Gingerbread Schnapps

[rtalbigr]

My daughter, not one to procrastinate, asks me today for some gingerbread schnapps for Christmas. Of course she thinks I can just throw something together tonight and have it for her the next morning. So I tell her that the cherry cordial I gave here earlier this week was started in October. The lite finally came on.

Anyway, I would like to make some for next Christmas (if I make it now it should be decent aged one year) but can't find a recipe. I've searched this forum and did a Google search; nothing.

I've never done a true schnapps and I think it would be interesting.

Does any body have a recipe?

Thx

Big R

[Dnderhead]

how about this?
1 cup crystallized ginger
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups vodka

[Husker]

To get something by christmas, a recipe like Dundrs would be good. I would also add some glycerine, which will help to make it 'appear' to be better aged.

Put the stuff in, run it in a blender (stick blender), to get it mixed VERY well. Shake the first day, then let it sit in a cabinet. You only have a couple days to let it settle. I am pretty sure you will need to run it through some filters to try to get it 'finished'.

I would add the glycerine after it is done. Also, it would be best to start with a pretty neutral vodka, since you do not have time for any aging with the infusion.

If you do this, post how it turns out. If it seems ok, or still seems a little green, etc.

H.

[Dnderhead]

i can git a bunch of ginger recipes but they did not have molasses witch i believe "cookies" have.

[rtalbigr]

Thx much guys!

Don't know if I'll get this by Christmas, lot on the table (Got 10 gal in carboys clearing, 10 gal fermenting, 5 gal mashing, and `1/1/2 gal for a spirit run). Weather is improving and I have to go back to work (S***!!!!) And, oh ya, it's Christmas and I got to wrap those presents for the Grand Kids!

I'm definitely going to make some, it's just when. Can't say no to the daughter (who can ).

I'll let ya know how it turns out.

Big R

[rtalbigr]

Ok, rollin' this around in my brain with ya'lls suggestions and headed to the kitchen. Put together 1 cup packed light brown sugar (I'm out of mollasses), 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a quart jar and then filled with neutral spirits. Gonna let it sit till Thursday, shaking violently a couple times a day, filter, add ~5ml glycerine and give it to the daughter to add to her egg nog. Well see?!?

Idea for next year: Peeled and grated ginger root(I'm thinkin' about a cup to cup and half), couple of cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, 1 vinilla bean, dark molasses(maybe about a cup or so) in 50-60% neutral spirits (total volume 1 gal) . Let macerate until next December. Dilute to 40% and distill. Add inverted sugar to taste.

What do ya think?!?

Big R

[Dnderhead]

id suggest you put your spices in a "tea bag" they will be hard to filter out after if you dont.

[blind drunk]

Peeled and grated ginger root(I'm thinkin' about a cup to cup and half)

Another thing you can do is peel and grate the ginger like you said and then squeeze out the juice into a bowl or whatever. Then add to taste. I used to do that with a ginger syrup I made. Or use a juicer, if you have one.

[rtalbigr]

Really Interesting!!! "tea bag" idea is good!! Gotta let that roll around the noggin! What can sit in 50% for 10-11 months???

Don't hve a juicer but thinkin' infusion best.

Daughter thinks I'm NUTS!! OK, I am.

Big R

[Dnderhead]

it wont take long for ground spices to do their thing so just leave them in for a few days.
anything whole will take longer.

[rtalbigr]

Took a sniff and a taste today. Man!! That stuff will clear the nose right up! Tasted pretty good. May filter out the spices tomorrow, well see.

Big R

[rtalbigr]

Daughter finally came by and I had her smell and then gave her a little in a spoon. She said she liked it better than the Hiram-Walker stuff. A little more ginger, not syrupy, actually better flavor. Didn't add any glycerine, didn't seem to need it but did add 1 t pure vanilla extract (not imitation flavor) that kinda smoothed it out. Thanks for your suggestion Dnderhead. I'd used crystalized ginger but didn't have any or time to find some ginger root to make it. Gotta try your recipe though, sounds intriguing!

Big R

[GreenMTNfermenter]

I make a lot of beverages with ginger, and my first still run was a ginger-apple wine where the ginger came out even stronger than the apple. it was good! anyway, i digress...
if you have access to ginger root, one of the best ways to get the most juice out of it is to freeze the root whole. when it is completely frozen (and when you need it, of course,) bring it out, put it in a bowl, and let it defrost fully. then run the root through the grater attachment of a food processor. in the processor bowl, you'll get a lot more juice than if you were to grate it fresh. You can either throw all of the juice and grated root into your mash or strain and press it to get just juice....
-greenmtn

[rtalbigr]

Thx green mtn, interesting idea. Actually have a root layin' on the counter that I was gonna put on some alchol but I'll throw it in the freezer for a while.

Big R

[Morgana-rose]

Hi there so what recipe did you end up doing it? it sounds really nice ive never heard of this type of drink,
i love ginger so when i get better at using my still id like to try and make some, thank you

[rtalbigr]

Morgana-Rose: I did the recipe in the original post and it turned out pretty good. Using that recipe it only takes a few days macerating for the powdered spices to infuse. Got some ginger macerating in nuertal right now for further experimenting at a later date.

Big R

[Morgana-rose]

Oh yum i have got to put that in my alcohol recipe book, thanks for that

[ogrethetop]

how many ginger roots do u think it would take for 3 gallons of neutral ? i'm also trying to work out how much molasses to add? thank goodness for santa he has 3 month to get ready. i have whole nutmeg nuts will that affect the flavor compared to the ground up stuff?

[Dnderhead]

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/4 cups water
3 tablespoons chopped ginger root
3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon black cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup 100-proof vodka
1/2 cup brandy

[Dnderhead]

another one
Put into a half-gallon jar:
1/2 ounce ground ginger or 1 ounce fresh ginger root, well bruised
1/2 pound cut-up raisins
2 to 3 washed lemons, sliced
2 ounces macerated sweet almonds
1/2 ounce essence of bitter almonds
1 quart brandy, vodka, whisky or pure (190-proof), diluted alcohol
Finally, add sugar syrup or granulated sugar to taste.
Cover and set in a dark place, shaking often, for four weeks. Strain and filter, bottle

[rtalbigr]

I've had about 4 lb of sliced ginger root in a gal wide mouth jar with 40% neutral macerating since late January. In quart jars I also have vanilla bean, cinammon, 100% cacoa and crushed whole nutmeg in 50% since last December. Hadn't given it much thought until I saw the post today. I guess I need to get em all out and put them together so the flavors have some time to infuse. I'll add molasses or brown sugar later to get the final flavors.

I also do fruit liquers that I give out at Christmas. I just tell em it's all made from Vodka bought at the package store.

Big R

[rtalbigr]

I combined most of the ingredients yesterday. Drained the liquid off the ginger and added 1 pint of the cinammon, 1 pint nutmeg, about a quarter pint of the cacoa, and a pint of the vanilla. Ended up with 1gal liguid. Took a taste and it's got a lot of zing from all the ginger. Added 4 more vanilla beans. I'll let this infuse for a couple a months and then experiment with how much molasses I need to add to get the final product.

Big R

[ogrethetop]

no odd effects from the ginger soaking so long? mines been sitting for about a month. i only let the nutmeg and cinnamon stay in for a week. will it get more gingerly, as time goes on or has it has my roots given all there going to give at this point?

[rtalbigr]

Don't really know what ya mean by "odd effects." It was spicy which is what I was wantin. There was still plenty left in the ginger root and I almost did some crystalized ginger with it but just didn't have the time available.

In my limited experience, time is usually good, and more time is better.

I'm gonna let everything set as is for another month and then add some molasses. Figure three more months then will be left till Christmas so the stuff should be pretty good.

Big R

[ogrethetop]

was thinking along the lines of over oaking? maybe a barky flavor would come threw, but im glad there's not.

[rtalbigr]

I finally finished my gingerbread schnapps. I put 12 oz of molasses in a quart jar and then fill the rest with my infused spirits. It made a nice spicy liquer, not too sweet. My daughter gave her seal of approval and said it was much better than the store bought stuff. It will make a nice addition to some hot chocolate or coffee. I make stuff like this for gifts at Christmas. Ended up with seven quarts.

Big R