In terms of organoleptic properties, homemade vodka with tangerine flavor is similar to store-bought counterparts of such brands as Finlandia and Absolut – transparent, with light tangerine notes in aroma and taste, and it is also guaranteed not to contain chemical additives. True, for cooking, at least the simplest moonshine still is required to distill the infusion.
Any tangerines with no signs of spoilage and mold on the peel will do. The more flavorful, the better. As an alcohol base, you can take store-bought vodka of the middle price segment, sugar or fruit moonshine (distillate) of double distillation, or ethyl alcohol.
Recipe for tangerine vodka
Ingredients:
- vodka (moonshine, alcohol 40) – 1 l;
- tangerines – 10 pieces.
Technology of preparation
1. Wash tangerines in hot water, then wipe dry with paper towels to get rid of the preservative that covers the fruits for long-term storage.
2. With a knife or vegetable peeler, remove the zest from tangerines – the yellow part of the peel without white pulp. If you use just peels without cleaning, tangerine vodka will be a little bitter. The peeled fruits can be used for other purposes.
3. Fold the zest into a container for infusion – a glass jar or bottle. Pour in the alcohol base. Close hermetically.
4. Infuse for 5 days in a dark place at room temperature, shake once a day.
5. Strain the infusion through cheesecloth, squeeze the zest dry (very important).
In fact, we got a tangerine tincture on the zest, which can already be drunk, or additionally sweetened with sugar or sugar syrup. But in this recipe, we are interested in a clear drink with light tangerine notes, so distillation is required.
6. Dilute tangerine infusion with water up to 18-20% vol. (for every liter of vodka add 1,2 liters of water).
7. Distill the tincture on a classic moonshine still (distiller).
If possible, it is advisable to place the zest in a dry steamer or tie it on gauze in a distillation cube so that it does not come into contact with the liquid and the walls of the cube, but is only saturated with alcohol vapor. I don’t advise just leaving the zest in the liquid – it can burn, which will spoil the aroma and taste.
8. Collect the first 30-40 ml for each liter of added vodka separately, this fraction contains a lot of essential oils, which, although very aromatic, will make the drink cloudy when subsequently diluted with water. Select the product before the fall of the fortress in the jet below 20% vol.
9. Measure the strength of the resulting vodka with tangerine flavor. Dilute with water up to 40-45% vol. Pour into a glass container. Close hermetically. Leave in the refrigerator for 2-3 days to stabilize the taste. The shelf life is practically unlimited.
To get a clear liquor, it is enough to use not water, but sugar syrup for dilution.