Many lovers of homemade alcohol consider melon to be an unsuitable raw material from which specific drinks are obtained. In fact, a properly made homemade melon liqueur retains its aroma and taste as well as other fruits. The main secret of the recipe is a special sugar syrup and aging.
To prepare the liquor, you can use any kind of melon, as long as the fruits are ripe and not rotten (cut out the spoiled parts). A good result is also obtained from dried melon (100-150 grams of well-dried pulp per 1 liter of alcohol 40% and sugar to taste).
The preferred alcohol base is high-quality vodka or ethyl alcohol diluted with water up to 40-45%. Unscented moonshine or cheap cognac is also suitable (light tannic notes will appear in the liqueur).
The amount of sugar depends on individual preferences and the initial sugar content of melons, the average sweetness is obtained by adding 200-250 grams.
Ingredients:
- ripe melon – 1 kg;
- vodka (alcohol 40-45%, moonshine) – 0,5 liters;
- sugar – 150-400 grams.
Melon liqueur recipe
1. Wash the melon, cut it into two parts, remove the core and seeds. Remove peel.
2. Cut the peeled pulp into pieces of about 2 × 2 cm, then put in a jar for infusion.
3. Pour in the alcohol base (should cover a layer of pulp by at least 2-3 cm), if necessary, add more alcohol than indicated in the recipe.
4. Close the jar tightly with a lid. For the first 5 days, insist in a warm, bright place, for example, on a windowsill. Then transfer for 10 days in a dark room at room temperature. Shake once a day.
5. Filter the finished melon infusion through gauze, squeeze the pulp slightly and put it back into the jar. The liquid part is hermetically sealed and put in a refrigerator or cellar.
6. Add sugar to the pulp, close the jar, shake several times. Put for 5 days in a dark warm place.
7. After the sugar is completely dissolved, filter the melon syrup through cheesecloth. Mix with the infusion obtained in the 5th step. Add more pure sugar if desired.
8. Close the container and leave in the refrigerator or cellar for 2-3 months to ripen.
Attention! Immediately after preparation, the drink is obtained with a pungent odor and a specific taste, not very reminiscent of a melon. After a few months of maturation, this problem will resolve itself.
9. After aging, drain the finished melon liqueur from the sediment and filter through cotton wool to remove turbidity (optional). Shelf life – up to 2 years. Fortress – 33-36%.
