berries and grouse were meant for eachother.
https://i.imgur.com/sNAO2kq.jpg

[wildcatter]

Crush a few in the butter in the frying pan when you cook your grouse breast and finish the demi glaze with chardonnay and a little flour .Drizzle over the breasts and roasted baby potatoes.Heaven!Seriously Juniper berries and grouse were meant for eachother.
https://i.imgur.com/sNAO2kq.jpg


That looks delicious.
I have to try if I get a grouse.

[HarryToolips]

Thanks all, I figured it was juniper but I wanted to check as on the distillers site I use they said there were poisonous trees in the woods that looked the same as juniper. I have never heard of any but thought I would check with one of my main "brain trusts" and that is of course you guys. Arctic Lake, if you're up this way after I get some gin made you are more than welcome to come on up and give it a try. Have you tried Urban Distillers Gin? It's amazing but as I have a bunch of my high test sitting around I thought I would give making gin a try.
Off the top of my head maybe they are referring to the yew because I know that is poisonous...

[MichelD]

Those are green you need the drier blue ones.

[last light]

Crush a few in the butter in the frying pan when you cook your grouse breast and finish the demi glaze with chardonnay and a little flour .Drizzle over the breasts and roasted baby potatoes.Heaven!Seriously Juniper berries and grouse were meant for eachother.
https://i.imgur.com/sNAO2kq.jpg

Looks delicious, what time of year did you harvest the berries? TIA

[elimsprint]

Those are green you need the drier blue ones.

They looked quite blue when I walked past the bush at 5:30 this morning, lol. I'm going to try a small batch of gin with these and wait for them to ripen up before I try a bigger batch. At least I know they are juniper so I will just keep an eye on them now. I saw 3 nice whitey bucks about 5 minutes before I came up to the juniper so I'm sure I'll be close to there in the fall:)

[elimsprint]

Crush a few in the butter in the frying pan when you cook your grouse breast and finish the demi glaze with chardonnay and a little flour .Drizzle over the breasts and roasted baby potatoes.Heaven!Seriously Juniper berries and grouse were meant for eachother.
https://i.imgur.com/sNAO2kq.jpg

That looks really good but I see so few grouse lately that I just don't have the heart to shoot them. I honestly see way more elk than I do grouse, what's the world coming to????

[RICKADY]

Can do the same with Cypress Berries/seeds, just a little bit more pungent,
nothing that a little gin won't fix,
Rickady

[horseman2]

Yew berries are red.

Years ago, after reading the sourdoughs started their starter using yew berries.
I collected a number one fall and had a great starter for a few years.
My bread was not true sourdough as Instant yeast was also used but it did impart a nice flavor.

[elimsprint]

The first 2 jars of gin are aging. The first is Odins easy gin which is just juniper, coriander and orange peel (I couldn't find a tangerine) and the second has cardamom, angelica root, and a couple of peppercorns added. These are really the second and third attempts as the first one with the green berries was terrible, even I couldn't drink it:-( These were both done with in the boiler maceration and don't seem to have a really strong gin smell, it's there but not in your face like I want. The next one is going to have a week or 2 of maceration before it hits the boiler. I found the mother of all juniper bushes, it probably has 100# of berries on it, so I have enough berries for this years gin making, lol.
https://i.imgur.com/bnUuH8N.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1VdLvXd.jpg

[boxhitch]

Did you taste test the berries?
I heard they are best after a frost

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83286

[elimsprint]

Did you taste test the berries?
I heard they are best after a frost

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83286

I didn't chew one but I did squash one under my nose, very juniper smelling, but then I made the mistake of licking it.......all I could taste was juniper for about a week. Note to self, don't do that again, lol!!!!!
I read that whole thread before I started making the gin, also watched Still It's many videos on gin making.
For the newest batch I'm macerating the juniper, coriander, angelica root and cardamom for a week in 93% and then adding the fruit peel and peppercorns to the boiler after I proof the 93% down.
I may have to drink a few gallons of so-so gin till I get it right but I can do that:-)