Zubrowka or Bison Grass Vodka

[Odin]

Zubrowka is a special kind of vodka from Poland.

It is made from rye vodka and ... bison grass.

The grass is called "bison grass", because it is the favourite food of European Bisons AKA Wisents. In English the normal name is Sweet Grass (sometimes: Holy Grass). The grass contains lots of Coumarin. And that gives off a pleasant taste.

Put like three stalks of sweet grass in a 750 mls bottle of 43% rye vodka, and you will see the colour change. Light yellow. And the Coumarin taste comes over really nice.

The rye vodka can be made using my Rye Bread Whiskey. Or you can make an UJ, where you replace the corn by flaked rye. Okay,m don't forget to fractionate and/or filter it. Other wise it will become a ... Bison Whiskey? And that's not what we are after.

Dilute the rye to 43%. And put 750 mls in a 750 mls bottle. Now add the three stalks. Set it away at room temperature for about a month.

After that month, start sipping it. Not all sweet grass has the same amount of Coumarin. Some need a bit longer, others don't. But when you feel you like the taste the grass is giving off to the rye vodka, put that bottle in the fridge and start drinking it.

The stalks make a nice twist. They can stay in the bottle.

Good luck!

BTW: sweet grass should be available in America too, since it is used by native Americans for basket making as well as religious rituals.

Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierochloe_odorata" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

And here's a picture of Zubrowka

Odin.

[Just a Biker]

Sounds interesting, I am going to give this a try Odin. One of the advantages living here in “Native America”

[Odin]

Great! Let us know how it goes!

Odin.

Edit: with a picture of where this grass grows ...

[Odin]

Love this picture!

[Shae]

My wife just bought a bottle of this from our local liquor store. She loves it but is disappointed with the brand she got. The brand in your first post is the one she likes best.

[Odin]

Easy source of Bison Grass?

Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Grass-Braid ... 0101THCA/2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Alternative approach to making this recipe? Via essences.

How to make one (thank you, Moonshiner X for this addition)?

Put 500 mls of 60% neutral/vodka in an Erlemeyer. Add 10 grams of Bison Grass (cut in pieces of like half an inch). Stir. Now warm-up a pan with around 60 degrees C water and put the Erlemeyer in. Warm Erlemeyer contents up to 50 degrees C (no more!). Now put a plug in the Erlemeyer to effectively close it and take the Erlemeyer out of the pan. Let it cool at room temp, swirling the contents every 5 to 10 minutes. It will become green. Then it will become dark green. Now filter out the Bison Grass and use the essence as follows:

- 20 mls of Bison Grass to 1 liter of 40% vodka.
- Let it age for at least a week.
- Bison Grass vodka ready to go!

Odin.

[Odin]

Today, my bison grass arived! Smells wonderful!

I cut 10 grams into small, half inch long bits and added it to 500 mls of 96% rye based vodka.

Turns green in a matter of minutes. Here's a picture:

Regards, Odin.

[Odin]

Okay. Just got some advice from the Polish. And they should know. In order to get over a less harsh, more mellow taste, they advice:

- Take 170 mls of 50% neutral/vodka;
- Add 10 grams of bison grass that's cut into pieces;
- Add a lid and let it macerate for 10 days at room temperature;
- Filter;
- You now have a bit over 150 mls of essence;
- Add 15 mls per liter of 40% (rye) vodka;
- Add 5 grams of sugar;
- Give the bottle a week rest.

Odin.

[Odin]

And here a great Zubrowka cocktail ... Polish Kiss!

http://wp.me/p3pXcR-ek" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Happy new year to all of you!

Regards, Odin.

[kaziel]

Alternative name of that drink is Tatanka (in movie Dances with Wolves Native Americans called Bisons Tatanka). I've got Bison grass growing in my garden gives great smell from spring to late summer. You can also make ice cubes from apple juice and cover them with Żubrówka.
There is also similar vodka to Żubrówka named Turówka it has a bit different taste and it's made from rye vodka with addition of Melilotus officinalis. Old time shiners in Poland also use (dry) Trifolium pratense L for maceration you can also smell Coumarin in there but not so much taste is much milder.

[Odin]

Thanks for sharing, Kaziel! I think those frozen apple ice cubes are a great idea. Yes, I make my Zubrowka with rye vodka! At 40%.

Regards, Odin.

[kaziel]

Any thoughts about adding Bison grass to apple ferment I've got plenty? Or maybe if you are making apple brandy like in http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 11&t=33428 you could add few blades on the end of your condenser so the distillate will flow on them to collection bottle?

[DuckofDeath]

Isn't bison grass booze banned in the usa?

[Odin]

It was. Due to high coumarin content levels.

Not anymore, If I understood it correctly.

Regards, Odin.

[DuckofDeath]

I heard it is really good. I tried to find some years ago and was told it was banned. Good to hear I can finally try some

[Odin]

You should! It is really nice!

Odin.

[sweeps]

I could be wrong, but I think bison grass (like tonka beans) is still illegal in the USA as a food additive, but there are coumarin-free versions of zubrowka available.

[kaziel]

http://www.zuvodka.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow?

[Odin]

Shiiiiit!!! So I decided to make 20 liters of Zubrowka. You know, enough to last me through this year and with the possibility to give away a few bottles. Not even halfway through the process of filling up JD bottles with Zubrowka, the big glas container slips out of my hand, falls on the ground, and breaks. 12 or 13 liters of Zubrowka on the floor. Hope it does not stain.

That's what I call alcohol abuse!

Odin.

[sweeps]

I think I would run out of curse words if something like that happened to me - and I speak three languages!

My condolences.

[Odin]

Hell, Sweeps, I speak 6 and I ran out of curse words!

And just to think this was all part of greater scheme. To distill the stuff I like in larger quantities, so to have some stack.

Yeah, right. On the floor!

Odin.

[Oatmeal]

A Scottish flatmate introduced this to me some time back.

Stuck a finger sized chunk of braided sweet grass in a bottle of (kale) "vodka" and promptly forgot about it.

Just remembered and mixed it with some apple juice.

So. Good.

Absolutely worth it!

[Metalking00]

I was given a bottle of this by a polish customer once. Definitely my favorite vodka. Ill have to order some of that grass

[Stilljoy McFlavour]

Zubrowka is also sold as Grasovka in some parts of the EU. It is the exact same flavored Polish wodka though.
As a know-nothing noob I added some of the grass to my first ever distillate (Birdwatchers). I found the result amazing and delicious and still have some in my archive. It definitely inspired me to keep on stillin' !

Some say the color and flavor is not from the grass, but from the bison that relieved itself on it.

[tombombadil]

I wonder if the flavor of tanka beans is similar? They also have s bunch of coumarin. After my next Vodka run I'll have to do a side by side...