When I set out to create this Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe I had no idea of the surprise that was lying in wait for me. Read on to discover how to make a genuinely magical colour changing gin infusion.
What is Himalayan Balsam?
You may well have heard of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) as it increasingly features in our press.
It is a non-native, highly invasive weed that damages the habitats it finds itself in by crowding out our native species. Often seen by rivers, streams and canals, it causes bank erosion and contributes to flooding due to clogging up waterways.
It is now increasingly being spotted in hedgerows along roadsides where it is proving to be just as damaging.
What you may not know about Himalayan Balsam is that it is a highly edible plant. The green seed pods, seeds, young leaves and shoots are all edible and are traditionally used in curries in its native Himalayan region. The flowers are also edible and are used in jellies and wines.
I found a reference to a distillery adding dried Himalayan Balsam flowers to one of its gins to create a limited pink edition, but they didn’t share their recipe, so I decided to create my own. Little did I know the surprise this unpopular but beautiful flower had in store for me!
We collected our flowers from a stretch of the disused Thames and Severn Canal in the Cotswold Water Park where they grow in profusion.
Please note that the seed pods of this plant explode on touch when ripe scattering seeds over a vast area. This method of seed dispersal is one of the reasons that the plant is so successful. I should point out that it is actually illegal to propagate Himalayan Balsam in any way due to it’s invasive and destructive nature so please handle the plant with care.
That being said we managed to collect a 2-litre container of the Himalayan Balsam flowers without touching any seed heads so don’t be put off collecting them.
What you need to make Himalayan Balsam Gin.
- 2-litre container of Himalayan Balsam flowers
- Zest from 4 Limes
- 2 Dessertspoons Caster Sugar
- 1-litre Gin
- A Large Glass Preserving Jar (Amazon affiliate link)
- Glass Bottles (Amazon affiliate link)
How to make Himalayan Gin.
Cut any green from the base of the flower and pop them all in a jar with the lime zest and gin. Leave to infuse a dark, cool place for 24 hours.
Once the 24 hours are up, strain the gin into a clean jar, add the sugar and gave it a shake to dissolve.
The resulting Himalayan Balsam Gin is a pale amber colour much like a traditional pink gin made from Angostura bitters. The flowers impart a light floral taste to the spirit which combines well with the lime.
But the real surprise is still to come. When you add tonic to our Himalayan Balsam Gin something magical happens. It turns a stunning, vibrant pink as shown in the video below.
I have no idea of the chemical in the tonic which is responsible for the reaction, but I have tried 3 different brands so far, and they all work. (The things I do for science!)
We’d love to hear what you think if you make your own Himalayan Balsam Gin, or indeed of any other wildflower infusions. And if you are looking for some more wild booze inspiration check out the links below.
If you have enjoyed our Himalayan Balsam Gin recipe, why not check out some of our other wonderful foraged and hedgerow liqueurs and infusions. You can find a list of our favourites below.
Beech Leaf Noyau
Beech Leaf Noyau is a traditional liqueur made from young leaves of the Beech tree. The leaves are gathered in spring while they are soft and sticky and still have a translucent, delicate look to them.
Rosehip Liqueur
I can’t promise that our Homemade Rosehip liqueur will stop you catching a cold, but it’ll certainly cheer you up if you do have one.
How to Make Hazelnut Liqueur Easily at Home
This simple hazelnut liqueur recipe only takes minutes to prepare but results in a deliciously rich and smooth nut flavoured liqueur that is perfect for gifting.
Sloe Gin
Every year we forage for sloes berries to make sloe gin. Learn how to identify sloes, when to pick them and try the best sloe gin recipe ever.
Ground Ivy and Wild Horseradish Vodka
Foraged Wild Horseradish and Ground Ivy Infused Vodka makes a wonderful peppery infusion. It is perfect for adding to tomato juice and savoury dishes.
22 comments
Hi Sarah
Have you tried the recipe without limes? The supermarket has sold out so I have Himalayan Balsam and gin… also some lemons . Shall I try it without the limes?
I haven’t Johnny, but I would imagine it’d be nice with a little lemon zest instead. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Hey! I followed this recipe, but my gin is bright pink rather than brown (before adding tonic) Any ideas ??
I’m afraid you’re the first problem who has said theirs was very pink to start Morgan, perhaps your flowers had more pigment in them than usual. Did you see any change of colour when you added the tonic?
Hi Craftinvaders,
Thanks fir your great suggestions and recipes. Previously I’ve only foraged for sloes and made lots of sloe gin. Your ideas have given me a new inspiration and I have just made, and tasted your Magical HB gin recipe and it works. Magical. I was a chemist and am intrigued what the chemical reaction could be. Something to do with the quinine in the tonic? Great drink, I’m going to have a lotof fun with all my friends when they discover it’s magical secret. I’m also going to try the Rosehip liquer as soon as I can forage some ripe rose hips. Thanks again.
I’d love to know what goes on chemically if you work it out Mike. The rosehip liqueur tastes amazing so do give it a go if you get the chance 🙂
Hi Sarah, thanks so much for sharing the HB Gin recipe. I live in Swansea and in the park nearest me they are growing everywhere so I made a batch today. I can’t wait to watch the beautiful pink transformation! Thanks to for the nettle crisp recipe. I’m waiting for them to stop flowering so that I can make some. Thanks for taking the time to share your great ideas ☺️♥️
Thanks for your kind comment Anna, A useful trick with nettles is to cut them back, you often get another flush in the autumn is the weather is mild 🙂
Can you do this with vodka and tonic?
I haven’t tried it with vodka but I see no reason why not Carol 🙂
I can’t find Himalayan balsam seeds for sale (I live in Portugal) but I can get Impatiens balfourii seeds do you think this would work instead?
Hi Sandra As far as I am aware Impatiens balfourii is not edible (and might even be toxic) so no I wouldn’t suggest it. Because the Impatiens glandulifera is an invasive plant I doubt you’ll find its seeds for sale anywhere. You’ll need to find it in the wild if you want to use it, but I don’t know if it grows in Portugal.
been every where this morning i cannot find any of the
Himalayan Balsam flowers. would it be possible to send me 2 x litres of the petals and i would pay postage??
Was great to chat with you on Facebook Neil and so pleased you found the flowers in your local area 🙂
Brilliant! Thanks you’ve just inspired a present for gin loving friend! Very curious why it only has this affect with the tonic though as I don’t like tonic, so will try with other mixers to see if it has the same effect
Thanks Bo, so pleased I’ve inspired you! I haven’t tried any other mixers but wouldn’t be surprised if they have the same effect. I presume that it’s a change in ph which causes the colour change – let me know what happens if you experiment 🙂
I am in kidderminster there is a mammoth amount of this growing along the canal and the river severn but i dont know if the council spray it with toxic nasties
They shouldn’t be spraying it Felicity because all the weed killers are hugely toxic for marine life and shouldn’t be used near water courses. I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s so hard to control 🙂
We’ve just come back from a two week holiday down at the coast and on our way back we stopped at a place in the South African midlands and bought a gin distilling kit 😀 Now all I need to do is find some of those Himalayan Balsam flowers here and I can try make your recipe from scratch. Mmmmm or maybe I can use our Impatiens walleriana instead. I just to check if they’re safe.
Hope you had a lovely holiday Michelle 🙂 We call Impatiens walleriana Busy Lizzies here in the UK and they are very popular but I believe also toxic so no good for gin! Can’t wait to see what you do make with your gin distilling kit x
How amazing! Must try this one.
I bet there’s tons of Himalayan Balsam growing down by you Danielle – you must be close to the Severn and the canal 🙂