Liqueurs (sweet)


Liqueurs come in three basic categories ..

Strong : 33-45% abv, with 31-55% sugar,
Dessert : 25-30% abv, with 32-50% sugar, or
Creme : 20-23% abv, with 50-60% sugar.

They can be made by
  1. Macerating fruit
  2. Macerating & Redistilling using herbs, spices, nuts, seeds (sweet),
  3. Macerating fruit with herbs and spices, or
  4. Emulsion, using cream or eggs
Wal writes ...

Macerating Fruit

Fruit liqueurs are quite straight-forward; simply soak your favourite fruit in your strongest alcohol, with 1 cup of fine sugar to every 1 cup of fruit. Let it soak for a couple of months, then strain off the fruit, and dilute the alcohol down to 20-30%.

For HEAPs of excellent recipes see Gunthers Liqueur making - principles and techniques. These include Bailey's Irish Creme, Galliano, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Amaretto, Creme de Menthe, and Drambuie to name a few.

For more details see A good book is "How to Make Liqueurs" by R.M. Byrne, ISBN 0-86417-384-9 (1991) which i found in our local library.

The Household Cyclopedia has many recipes too.

Volodia reports that ... for old liqueurs, including what purports to be Chartreuse, see: http://lodace.com/grandmer/alcool.htm Its in French, but the ingredients repeat, so you can get by with a good dictionary. There is a partial gastronomic glossary at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/vinnytt/fdicepic.htm

Using Herbs

Wal writes ..

Citrus Liqueurs

Wal writes ...

Using Nuts

Wal writes ..

Fruit with Herbs & Spices

Southern Comfort

Wal writes ...

HONEY VODKA

Preparing the essence : Combine all ingredients and dissolve in the sprits as much as possible INGREDIENTS: (for 1 litre of product) METHOD
In an enamel pot pour the water (200 mL) and bring to boil. Add honey, the pot should be at least double the height of the water as to prevent the honey from boiling over. For prefect results, bring the honey to boil and boil for about a dozen minutes, until all the froth is gone, then turn off the heat. After the honey has slightly cooled, add lemon juice and essence. Then slowly pour the sprits into the honey, constantly stirring. Bottle the drink into large bottles and leave for approx 3-6 months, until nice and transparent. As the solution can not be easily filtered, the clear liquid should be syphoned into another bottle, and only the remaining drink filtered. The amount of essence added depends on the samplers personal taste, for those who prefer a strong root flavour upto 10 mL of essence may be added.

COFFEE LIQUEUR

INGREDIENTS METHOD

Combine the coffee, vanilla essence and sprits into a large jar, seal tight a store for a week, shaking daily. After a week filter the liquid (without the sedement). Into the bottle with the remaining sedement, add half of the water (250 mL), when settled, filter the liquid (without the sedement). Add the other half of the water, and filter. Discard the sedement. Dissolve the sugar in the coffee extract and add the milk. Shake well and store in a cool dark place for one week, until settled. Filter the liquid and store. Liqueur gains taste after standing of a long time, best after 3-6 months.

Wal writes ...
Stolen from Basic Brewing: Introduction to Meads, Wines, Beers, Cordials, and Exotics.

CINNAMON CORDIAL

Place cinnamon sticks in container. Cover with vodka. Let stand for 1 week. Strain into second container. Add sugar and honey. Allow to clear.

PEPPERED STRAWBERRY CORDIAL

Clean and chop strawberries. Place in 1 gallon jug. Cover with vodka. Shake well every day for 1 week. Add spices. Let stand for 2 days. Strain into second container. Add sugar and honey. Allow to clear.

USQUEBATH

(pronounced Oosłkełbah -- Gaelic for "water of life") Place all ingredients except musk, ambergreece, and sugar in 1 gallon jug. Cover with vodka. Let stand in a cool place for 10 days. Shake well twice a day. Strain into second container. Add sugar. Allow to clear. Sources: The Queens Closet Opened, W. M., 1655, p. 23

Wal offers a slightly different alternative .. As a whisky cordial (in pursuit of a Drambuie), he's found ..

KNOCKOUT PUNCH

Wal offers ...

Emulsions with Eggs or Cream

Whiskey liqueurs - Bailey's Irish Cream

Wal writes ...

Advocaat


http://homedistiller.org     This page last modified     email: ackland@thenet.net.nz