Our family has been making moonshine for several generations. It becomes ridiculous when the word “moonshine” is associated with muddy slurry, which is sold by enterprising grannies for 3 rubles to any blue marginals who did not have enough for vodka.
Moonshine is a homemade alcoholic drink! “Samo” – independent, “gon” – distillation of mash into alcohol. In my opinion, this is art. And then you can make real absinthe from it at home!
The story was shared by blog subscriber Denis.
Ingredients and equipment
To prepare 1 liter of absinthe we need:
- bitter wormwood – 25,5 g;
- fennel – 50 g;
- anise – 50 g;
- green melissa – 2 g;
- alcohol at least 80 degrees – 950 ml;
- water – 750 ml.
Important! Herbs, preferably, pre-dry.
From the equipment we need:
- distillation cube with a distillation column;
- 3 liter can;
- alcohol meter.
The cost of the product will depend on whether you have alcohol. You can buy it, or you can make it yourself. In any case, you can calculate the approximate cost of future absinthe:
- 1 liter of homemade distillate with a strength of at least 80 degrees – 300 rubles;
- fennel 50 g – 90 rubles;
- anise 50 g – 80 rubles;
- wormwood 25,5 g – 25 rubles;
- Melissa 2 g – 6 rubles.
Total, 501 rubles for 1 liter of absinthe. In retail stores, a half-liter bottle of absinthe costs from 1200 rubles, the difference is obvious!
The cooking process
First you need to prepare an infusion of herbs. To do this, pour 25 g of wormwood, 50 g of fennel and 50 g of anise into a 3-liter jar, pour alcohol (950 ml), mix, close and leave for 2 weeks at room temperature.
As a result, we get an infusion of rich emerald color. It must be distilled using a cube and a distillation unit in standard mode:
- Pour the tincture together with the sediment from the herbs into a distillation cube.
- Add 450 ml of water and start rectification.
- We collect “heads” 30-40 ml.
- Next, we collect the main body of raw alcohol, we get about 700 ml.
- “Tails” are also collected separately.
As a result, we got 700 ml of 67-71 degree absinthe. The color of the liquid is practically absent, there is only a shade that slightly gives off to “gold”, and the next step we will have is the coloring of absinthe.
- We divide the absinthe into 2 parts of 350 ml.
- In one of the parts we add 0,5 g of bitter wormwood and 2 g of lemon balm.
We leave to infuse for 2 days. We got a tincture of a rich green color. The colored part must be filtered and mixed with the second half of the absinthe.
How to dilute absinthe
The last step in the preparation of absinthe remains. We have 700 ml of a beautiful green tincture, but it is too early to use it.
We take 300 ml of water and boldly add it to our absinthe, after which we close it and put it in a dark, dry place to infuse for another 2-3 weeks. As a result, we get a tincture of 60-65 degrees of strength.
After the specified amount of time, we can start tasting absinthe.
How and with what to use
Absinthe can be consumed as an aperitif no more than 30 ml. You can have a snack with an apple or other juicy fruit. “Meadow” bouquet of tincture will cause profuse salivation and, accordingly, a good appetite!
The French also invented drinking absinthe with sugar. There are 2 recipes:
- “Cold”: 30 ml of absinthe is poured into a glass, a special spoon with holes is placed on top and a piece of refined sugar is placed in it. Sugar should be poured with cold water and wait until it dissolves in absinthe, then drink.
- “Hot”: a spoon with holes is placed over an empty glass, a piece of refined sugar is placed on top and 30 ml of absinthe is poured, passing the tincture through sugar. After the sugar is set on fire and wait until it has completely melted, after which the absinthe can be drunk.
Dare to try the hot method?