Thursday 27 January 2011

How to make Strawberry Vodka Liqueur

Last summer we went strawberry picking. I enjoyed it so much I ended up with far too many strawberries. Some we ate fresh, of course – with and without cream. I made a lot into strawberry jam (though it didn't set so I have several jars of what I'm calling strawberry sauce for ice-cream!). And some went into strawberry ice-cream.

The rest I decided to make into strawberry vodka, having been inspired by friends' efforts.

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First, I weighed my hulled and chopped strawberries. I wanted something sweet and rich so I used an equal weight of fruit and sugar. You can use less, of course – as little as half weight of the fruit. My friend recommended using about 1.25 to 1.5 times spirit to weight of fruit. I chose vodka but you can use gin, if you prefer.

With my three ingredients measured out, I divided them between five jars (somwhat approximately, since the jars were different sizes), sealed them tightly and left them in the (dark, cool) larder for just over 6 months.

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For the first few weeks, I shook and turned them once a week or so. After that, I left them untouched.

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By the time I went back to them, the colour had leached out of the fruit and into the vodka. The liquid seemed much more viscous than the original vodka.

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Pete had to help me open the jars; the lids on four of them were jammed on very tight indeed! I strained the contents through muslin straight into a large measuring jug, the easier to then bottle it.

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I deliberately mixed the results of all five jars together as I figured some might be more or less sweet or more or less alcoholic, as I'd not shared the ingredients exactly according to the different jar sizes. I wanted a single finished liqueur.

The results are absolutely fantastic!

I've called it a strawberry vodka liqueur rather than just strawberry vodka because it's really thick and syrupy, very rich and sweet and has a really strong flavour.

We poured it into some saved alcohol bottles to store.

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I didn't make much as I didn't realise how fabulous it would be but my plan is to make lots more next strawberry season so that I can share it as gifts for friends.

P.S. The alcohol soaked fruit wasn't wasted – we had it alongside some home-made lemon posset that evening!

Homemade Strawberry Vodka Liqueur

Strawberries, chopped, hulled and weighed
Sugar (same weight as strawberries)
Vodka (1.25 times weight/volume of strawberries)

  • Combine ingredients and seal into an airtight glass jar.
  • For the first few weeks, shake and turn regularly, to help the sugar dissolve and flavours mix.
  • Leave to mature for at least 3-4 months; the longer the better.
  • Strain through muslin for a clearer finished result.
  • Bottle and enjoy for as long as it lasts!

15 comments:

azélias kitchen said...

heck right now I could use some...throat is sore..cough..cough...send me over some ;)

I love mandarin liqueur...fruity so I expect this one to be fruity too?

Anonymous said...

Wowsers! That looks so great!

Unknown said...

This looks wonderful ! I made sloe vodka with vanilla and cinnamon last autumn - never again! Cough mixture anyone?

Debs @ DKC said...

Oh yes now we're drinking, sorry talking! This is definitely my kinda recipe.

Will have to stock up on jars and strawberries when next available over here and get brewing LOL.

Can't wait to try this. Unless of course you take pity on a sick women stuck in hospital STILL and send some to me for medicinal purposes LOL.

Kavey said...

Azelia, I'm making some others tomorrow, or at least, starting them off. Am going to do a clementine one as it's my favourite of the orange family!

Ruduss, thanks, it tastes good too!

Liz, uugh, cinnamon can be so overpowering if too strong...

Debs, ha, good try! I can just see the telling off I'd get sending alcohol to an inpatient in a hospital!!! Do have a go though!

azélias kitchen said...

ooohh I had that thought this morning as soon as I posted to make some citrus ones and snap clementines are my favourite of the family, parents have trees in their garden!

ok - if I'm better at the weekend I'll set to work..lovely!

Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours said...

Lovely!

Now where is that bottle of sloe whiskey?

Anonymous said...

what a great idea. love it give it a go one day, when I'm more organised.

celia said...

Kavey, I didn't think it was possible to have too many homepicked strawberries! Having said that, your strawberry liqueur looks amazing - we made a plum brandy last year on similar lines.

Kavey said...

Azelia, the clementine vodka is on the go, as is some coffee vodka as well!

Helen, am not into whisky but that sounds different!

Debs, it's so easy, don't even need that much organising!

Celia, fair point but we had a lot more than just that single basket!!!

ann low said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe. This is amazing, would love to try it :)

The Grubworm said...

Oh yum, we did something similar with pears and berries. The berry one was a bit cough syrupy, but the pear one was (and is) fantastic.

Kavey said...

Amcoo, best of luck, hope it works as well for you!

Grubworm, I'm wary of adding spices as I reckon they extract so well they can easily overwhelm the fruit and make things taste medicinal. Pear sounds amazing, and I adore pear. Another one to add to my list!

Hanna @ Swedish Meatball said...

Oh my actual god, this looks bloody amazing. I will make this my weekend project!

Kavey said...

Swedish Meatball, so easy, so good! Let me know how it goes!