beech mc liqueur

[tommy the cat]

Well got some beech leaves infusing in gin at the mo anyone tried it/want the pic's?
Not very exciting but meant to do some last year and never got round to it.
Probably a waste of good gin!
Dave

 

[chickenofthewoods]

I've made it over the last few years and liked it although it's fair to say that it's probably not what you'd expect at first. Even tried an experiment with batches of young copper beech leaves vs the usual green leaves which resulted in two very distinct and very different flavours.

 

[tommy the cat]

Interesting. Not expecting much anyway but I do like the taste of beech leaves.
We'll see!
Dave

 

[Andyre]

Have done sloe gin, is this the same method.
Whats the best leaves,age etc

 

[Stoker37]

By no means a waste of good gin. Beech leaf gin has been one of my favorite tipples for a long time. Best consumed sat round a fire. I've found that its best if you leave it for a year, if you can wait that long. It looses a little of the bitterness that way.

I'm told you can do something similar with oak leaves but have yet to try that.

Good Health!
Matt

 

[tommy the cat]

Adyre, will post up a bit of info when got some time later.
Basically young leaves fill 3/4 sealable earthenware jar cover with gin leave for two weeks.........I'll be back... Dave

 

[tommy the cat]

Steralise everything with baby steralising tablets (Wilkinsons 89p)

Note my cup was not being used for this process but it was minging!
I took the leaves from several trees just in case as I didn't want to cause damage.

Wash young leaves and pack into an earthenware container (I didn't have) and push leaves down and cover with gin.

Leave for two weeks then strain....well thats where I am at so nowt for another week!

Told you it wasn't very exciting
Dave

 

[Andyre]

Cheers Dave, Pretty easy then, will be giving this one a go.
Andy

 

[delbach]

Has anybody tried this with vodka. I have made some sloe vodka and that was ok.

 

[tommy the cat]

No but I believe vodka doesn't work as well with infusions?
I did wonder as vodka is dead cheap.
Dave
The girlfriend said yesterday whats that green stuff in the spare bedroom!!! He he

 

[delbach]

Cheers Dave ,i'll give it a go with some gin,i'm sure i'll be able to force it down

 

[tommy the cat]

Just dont drink it till you have added the sugar in two weeks!!!!
Thought it might be something different to go with the sloe gin later in the year.
Dave

 

[Elendeor]

Hi Dave, Ive just got some beech leaves infusing. How much sugar am I meant to add? cheers.

 

[tommy the cat]

Hi ya mate, just add the clean leaves to a clean(steralised ideally) container ,push down into the container not too much then cover with gin just over the leaves seal the container and leave (no pun) for two weeks.Strain off the green liquid in two weeks time then add sugar...will
get to that in just over a week.....cant remember the quantity but its quite alot of sugar. Will post it up when I find the recipe (before next week which is when I need it!)
Dave

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Personally, I leave putting the sugar till last and then just add enough to taste. That way you shouldn't end up with something too over sweet or liquer like and syrupy (I learned that trick the hard way with Sloe gin when I followed HFW's recipe).

 

[tommy the cat]

Yep will try that but the Food for free recipe calls it a liquior so I guess its meant to be sweet. Not too sweet for me though!
Dave

 

[Halfdevil333]

Yep will try that but the Food for free recipe calls it a liquior so I guess its meant to be sweet. Not too sweet for me though!
Dave

I made this a few years back turned out like Glayva.A very distinct caramel taste to it.It was a good hit at my house parties

Scott

 

[Freds Dad]

I've made Plum liquer (or however you spell it) and blackberry and elderberry. i just stuff it all in a clean demijohn, add sugar, add vodka, seal with a cork and leave in the broom cupboard. Every now and then i give it a shake. Good stuff. it puts pubic hair on garden gnomes.