Saturday 18 June 2016

Flavoured vodka/gin recipes

Rhubarb Vodka

1 litre Tesco standard vodka
400g rhubarb
20ml glycerine

Trim and cut the rhubarb into smallish pieces
Cook in the microwave until slightly soft
Put in a Kilner jar with the vodka and glycerine
Shake occasionally
Pass through a fine sieve (and ideally through a coffee filter, but mine wouldn't)
Chill and serve.

Notes:
Made 12/6/16.  This froze in the freezer, probably due to the lower alcohol levels.  It was fine from the fridge though.  Delicious!
Chris tells me rhubarb gin is supposed to be excellent.  I will try it next.

Elderflower Vodka

20 or so heads of elderflowers
1 litre Tesco vodka
20ml glycerine

Cut the elderflowers just below the flowers
Put in a Kilner jar with the vodka and glycerine
**Make sure the flowers are submersed in the liquid**
Strain after 48 hours
Pass through a coffee filter
Store in and serve from the freezer


Notes:
Apparently the best elderflowers are those with some buds on, picked on a sunny day.  Use a sweet-smelling tree, such as the one by the blackberries at the duck pond.
Some recipes say to wash the flowers but I think will get rid of too much flavour
I haven't tried it yet with the glycerine.  It was delicious without it.
Made 12/6/16: Excellent, very clear after using the coffee filter
NB: It's 18/6 and we have only really had one or two sunny days to pick the elderflowers.  They won't last long now.  Hopefully I can still make a second batch, otherwise I could try with dried flowers.

Rose Vodka (trial 1)

10g organic red rose petals
1 bottle Tesco vodka
20g glycerine

Put the rose petals and the vodka in a kilner jar for 10 days, shaking occasionally
Strain and pass through a coffee filter
Drink!

Notes:
15/6/16?: Put the rose petals in the vodka.  Remember to add glycerine later.
19/6 removed from vodka as all the colour had come out of the roses.

Blackberry, Sloe and Elderberry Vodka

Remember not to keep the blackberries in the vodka for too long or it goes brown and sludgy.  I would expect 10 days would be enough.  Sloes and elderberries can cope with longer.  They settle with time though and can then be filtered.

Other ones I've tried

Passion fruit (2 passion fruit, one bottle of vodka- 18/6/16. Sieve after about 2-4 days?)
Damson- same recipe as sloes.  Delicious- lovely colour and taste.
Gooseberry- very nice summer drink, especially from the freezer.