Beech leaf liqueur

[Harvestman]

Suddenly it has all gone green around here! The beech leaves are out, with that fabulous brilliant green that only lasts a week or so. I love this time of year, because it means I can make one of my favourite drinks - beech leaf liqueur.

The recipe is as in Richard Mabey's "Food for Free", except that I tend to use vodka rather than gin, and this year I'm thinking of missing out the brandy as it turns the glorious green colour a rather dubious urine-yellow

Curiously, I've never met a woman that likes the finished product (I call it tooth decay in a glass), and I've never met a man who didn't.

Anyone else make this? If you want the recipe I can post it.

 

[stooboy]

heh, great minds think alike guess what i was doing this afternoon I was about to put a post of my own

First attempt mines is from a hugh fearnley-whittingstall book, never tried it, seems to be a few recipes about online also

I just went out and from a few different trees got a fair amount of leafs

I kinda sterelised a morrisons beetroot jar, with near boiling water, and then stuffed unwashed leafs into the jar, and filled with gin

might be worth comparing notes? and also hear from some of the vetrans homebrewers.

ATB
Stoo

 

[Harvestman]

Ha Stoo, you're a day ahead of me. SWMBO is laid up after an operation on her foot, so I don't get to go out and play until tomorrow, when she's getting out of bed for the first time in 3 days.

So I'm getting my leaves tomorrow. How long do you leave yours to soak in the gin?

 

[stooboy]

this is the first time ive done it, the book i have says a week, another website says two weeks, and yet another site says 3 weeks, i guess ive got a minimum of a week to decided on the best recipe, but i always figure with these things the longer the better? ive never actually tried the drink, perhaps it will be ready for a winter bcuk meet, there is always willing guinea pigs round the fire for these type of concoctions.

 

[Baaf]

Hi harvest man,

I love read the recipe, i never heard about beech leaf liquer.
So a big sack of beech leaves, 2 liter of gin and ...

thx Baaf

 

[Toddy]

Years ago Match posted a set of recipes for liqueurs such as this
I finally found his thread

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7598&highlight=liqueur

My copper beech hedge is *just* opening up Might try this

cheers,
M

 

[Dave Budd]

lots of beech here. I missed my birch wine again this year, so I shall try and catch the beech leaves thanks for the reminder

 

[Harvestman]

Do make sure that the leaves are completely submerged in your alcohol of choice, or they turn brown. I forgot this point this year, and may lose a batch or so.

Stoo, once you have added the sugar and brandy, and let it cool, it is ready to drink. No need to mature it until Christmas or whatever. Just make and drink.

 

[jimjolli]

I make this every year and love it! Usually use the recipe from Roger Phillips 'Wild Food', which is basically the same as the one in Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's 'Preserves Handbook'. I normally leave the leaves in for 2-3 weeks.
I made my latest batch yesterday and picked to many leaves. I hate waste, so anybody got any ideas what to do with the excess leaves? I thought maybe try making a beech leaf pesto, probably horrible, but could be interesting. Any other ideas.........?

 

[HeltorChasca]

I've made some too! I've used a derivative of Richard Mabey's recipe in Pamela Michael's book "Edible Wild Plants and Herbs. Basically Gin based with a white rum addition towards the end of the process so the ethereal green couilour is retained. After all - The colour green is our favourite.

In the New Year I had a "3 year old Noyau" (really) at a friends gathering. It was awesome.

How can I leaf (boom boom) it that long though? Strength and courage methinks!

Cheers.........hc

 

[HeltorChasca]

I... I hate waste, so anybody got any ideas what to do with the excess leaves? I thought maybe try making a beech leaf pesto, probably horrible, but could be interesting. Any other ideas.........?

Hi Jim,

I had too many leaves too. I used some right away as a tea. The rest I laid out on a tray and dried in a cool oven for a few hours. (house smelt great) Once crispy dry, I crushed them in my hands and stored them as loose leaf beech tea. May help increase tolerance and sympathy according to Bach's Flower Remedies.

What a nice bunch we are.......hc

 

[badgeringtim]

i had a cheeky slurp at mine which has only been soaking for around 4 days but didnt taste of anything other than cheap vodka (which is basically what it is since i didnt have gin) isnt it suposed to be a bit citrus'y?
Im not too impressed yet but will wait and see..?
The beech tea sunds good if it improves tolerance And sympathy you say might go at some of that!
I know the leaves can be used in a salad and i did eat a couple, they were quite good and not tough at all, i can see tham going with a rocket salad shredded maybe?

 

[Iona]

I've had me first go a few days ago, leaves completely submerged, but the top cm has gone brown... is this something to do with the fact that I've only half filled the MASSIVE jar? and as long as everything's submerged will it still be ok? Reaaaaally looking forward to finding out if us of the female persuasion are capable of enjoying it!

 

[leaf man]

I have some of the recipes mentioned here, just been waiting to get the booze to do it. I think the time has come! I love makin home styled moonshine!

 

[Harvestman]

Just an update. I got mine out of the jars, and made it up. Finished with far more than I intended (Oh, what a shame! ), and yes, it is still the dubious yellow colour. Didn't add brandy this year, and the resultant batch seems a bit lighter in taste, but delicious all the same. I think I like it more than any I've done so far. It is cleaner, and less syrupy.

Good job really, cos I've got loads of it. Suppose I'll just have to drink it now....

 

[HeltorChasca]

I also strained off the leaves and gin (Lidl's finest) this weekendand I made up a sugary syrup to go with a qurter jack of white rum. Total of 2 litres Noyau added to the booze cupboard. The white rum has made it taste pretty good and the syrup makes it a little more viscose. The colour is suspiciously like a certain uric acid bi-product from a Weston donkey. I was hoping for more of a green colour. Next year I'll make the syrup from soft brown sugar to give it more "mouth" and I guess it doesn't really matter now if I use brandy or rum as it doesn't seem to make much difference to the colour. Cheaper the better I think and I'll leave the rest to the leaves. All the best....hc

 

[badgeringtim]

Im still not overly impresed with mine - what should it taste of? my leaves were in for around 3 weeks and i have added 'some' sugar, still tastes like vodka though - anyone care to describe how it should taste? (it is vuagely remenisant of a milder fernet Stock if anyone knows that) maybe i need more sugar...?
The elderslowe wine is bubling away now though and that i do know is goood!

 

[Harvestman]

Badgeringtim. I'm not sure how to describe the flavour. Eat a few beech leaves, if you can still find some non-leathery ones. That's the flavour you are supposed to get, but very sweet and alcoholic too. I do think it is a bit of an acquired taste though.

I'm off for another glass of mine...

 

[HeltorChasca]

In my mouth, the young leaves taste a little of apple skin, and to a lesser degree, there is a faint taste of this once the leaves have sat in the gin for 3 weeks. The shiver inducing harshness of the gin is also reduced. Above all, what is important to me is the fact that there is something really good about ingesting the ethereal and possible medical qualities of one of our greatest trees. For me it enhances my intimacy with the trees. I feel much the same eating foraged plants, fungi and animals....hc

 

[stooboy]

In the New Year I had a "3 year old Noyau" (really) at a friends gathering. It was awesome.

How can I leaf (boom boom) it that long though? Strength and courage methinks!

Cheers.........hc

Looks like ive inadvertently made a 3 year one, i did say up above the longer the better, im just glad i remmbered what it was when it came out the cupboard! do you think its still safe to drink after all that time ?