Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

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Odin
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

I have some new walnuts in! So I will be making me some more Walnut Brandy. Starting this afternoon. Should be finished in about a month from now ...

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Steep-n-Rocky »

Nice! Here in the Upper Midwest of the good old USA, our black walnuts are behind schedule. Walnuts are still too small but in 2 weeks should be ready. Based on family feedback, I'm doubling production this year (i.e. 2 gallons). :D
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

Hi Steep,

I am just making like 5 liters at 50%. But I put many of the fresh walnuts in the freezer. Let's find out if they stay fresh that way. I think I may give it another go in about two months time.

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by NZChris »

I did half of mine into pickled walnuts & half into nocino. Both very nice and I will be doing the same again this summer.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Paularis »

Hi,

I did start a dio palinka with Odin's receipt, it sit in the jar from 22/6 smell realy good, can't wait to try it. :mrgreen:
At this moment it have already the black color.

Thanks for the receipt Odin!

Greetings

Paul
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by MyUncleMo »

Another shout out to skiprock distillers in Snohomish WA:
Their liqueurs are delicious.
This liqueur is often a traditional Italian after-dinner beverage. The walnuts are sourced from the Snohomish area as well as from Skip Rock’s family acreage. It has a very complex flavor, as once it hits the palette, nut, spice, citrus, sweet and bitter all can be tasted rolling through. This liqueur is a tasty treat and goes well over ice cream, on its own or as an addition to a classic whiskey cocktail.
Smells like candied Walnuts soaked in brandy. Delicious. We have only tasted it and have not purchased a bottle yet.
Cheers!
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

I took some Dio Palinka with me to Hungary and it was to the liking of my guests. I asked anybody how high they estimated abv was. Most answers I got were like 20%. It actually is 50%. Amazing what the walnuts do to the taste. Almost as if you drink a heavy port ...

I will ship a bottle to Windy City soon, so he can try it and maybe give an objective opinion. I think this stuff rocks and I will be making more in just a few weeks time.

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Steep-n-Rocky »

Dio Palinka is the most popular thing I have ever made. This yearI experimented with my Dio Palinka. I used a neutral (not quite) based on maple sap which is actually sweet itself. It is at 55% ABV so I will bring it down slightly in due time. The rest of the recipe was the same except that the walnuts were less common so I had to scrounge and wound up with a variety of sizes. All were still suitable however. Just finished canning pickled walnuts today. I will post on how those turn out in due time as well.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

This sounds interesting. I've read the entire post, where did we finally end up with on the toxicity of the American Black Walnut? I have a couple nice bit trees, but would have never thought of using the husk for anything based on the strong smell. Not sure how I'd get up in the tree to pick them early, either...
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by yakattack »

Mc, little tip, they can be shaken off quite easily. Small grappling hook (or similar and some rope. ) as for toxicity , sharp knife will remove husks, meat still had a ton of the flavour with little to none of the toxins. Just my thoughts anyways. Def plan on doing this soon.

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

yakattack wrote:Mc, little tip, they can be shaken off quite easily. Small grappling hook (or similar and some rope. ) as for toxicity , sharp knife will remove husks, meat still had a ton of the flavour with little to none of the toxins. Just my thoughts anyways. Def plan on doing this soon.

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Steep-n-Rocky »

I use black walnut (Juglans nigra) and have not had any problems. This stuff is precious and more of an after dinner sip or by the campfire sip vs. whiskey, etc. I cannot say that it is not toxic however I can say I have never observed any side effects attributable to walnuts (and not alcohol).
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

Steep,

No need to dilute further. 55% is pretty okay. Just make sure to tell those that you serve it to, because - if I learned one thing from this recipe - it is that it fools many. Most think it is like 30 to 35%. Even for my 65% version, they judge it like that.

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by SassyFrass »

Odin and Steep,
The wife has already said that this is one recipe we will be trying this year. So I reckon we'll be doing a batch with regular ol' black walnuts. We have a tree in the yard, just gotta wait until the fruit is ready.
We'll be doing it using 60-65% corn likker, instead of a neutral.
Should be interesting.

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

No worries! The walnut will completely overpower the corn taste.

Regards, Odin.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Ran across a fella tonight a home distiller at heart!
Great recipes, serving them at his restaurant.
Nocino has me wanting to try this for sure now, delicious!
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

It is delicious, M!

Go do it!

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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Steep-n-Rocky »

Black walnut and corn whiskey could be very interesting! Speaking of walnuts, for those concerned about juglone, I have seen recipes for pickled green walnuts and walnut syrup (think maple syrup) which both use black walnuts.

Unless we get a late frost, I think this is going to be a good year for walnut production in the Upper Midwest (USA). :D
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by JellybeanCorncob »

Hey Odin: This is my first real post since I joined this forum and Introduced myself. I've made your Rye Bread Whiskey, (3 generations), THANK YOU. :D Wonderful flavor. And have gen.2,3,4 of UJSSM stripped and will do a slow spirit run this weekend. Steep-n-Rockey is using his corn whiskey for this recipe so I will try it
Too. My brother has a Black walnut and a English walnut tree in his yard. The fruit is green and cuts through easily with a knife. No formation of of hard seed shell. My question is which walnut to use?
Thanks for any and all replies.

P.S. I made your easy gin and my gin friends are impressed. Me too.

Cheers: JC
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

Nice to hear about your success, Jelly! Keep up the good work. Normal Juglans is fine for this recipes.

Regards, Odin.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by JellybeanCorncob »

Thanks Odin and all that contribute to this site. Juglans it is!
I think I'll put this in a cool dark space in my bike shop and see how it tastes round Christmas.
If it's ok I'll let you all know how it turns out then.
Cheers
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by JellybeanCorncob »

Ok I made a batch of Dio Palinka. I followed Odens instructions (I'm good with instructions).
It's macerating now in a cool dark place. The instructions say after 2 weeks filter and enjoy.
Yet later in the post some are waiting 3, 6 months, or a year before its flavors balance out. Do I filter after
2 weeks then wait for it to mature? Or do I let the entire thing macerate then filter after say 6 months?
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

Filter it after two weeks. You will see this drink really grows on you, if you give it a few months after that!

Regards, Odin.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by JellybeanCorncob »

Thanks Odin:
I won't be doing any more brewing till fall. Schools out and too many kids hang out at the house for my covert operations to stay covert ;).
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Happy belated St. John's Day!
Got a really long stick and beat a bunch of walnuts out of the tree.
They cut easily, and were very juicy inside. I've always liked the smell of black walnut husks.
They start to discolor immediately after cutting, in fact, the husks start to blacken as soon as they are off the tree.
Mixed up enough for about a gallon, maybe a little more, that way I can see how this stuff ages.
Thanks for the recipe, Odin, will keep you all posted on how it turns out.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Odin »

... looking good, Mich!

Regards, Odin.
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Post by JellybeanCorncob »

Just filtered and bottled my Dio Palinka. This stuff is very viscous, like a light syrup, and has a deep forest green color, it initially looks black. I gave it a taste. Nice warm lingering finish. But the initial taste had a sweet start turning to a nuttyish medicine flavor. I hope time setteling will bring the tastes together. I'll put it away till Christmas and hopefully Santa will come and grant me my wish!
Dio Palinka, fit for a Hungarian king!
Ha!
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by Paularis »

I prepared my dio-palinka today.
Yesterday i find nice big green walnuts fresh from the tree.
Thanks for the nice receipt Odin.

Greetings Paul
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by der wo »

There is another traditional recipe with green nuts from Germany (or Austria, I don't know), but with destillation after maceration.
I just wrote something in an old thread:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 0#p7329170

"Without distillation it taste medicinal and bitter, after distillation it has a sweet mouthfeel and a hard to describe abstract taste (not at all like ripe walnuts). One of my favourites. And cheap and easy.
In my expirience the strenght of the alcohol and the duration of the lay in is not so critical here if you distill it. Not as with berries, where a very strong alcohol can cause a dark and bitter taste also in the distillate. But of course the proportions between nuts and alcohol are important. For example, if you put only 150g per liter 40% and distill it, you get something like decent flavoured wodka.
My favourite: Per liter 15% in the pot I take 270g fresh or frosted quartered nuts in the headspace and distill with my LM-still. For potstill-users I recommend 30% in the pot and per liter 550g nuts."

"Another name is "Johannistrunk", the drink of Johannes/John, because the nuts are traditionally harvested at the day of John the baptist, the 24th of June."

Try it, you will like it.
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Re: Walnut Brandy / Dio Palinka

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

der wo wrote:Try it, you will like it.
Hmm, your timing is perfect, I was just thinking about straining my brandy off the walnuts today. I made quite a bit of it, I might have enough to bottle some as the macerated brandy, and also try some re-distilled. Thanks for the post.
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