Black elderberry tincture is remembered for its rich berry flavor with hints of almond and citrus. The technology of cooking at home has its own characteristics, since it is not pulp that is used, but pure juice.
You need ripe black elderberries. Unripe and red fruits are dangerous to health! Elderberry seeds contain hydrocyanic acid, so only juice is taken for tincture, which is pre-boiled with sugar (high temperature and sugar neutralize harmful substances in the bones).
As an alcohol base, vodka, ethyl alcohol diluted to 40-45%, well-purified moonshine (preferably double distillation) or gin are suitable. In the latter case, juniper notes will appear.
Ingredients:
- elderberry juice – 1 liter;
- sugar – 250-500 grams;
- vodka (alcohol, moonshine, gin) – 1 liter;
- cloves – 3 buds (optional);
- cinnamon (in sticks) – 2-3 cm (optional);
- lemon zest – from half a lemon.
The amount of sugar depends on the desired sweetness. When boiling, you can add half, and then sweeten again by mixing elderberry syrup with alcohol before infusion. Cinnamon and cloves – for lovers of these seasonings. I advise you to definitely add only the zest – it enriches the berry aroma with citrus notes.
elderberry tincture recipe
1. Peel the berries from the stalks, wash, gently crush with your hands, without damaging the bones. Squeeze the juice through cheesecloth or in any other way. Filter to get rid of the seeds.
2. Pour pure elderberry juice into a cooking pot. Add sugar, spices and zest (pre-rinse in warm running water to remove preservative from the surface).
3. Stir, bring to a boil, boil for 25 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Then remove from the stove, cover with a lid and leave for 24 hours.
4. Strain the resulting syrup, mix with the alcohol base. Taste and sweeten with sugar if desired.
5. Seal tightly. Insist in a dark place at room temperature for 30 days. Do not shake.
6. Remove the finished tincture from the sediment, filter through cotton wool or a coffee filter for transparency. Pour into bottles for storage. Close.
Serve the drink chilled. It is recommended to drink more than 100-150 ml in one evening, since elderberry affects the cardiovascular system.
If stored in a refrigerator or basement, the shelf life of homemade elderberry tincture is up to 3 years. Fortress – 16-18% vol.
