Content
- 1 Is it possible to infuse cherries with moonshine?
- 2 How to make cherry tincture with moonshine
- 3 Recipes for cherry tincture with moonshine
- 3.1 Moonshine with cherries with pits
- 3.2 Moonshine tincture with dried cherries
- 3.3 How to infuse moonshine with frozen cherries
- 3.4 How to infuse moonshine with pitted cherries
- 3.5 Quick cherry tincture with moonshine
- 3.6 Sweet tincture of cherries with pits on moonshine
- 3.7 How to make moonshine tincture using cherry leaves and berries
- 3.8 Cherry moonshine tincture: recipe with spices
- 3.9 Recipe for moonshine tincture with cherry chips and berries
- 3.10 How to infuse moonshine with cherries, lemon and vanilla
- 4 How to make moonshine from cherries
- 5 Rules of use
- 6 Conclusion
Homemade alcoholic drinks prepared with your own hands are a real source of pride for skilled distillers. Cherry moonshine tincture has a bright aroma and rich ruby color. If you strictly follow the recipe, you can get a product of excellent quality that is not inferior to store-bought analogues.
Is it possible to infuse cherries with moonshine?
The preparation of a variety of alcoholic drinks with the addition of fruits and berries is gaining more and more popularity every year. With moderate consumption, confidence in the quality of your product allows you not to worry about possible health problems. Cherry berries give the tincture not only a berry taste, but also enrich it with useful substances.
There are a huge number of recipes for making a drink from moonshine and cherry berries. You can use both ripe fruits with seeds and peeled pulp. In addition to fresh berries, you can use dried or frozen ones.
Cherry tincture helps improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system
Some doctors do not advise preparing cherry tincture from moonshine with berries with seeds. They contain a small amount of hydrocyanic acid, which can harm the human body. However, the concentration of such a substance is very small, in addition, it can be easily neutralized by adding a small amount of sugar to moonshine.
How to make cherry tincture with moonshine
The most important ingredient of any alcoholic drink is a quality base. It is best to infuse cherries with home-made moonshine. For this purpose, double distillate is used, purified from harmful impurities. The strength of the starting material may vary depending on the desired final strength of the drink. It is best to use a 40-50 degree distillate.
The next irreplaceable component of moonshine tincture is cherry. It is best to use sweet varieties of berries.These include Volochaevka, Zhivitsa, Tamaris, Shokoladnitsa and Shpanka.
Before storing in jars, the berries are thoroughly washed. Depending on the recipe you use, you can throw them whole into the tincture, or you can remove the seeds and grind the pulp through a meat grinder. If frozen cherries are used, remove the ice and allow excess moisture to drain. Dried berries are simply poured with moonshine.
Infusion occurs in a dark place, devoid of direct sources of sunlight. After the berries have completely given off the taste of moonshine, the drink is filtered through several layers of gauze. The finished product is bottled and stored.
How long to infuse cherries in moonshine?
The length of time the berries remain in alcohol can vary significantly depending on the recipe used. It should be remembered that the process of transferring taste and aroma does not happen instantly. Even in the case of using practically ground berries, the duration of infusion cannot be less than 1 week.
Depending on the recipe, infusion lasts from 1 to 6 weeks
If fresh or frozen berries are used, the average preparation time for the drink is 2-3 weeks. Dried fruits are infused for about a month. This time is enough for the moonshine to completely absorb the flavoring and aromatic substances. In addition, experienced distillers advise keeping the finished product for an additional couple of weeks for a more balanced taste.
Recipes for cherry tincture with moonshine
Every experienced distiller has his own favorite recipes and secrets for preparing alcoholic beverages.The adjusted ratio of ingredients allows you to get a balanced tincture that will surprise even seasoned alcoholic gourmets.
Among the additional components, sugar is most often used. It allows you to make the finished product more balanced. Also, cherry leaves or wood chips are often added to moonshine for a more noble taste. The finished tincture is perfectly complemented with lemon, cinnamon and vanilla.
Moonshine with cherries with pits
The most common recipe is to use whole berries in the tincture. In order for their flavor to reveal itself as brightly as possible, experts advise slightly drying the cherries. To do this, the fruits are placed in the oven for 3-4 hours at temperatures up to 80 degrees.
To make cherry tincture from moonshine, you will need:
- 1.5 kg of berries;
- 700 ml home distillate;
- 400-500 g granulated sugar.
The prepared cherries are placed in a 3 liter jar, mixed with sugar and filled with distillate. All ingredients are carefully mixed. The jar is hermetically sealed with a nylon lid and put in a dark place for 15 days.
The tincture is filtered through gauze folded in several layers. The remaining berries are carefully squeezed out of the juice. When using a 45 degree distillate, the strength of the finished tincture will be 20-25 degrees.
Moonshine tincture with dried cherries
The process of infusing dried fruits is usually longer compared to traditional recipes. The berries need additional time to impart flavor and aromatic compounds. Due to the fact that dried cherries contain virtually no water, the finished moonshine tincture is stronger.
To prepare it you will need:
- 1 kg of dried berries;
- 1 liter of moonshine;
- 500 g sugar.
Dried cherries are the key to a stronger finished product
The cherries are mixed with granulated sugar and distillate in a large glass jar. It is sealed and put in a dark room for 4-5 weeks. Every few days, shake the contents of the container. The finished tincture of moonshine with dried cherries is filtered and bottled.
How to infuse moonshine with frozen cherries
Before preparing the drink, the berries need to be defrosted. They are transferred to a deep container and left overnight in the refrigerator. After this, the resulting water is drained.
To prepare this drink you need:
- 1 kg frozen cherries;
- 1 l 45% distillate;
- 500 g sugar.
All ingredients are mixed in a large container, covered with gauze and put in a closet for about 2-3 weeks. It is very important to periodically shake the berries and moonshine for more uniform diffusion. The finished product is filtered and bottled. It is advisable to let it rest for about 10-15 days before serving.
How to infuse moonshine with pitted cherries
The use of fruit pulp allows you to obtain a brighter taste of the product. However, its degree will be significantly lower due to the high water content.
To prepare this tincture you will need:
- 1 liter of home distillate;
- 1 kg cherries;
- 400 g granulated sugar.
The first step is to remove the seeds. To do this, you can use either a regular pin or a special device. The resulting mass is placed in a 3 liter jar. Granulated sugar is also added there and alcohol is poured in.
A large amount of water in the fruits reduces the final strength of the tincture
Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a dark closet for a couple of weeks. Once every few days its contents are shaken. After this, the tincture is filtered from the fruits and poured into prepared bottles.
Quick cherry tincture with moonshine
If you want to get the finished product as quickly as possible, you can use a proven method. To do this, rinse the cherries thoroughly, remove the pits and grind them in a meat grinder. The resulting mass is mixed with homemade 60% distillate and sugar in a ratio of 2:2:1.
The average infusion time for alcohol is 5-7 days. After this comes the most difficult stage of the recipe - filtration. The gauze is folded into 2 layers and placed in a colander. The operation is carried out several times until the liquid is completely cleared of berry pulp. The finished product can be served.
Sweet tincture of cherries with pits on moonshine
Fans of dessert alcoholic beverages can use an alternative recipe. It involves the separate addition of sugar syrup after infusion.
For this method of making tincture you need:
- 1 l 50% distillate;
- 1 kg pitted cherries;
- 350 ml water;
- 700 g sugar.
The berries are poured with alcohol and stored in a dark room for 2-3 weeks. After this, the distillate is filtered. Now you need to add syrup to it. To prepare it, sugar is mixed with water in a small saucepan and placed on the stove. Once the mixture has boiled for 2-3 minutes, remove it from the heat and cool to room temperature.The finished syrup is mixed with the tincture and allowed to rest for about 10 days before serving.
How to make moonshine tincture using cherry leaves and berries
Adding cherry leaves to the recipe makes the taste of the finished product more noble. The taste will have woody notes and a slight astringent taste.
To prepare the tincture you will need:
- 2 liters of homemade moonshine;
- 20-30 cherry leaves;
- 1.5 kg of berries;
- 1.5 kg granulated sugar;
- 1.5 l. clean water.
The leaves are crushed with a knife, placed in a large saucepan along with the berries and filled with water. After the liquid boils, they are boiled for about 20 minutes. After this, the water is filtered to remove leaves and fruits, and then returned to the pan. Pour sugar into it and boil it for about 3-4 minutes.
Cherry leaves make the finished drink taste more tart
The finished syrup is mixed with moonshine in a large container. It is tightly sealed and stored in a kitchen cabinet or cellar for a couple of weeks. During this time, the drink will be completely ready for further consumption.
Cherry moonshine tincture: recipe with spices
The use of spices allows you to add new aromatic notes to the finished product. Cinnamon, cloves and vanilla go best with cherries. It is important to maintain strict proportions, otherwise the aroma of spices will completely overwhelm the fruity smell of the tincture.
To prepare you will need:
- 1 home distillate;
- 1 kg cherries;
- 250 g sugar;
- 5 buds of cloves;
- 1 cinnamon stick.
The fruits are pitted and divided in half. They are mixed with sugar and moonshine in a 3 liter jar. Cinnamon and cloves are also added there. Cover the container with a lid and leave to infuse for 2-3 weeks.After this, the finished product is filtered and served or stored further.
Recipe for moonshine tincture with cherry chips and berries
Wood from fruit trees can significantly improve the taste of alcohol. Cherry chips, when infused for a long time, produce cognac notes. As a result, you can get an exquisite product with a noble aroma and taste from a classic drink. For a recipe for 1 liter of moonshine, use 1 kg of seedless fruits, 400 g of sugar and 50 g of cherry chips.
All ingredients are placed in one container, mixed and removed for infusion. On average, it lasts about a month - during this time the wood chips will fully convey their taste. The finished product is filtered and poured into bottles prepared in advance.
How to infuse moonshine with cherries, lemon and vanilla
To make the aroma of the finished tincture brighter and more multifaceted, you can add a small amount of citrus fruits. The best addition to cherries is lemon and zest. Since it is quite sour, additional sugar and vanillin are added to alcohol.
The full list of ingredients is as follows:
- 1 liter of 50% double distilled moonshine;
- 1 kg cherries;
- 700 g sugar;
- 1 large lemon;
- ½ tsp. vanillin.
When adding lemon, you need to increase the amount of sugar used.
The berries are peeled, the lemon is cut into slices and the seeds are removed. All ingredients are placed in a jar and filled with moonshine. Infusion takes about 3 weeks in a dark place. After this, the drink must be carefully filtered before serving.
How to make moonshine from cherries
To make the finished tincture even tastier, you can prepare a special alcoholic base for it. With large cherry harvests, it can be used as a base for mash, which is subsequently distilled into distillate. In Europe, this berry brandy even has a special name - Kirschwasser.
To prepare cherry moonshine, use the most ripe fruits. They are carefully sorted, removing unripe and spoiled berries. In order not to remove wild yeast, the berries are not washed, but only lightly wiped with a dry cloth. After this, they are kneaded with a wooden masher.
It is best to use the sweetest varieties of cherries. It is desirable that the sugar content of the fruit is 10-12%. This ratio will be enough to avoid the use of additional sugar, which during fermentation can add unwanted compounds to the mash.
How to make mash from cherries
Fruit and berry raw materials make it possible to obtain a distillate of excellent quality. For such mash it is necessary to use plastic or glass fermentation containers. They are filled to no more than 2/3 of the full volume, otherwise during intense fermentation the liquid may come out.
The crushed cherries along with the pits are placed in a fermentation tank. After this, it is filled with water in a ratio of 1:4. Depending on the recipe, sugar or specialized yeast is added. The tank is hermetically sealed and a water seal is installed on its lid.
For mash it is necessary to use the sweetest varieties of cherries
During the fermentation process, the cherry pulp will rise, preventing the resulting gas from escaping. To avoid problems, open the container every 2-3 days and mix its contents using a wooden spatula. Depending on the yeast used, fermentation can take from 1 to 3 weeks.
By leaps and bounds
Additional addition of yeast can significantly speed up the fermentation process. Active elements process the carbohydrates contained in the mash as quickly as possible. Depending on the type of yeast used and the amount of sugar, the alcohol content of the cherry mash reaches 16-18 degrees.
Not all yeasts are suitable for cherry moonshine. It is best to use specialized wine varieties for berry mash. Alcohol and baker's yeast in the process of their vital activity can completely destroy all the aromatics of the future moonshine.
Without yeast
As with making wine, cherries can ferment on their own. This is ensured by the content of wild yeast on the skin of the fruit. They have a longer fermentation period, but allow you to get almost perfect moonshine.
The crushed berries are poured with water, the lid of the fermentation tank is not closed - at first an influx of oxygen is necessary. As soon as the wild yeast has activated and foam has appeared on the surface of the water, you can close the tank and install a water seal.
Moonshine from cherry jam with pits
Making mash is a fairly simple task. All you need is sugar, yeast and water. Cherry jam in this case acts as an excellent sweet base.It contains a large amount of sugar, which when processed turns into alcohol. In the case of jam, you can use regular alcoholic yeast.
Place 5 liters of cherry jam in a container, add 20 liters of water and 100 g of dry yeast. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed, the fermentation tank is closed and a water seal is installed. Fermentation lasts from 10 to 14 days - by this time the mash will lighten, and the pulp and seeds will sink to the bottom.
Distillation and purification
Before you start making moonshine from mash, it must be filtered from the pulp. If you neglect this, the cherries may stick to the walls of the apparatus and burn. Fill ¾ of the volume of the distillation cube with mash and begin the first distillation.
Before distillation, the mash is filtered to remove pulp and seeds.
The first distillation of moonshine is necessary to obtain raw alcohol. Selection occurs before the alcohol content in the stream drops to 18 degrees. After this, all the selected alcohol is mixed with water to a strength of 20-25 degrees - this is necessary for safety during distillation.
The second distillation of cherry moonshine involves the selection of heads and tails. The heads make up about 10% absolute alcohol of the total volume of the raw material. After their selection, the body of the moonshine is collected directly. As soon as the strength in the stream drops below 40 degrees, distillation is stopped. The finished product is mixed with clean water to the desired strength.
Rules of use
Cherry tincture is a fairly strong alcoholic drink, the use of which must be approached as responsibly as possible. In no case is it recommended to drink this product for people prone to allergic reactions. Alcohol is also contraindicated for children, nursing and pregnant women.
Sweet cherry liqueur is perfect as an aperitif before meals. 40-50 ml of drink perfectly stimulates appetite. Drinking moonshine infused with cherries in small quantities normalizes blood pressure and improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Conclusion
Cherry vodka liqueur will surprise even experienced connoisseurs of homemade alcohol with its bright taste. A large number of preparation methods allows everyone to choose the ideal method for making the drink. When used correctly, this tincture will bring tangible benefits to the body.
