Homemade Liquors

[Shortie3]

Does anyone here make their own liquors? If so, would you please post them so we can give them a try! Here is my recipe for Kahlua:

1 quart water
3 cups sugar
10 tablespoons instant coffee

Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours then cool. Add:

3 cups vodka
2 teaspoons vanilla

Pour into dark bottle and store in cool, dark place for at least 6 months. Much better to wait 1 year.

For a kahlua that is less strong and sweeter, use the following proportions:

1 quart water
2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons coffee
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2 cups vodka
2 teaspoons vanilla

[GWZ48]

fchammer1 wrote:
GWZ48 -- It sounds delicious; I'll try it. Question: Like Lemoncello, is this also kept in the freezer?

Two Comments: [1] I've had great success with store-bought lemons which seem to have as much lemon oil in the zest as the Meyer lemons do. [2] Everclear beats vodka hands down!

Thanks for the post.

Agree on the Everclear!!!!!! Yes, keep it in the freezer or serve over rocks.

[Shortie3]

We were traveling through Italy several years ago where I met Vinnie, from Naples, who gave me the following recipe for Limoncello:

2 liters vodka 1 kilogram sugar
20 lemons 1 liter water


A) Peel the lemon, slice and put all the slices into the vodka. Wait for 15 days.
B) After the two weeks, take off the lemon slices from the vodka and filter.
C) Boil the water and when it reaches boiling, add the sugar. Simmer for 1/2 hour. Remove from heat and let cool.
D) When the syrup is cool, add to the vodka and let steep in the bottle for a week.
E) Filter once again and drink very cool.

I have found that you can make a more full-bodied limoncello by leaving the peel on the lemon. Also, I wait 3–4 weeks before straining out the slices and then let the limoncello age for several months before drinking. I put the liquor in 1/2 gallon Ball Glass Canning Jars and then place jars in paper bag and set aside in a dark, cool closet.

You can make the sugar syrup more tart or sweeter, according to your taste, just by adding more or less sugar. This is something I experimented with and make it according to my husband's taste which tends to be toward the tart side. At first, you may want to divide the lemon vodka into three batches, and then when it's time to add the syrup, make three different syrups with various amounts of sugar to see which suits your taste. I marked each jar so that when it was time to taste, I could record the results.

The lemons come from COSTCO and so does the vodka!

We use it as a digestive aid after a monster feast and I must say, it does get rid of indigestion quickly!

[firecapt1]

This is an old family recipe. I make it every year and this is just about the time to start as the spring and summer fruits come into season. It matures over the summer and fall and is ready just in time for the holidays (if you can wait that long). It's not strictly a liquor, but it kind of falls into that category 😉

Rumtopf

Basically its very simple: fruits are pickled with sugar in rum. You start in June with strawberries (and sugar and rum), and continuing through the summer you add seasonal fruits (and more sugar and rum). In October you finish the Rumtopf with pineapple (not really a seasonal fruit, but indispensable). After that it takes 6-9 weeks for the Rumtopf to get `ripe', so it will be ready for tasting around Christmas. So here is my Rumtopf recipe:

Use a big vessel (at least 5 liters) and be sure to have a spare one, because it tends to turn out to become more Rumtopf than you expect. I use a traditional ceramic pot and some big bottling jars for extra room. Rumtopf should normally be kept cool (not cold) and dark, e.g. in the cellar.

Fruits: use at maximum 500g per fruit type. Normally 300g for the "main fruits" and 125g for the "extra fruits" are a good measure, but if you want to produce a lot of Rumtopf, take more. But beware: there are many kinds of fruit through the summer!

Preparation of the fruits: use fresh, ripe fruits. Big fruits (peaches, pineapple and such) have to be cut in edible bits. Peaches and similar don't need to be peeled, because the skin will get soft in the rum. Smaller fruits (strawberries) just cut in half. Remove stones from cherries. Don't cut grapes in half, pierce them with a needle. Put the prepared fruits in a separate bowl, cover them with part of (or all) sugar and let them produce juice for one to three hours.

Amount of sugar: 50% to 100% of the weight of the fruits. Normal white sugar is fine. You can also use brown sugar, if you like, or mix.

Rum: it has to be the 54% vol, brown kind of stuff. Don't take the cheapest brand, but it hasn't to be something special. Account for about ¼ of the completed Rumtopf to be rum (that is one bottle in 4 liters completed Rumtopf).

Adding fruits: you prepare the fruits as described above. You stir the Rumtopf accumulated up to that time a little bit, then put the new fruits and sugar on top and add as much rum as is needed to cover all fruits. (The fruits tend to float atop; don't worry.)

Main fruits: these should be part of every Rumtopf: strawberries, cherries, peaches, apricots, pears, grapes.
Extra fruits: these you can add if you like them and can get them: red currant, mirabelles, melon, orange, banana, kiwi, mango, lychee, nectarines, plums, raisins. Apples don't seem to be a good addition.
Finish: at last, in October a pineapple (or at least part of it) is added to the Rumtopf. After that put it in your cellar, stir a little bit every three or so weeks and let it ripen.

Keeping it: you always have to keep the vessels closed, e.g. with a film and a lid. Keep it cool (not cold) and dark.

Warning: because of the osmotic pressure, after the ripening there is considerably more alcohol in the fruits than in the liquid! But you wouldn't guess from their taste...

You can savor Rumtopf pure, or with ice cream or other desserts. Also very fine: put ? Rumtopf in a long drink glass and fill with champagne

[fchammer1]

GWZ48 -- It sounds delicious; I'll try it. Question: Like Lemoncello, is this also kept in the freezer?

Two Comments: [1] I've had great success with store-bought lemons which seem to have as much lemon oil in the zest as the Meyer lemons do. [2] Everclear beats vodka hands down!

Thanks for the post.

[GWZ48]

Crema di Limoncello

8–10 lemons (preferably Meyer)
1 750ml bottle 100–proof vodka or Everclear
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups sugar
2 cups cream

Peel the lemons into strips, being careful to remove only the colored zest (avoid the white part beneath as it will impart a bitter flavor). Put the zest strips into a large, glass jar that can be sealed tightly. Pour in the vodka (or Everclear), close the jar up tightly and store away in a dark, cool place for about a month. During this time, swirl the peels around in the jar once a week. You should start to notice the liquid taking on the yellow color of the lemon peels after about the first week. Eventually, the peels will lose most of their color and turn white.
Once the month is up, remove the peels from the jar (reserve the alcohol) and gently boil them along with the 2 cups of 2% milk in a large saucepan or pot. Do not over boil them (bring to just under a rapid boil). Remove from heat and add the 2 cups of sugar. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Then add the 2 cups of cream, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to cool.
Add the reserved vodka or Everclear to the completely cooled mixture. Discard the peels by pouring the entire mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a ceramic or metal bowl. Use a funnel to pour the liquid into small bottles.

Very nice sipping!!!

[BigBlockTank]

Shortie3 wrote:
Does anyone here make their own liquors? If so, would you please post them so we can give them a try! Here is my recipe for Kahlua:

1 quart water
3 cups sugar
10 tablespoons instant coffee

Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours then cool. Add:

3 cups vodka
2 teaspoons vanilla

Pour into dark bottle and store in cool, dark place for at least 6 months. Much better to wait 1 year.

For a kahlua that is less strong and sweeter, use the following proportions:

1 quart water
2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons coffee
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2 cups vodka
2 teaspoons vanilla

Try a couple of vanilla beans cut open, end to end, instead of the teaspoons of vanilla. Very good flavor!!

[hard3]

Check out homedistiller.org there is a wealth of info to be found.

One of my favorites :
Strawberry Panty Dropper

fresh strawberry syrup 2 oz
Chose Vodka of your choice 1 1/2 oz
serve with club soda over cracked ice
Tastes like strawberry Crush soda
Strawberry syrup made by stemming and course chopping a quart of fresh berries, place in qt mason jar with 1 1/2 cup sugar
shake jar 3 times a day for a week
strain out seeds and pulp make yourself a cool drink store in fridge in mason jar.

[PGR_Skye]

Wow! I really like this thread and I rarely drink. I keep forgetting I have the stuff. I do like the idea of the Peaches and Cream Liqueur. I just bought a bottle of Peach Schnapps for a peach ice cream recipe I'll make some time.

[KLO]

My favorite fake Kahlua!

2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup instant coffee
1.75 liters high quality vodka
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 whole vanilla bean

Combine the sugars and water in a small saucepan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in the coffee, a little at a time! Allow to cool completely.

Pour into a large plastic container with a lid. Add the vodka, vanilla flavoring, and the vanilla bean.

Cover and let stand for 2-3 weeks or until fully aged. Kahlua, when properly stored, can last safely for up to a few years.

That's all I have to share with you!

[KLO]

This is my favorite fake Irish Cream!

1 cup light cream, I use half & half
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 2/3 cups Irish whiskey, I use Bushmills
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, can use up to 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine all the ingredients in a blender set on high speed for 30 seconds. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. The liqueur will keep for at least 2 months if kept cool. Be sure to shake the bottle well before serving.

Makes 4 cups

[KLO]

This is a great recipe to use in the summer.

Peaches 'n' Cream Liqueur

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peach schnapps
1 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup vodka
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

In blender combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into bottles. Refrigerate.

Shake well before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month.

[Jim_Shoe]

Back in my college days, I was a groomsman in a friend's wedding into an Italian family. I had a bad cold, but still had to be there. At the reception, every member of the bride's large family made me drink a shot of their personal homemade liquor that was gonna "fix me right up". Well, it didn't have much effect on my cold, but in about an hour, I just didn't care - about anything.

[AuntSmurf]

Here's a Kahlua recipe that I have been using for years. Got it from my college-age niece:

4 C Water
4 C Sugar
boil 10 minutes

Add 4 tblsp vanilla and a small jar of instant coffee. Let cool to room temp. (That's the hard part! Lol!) Add a bottle (.750 or 1 ltr) of the CHEAPEST vodka you can find.

[Shortie3]

A friend gave me this recipe for Peach Brandy and I can fully attest to its ability to knock out a cold!:

4 cups peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
4 cups vodka
4 cups sugar

Put all in a large glass jar - stir daily for 2 weeks, then tighten the lid and put into a dark place where you let it age for several years, if you can wait that long. Filter out all the fruit and sediment and use sparingly for symptoms of cold or flu. The fruit will really turn dark so you may want to strain the liquid after a month and use the fruit over ice cream . . . yum!