Liqueur Making Recipes

Fresh Mint Liqueur

• 1 cup (packed) rinsed and dried fresh peppermint or spearmint leaves
• 3 cups vodka
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon glycerine (optional thickener)
• Green food coloring (optional)

Steep mint leaves in vodka for 10 days, shaking daily. Strain and filter, squeezing leaves to get all the oils you can. Boil sugar and water together, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Cool to room temeperature. Add glycerine and/or food coloring. Add sugar syrup and vodka mixture together, seal quickly. Shake to blend. Mature two weeks. Yield: 1 quart.

• 1 1/4 cups fresh mint leaves, slightly packed
• 3 cups vodka
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp glycerine (optional)
• 8 drops green food coloring (optional)
• 2 drops blue food coloring (optional)

Wash leaves in cold water several times. Shake or pat gently dry. Snip each leaf into halves or thirds, discarding stems. Measure cut mint leaves to above measurement.

Combine leaves and vodka, steep for 2 weeks. Shake occasionally. Strain out leaves. Boil sugar and water together, cool. Add to vodka mixture, add optional ingredients. Age 1 to 3 months. Yield: 1 quart.

Variation: add mint extract (up to 1 teaspoon) before aging.

• 2-3 teaspoons pure mint* extract
• 3 cups vodka
• 1 teaspoon glycerine (optional)
• 1 cup sugar syrup

*mint: mint, peppermint or spearmint are interchangeable for this recipe.

Combine all ingredients, shake well, mature 24 hours minimum. A week or two will enhance flavorings. If it comes out too weak, just add more flavoring and let stand another day. Should oil globules appear on the surface, remove with a blotter or paper towel.

Recipes courtesy of Gunther Anderson.

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