Preparation of liqueurs

Who has managed to successfully make wine once and obtain high-proof alcohol from their own crops in the distillation process, something will surely be missing, if he doesn't make his own liqueur. It is not difficult, not subject to legal restrictions, and – which some may find particularly important – also in this case it is known, what is drinking. No essences of unknown origin are used for this purpose, but only its own fruit.

However, I would like to concentrate on this here, most importantly, and I will not dwell on exotic drinks, like mocca liqueur, banana or even coconut. The alcoholic extract should only add flavor to products from our own garden, and only this, which are the most important and aromatic flavor carriers, like berries, stone and certain herbs, which, moreover, can be grown in a flower box on the balcony.

There are two methods of setting a liqueur. Flavor carriers with low juice content (hawthorn, tarnina, as well as herbs) should be finely chopped or ground and put into 40 – 50-alcohol percentage. If we do not have wine spirit from our own distillation, you have to buy wheat spirit, it is relatively neutral and will not spoil the natural aroma of the fruit. You can also buy 96% rectified spirit and dilute it to 50%, adding the same amount of water. The tincture is set aside for a few days, and then squeezed it out. The high alcoholic juice flowing out is carefully measured and diluted further with sugar water. The amount of sugar added depends on individual taste. Usually added to 1 kg of juice 500 cm3 of water + 200 – 250 g of sugar. Better to add less sugar than too much; you can always sweeten it.

The alcoholic extract of juicy fruit is made not with normal wine spirit, but with pure rectified spirit. Pure alcohol binds aromatics better than even the best wine spirit distilled from its own fruit. Moreover, it is completely neutral in taste, which guarantees, that the liqueur will not contain any admixtures that spoil its aroma.