15-Minute Sessions: DIY Liqueur
I spent a couple of our 15-minute sessions talking about how to make your own liqueur at home, and demonstrating with a recipe for spiced apple liqueur. A liqueur is essentially a base alcohol (such as vodka or brandy) infused with a flavor and then sweetened. Liqueurs are often used in cocktails, but can also be drunk alone (usually as a digestif). In the US, the terms schnapps and cordial are generally interchangeable with liqueur, but those terms do mean other things in other countries, so be aware if you’re traveling! Common liqueurs include triple sec (orange), Kahlúa (coffee), amaretto (almond), crème de cacao (chocolate), limoncello (lemon), and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Finished liqueurs can last for a year if you aren’t opening the bottle frequently. If the bottle is never opened, they’ll probably be good for 2 to 3 years. Generally, the only thing that will spoil a liqueur is oxygen, so you just need to be sure your bottle has a tight seal if you plan to store it for a long time. The exception is cream liqueurs; most websites recommend storing homemade cream liqueurs for only 1 month and keeping it in the fridge.
Here is the recipe I used for the demonstration, in case you missed it and would like to try it yourself!
Spiced Apple Liqueur
Makes about 3 cups (700ml)
1 pound Red Delicious, Empire, or other sweet apples (about 3 medium apples)
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups (475ml) vodka or brandy (I use brandy)
1 cup sugar
Equipment:
Glass jar for infusing
Fine mesh sieve
Coffee filters
Funnel
Glass bottle(s) for storage
Cut apples into halves or quarters and remove the cores (but don’t peel).
Place apples, cloves, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and alcohol in a large glass jar. Allow to infuse for 2 weeks at room temperature.
Place the sugar and ½ cup water in a pan. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Allow the sugar syrup to cool for at least a minute or two.
Strain the solids from the infused alcohol using the sieve. Filter the alcohol through coffee filters 1-3 times, ending with the alcohol in a clean glass bottle with an airtight seal. Add the sugar syrup to the bottle. Label the bottle with the type of liqueur and date, and age at room temperature for 2-3 months. Liqueur should be good for a year.
Links to Other Recipes and More Info
Gunther Anderson’s liqueur-making website (full of many more recipes and tons of additional information)
—Shelby Peak
