White sambuca

Sweetened spirits with various flavors

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Wobblyboot
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White sambuca

Post by Wobblyboot »

Been playing with this for a while, never had anyone not like it apart from licorice haters :crazy:
I’m not saying it’s exact copy but it tastes good. Not something I drink often but great as a shot :thumbup:

50g star anise (Illicium verum)
50g anise (pimpinella anisum)
20g fennel seeds
100g elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
2L of neutral

I grind it all together, add to the neutral in a 5L demijohn and let it sit for few days. Then fill the demijohn with water an put in my small pot still. Throw away the 1st 50ml and collect 1.5L then I collect in small jars. Once the output goes cloudy I throw it and the previous 2 jars away. Sambuca is meant to be minimum 350g of sugar per liter. I have made it like that but I prefer half the sugar, it comes down to personal preference :thumbup: I aim for 42% abv after adding the sugar syrup
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: White sambuca

Post by jonnys_spirit »

When I did a Sambuca I used a grappa base and in addition to these botanicals I also used some coffee beans, some oak, some brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks... Predominantly anise seed and star anise with the others done to taste. I let it age and macerate @ about 125 proof for quite some time before proofing down for a spirit run. Need to do some more of that with different recipes too. The sugar doesn't come over in the distillate so it's not a sweet spirit and I enjoy a diverse array of sambuca. I use a 10 liter Alembic for these sort of maceration small run batches. Macerate about a gallon or so depending on the recipe and proof down to under 80pf to fit about 2-2.5 gallons into the 10L pot still, run it low and slow, collect in fractions, and blend to taste. My base spirit for these types of things has already had cuts so I'm not too worried about heads and tails per se but early heads / late tails still get's chucked or maybe recycled into the next batch maybe along with some of the backset since it's highly flavored.

Cheers!
-jonny
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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CuWhistle
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Re: White sambuca

Post by CuWhistle »

A while ago I researched and made ouzo that turned out great. Louched properly at below 40% and tasted brilliant. It was bit more work than you describe but we'll worth the effort. There is a thread on it here somewhere and I've bookmarked it as I intend on making another batch soon. It ends up being triple distilled and the process is very specific about ABV and volumes in and out to get the correct strength of finished product, which is clear in the bottle but turns white on contact with ice.

Straight off the pipe is quite dry which is traditional, but I preferred it with a bit of inverted sugar solution. It wouldn't have passed as ouzo in Europe as I didn't use enough grape alcohol. From memory I used Birdwatchers neutral instead with just a small amount of cheap fruity wine. Very nice though. My Greek mate and his father didn't complain.

Now, if you can tell me how Sambuca Opal Nera and Frangelico are made I'll be well pleased.
JustEmanon
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Re: White sambuca

Post by JustEmanon »

I gave this recipe a shot and it came out way better than I had expected. I macerated everything in 86% birdwatchers for 5 days and then ran in a copper packed column without reflux. I wasn't sure how to proof correctly so I blended the output, calculated to 45%, and used the recommended water to make a simple syrup aiming at 350mg per liter.

I've had a few people taste so far and they all love it!

Thanks @Wobblyboot!
The Baker
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Re: White sambuca

Post by The Baker »

Can I make a sort of Frangelico by flavouring spirit with Nutella?

Geoff
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cob
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Re: White sambuca

Post by cob »

The Baker wrote: Fri Dec 27, 2019 8:08 pm Can I make a sort of Frangelico by flavouring spirit with Nutella?

Geoff
Frangelico is 40% sugar by volume at 40 proof good luck.
be water my friend
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: White sambuca

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Frangelico might be easier to make by experimenting with the many Hazelnut syrups / flavorings available. Snoop around in the coffee section of your local supermarket and behind the counters of coffee shops and you should find a few. If you look harder there are many out there.
The Baker
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Re: White sambuca

Post by The Baker »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 6:51 pm Frangelico might be easier to make by experimenting with the many Hazelnut syrups / flavorings available. Snoop around in the coffee section of your local supermarket and behind the counters of coffee shops and you should find a few. If you look harder there are many out there.
Thanks, Salty.

I'll look out for the syrups.

Geoff
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Wobblyboot
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Re: White sambuca

Post by Wobblyboot »

JustEmanon wrote: Fri Dec 27, 2019 7:59 pm I gave this recipe a shot and it came out way better than I had expected. I macerated everything in 86% birdwatchers for 5 days and then ran in a copper packed column without reflux. I wasn't sure how to proof correctly so I blended the output, calculated to 45%, and used the recommended water to make a simple syrup aiming at 350mg per liter.

I've had a few people taste so far and they all love it!

Thanks @Wobblyboot!
Ur welcome :thumbup:
Good to see 1 who didn’t go off topic :thumbdown:
BraveKnight
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Re: White sambuca

Post by BraveKnight »

Wobblyboot wrote: Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:50 am Been playing with this for a while, never had anyone not like it apart from licorice haters :crazy:
I’m not saying it’s exact copy but it tastes good. Not something I drink often but great as a shot :thumbup:

50g star anise (Illicium verum)
50g anise (pimpinella anisum)
20g fennel seeds
100g elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
2L of neutral

I grind it all together, add to the neutral in a 5L demijohn and let it sit for few days. Then fill the demijohn with water an put in my small pot still. Throw away the 1st 50ml and collect 1.5L then I collect in small jars. Once the output goes cloudy I throw it and the previous 2 jars away. Sambuca is meant to be minimum 350g of sugar per liter. I have made it like that but I prefer half the sugar, it comes down to personal preference :thumbup: I aim for 42% abv after adding the sugar syrup
When the above is complete is the spirits black? If so could you not just strain or filter to keep the dark and make this into a black Sambucca?
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anzaak
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Re: White sambuca

Post by anzaak »

Where would one get elderberries?
Wobblyboot
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Re: White sambuca

Post by Wobblyboot »

BraveKnight wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:26 am
Wobblyboot wrote: Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:50 am Been playing with this for a while, never had anyone not like it apart from licorice haters :crazy:
I’m not saying it’s exact copy but it tastes good. Not something I drink often but great as a shot :thumbup:

50g star anise (Illicium verum)
50g anise (pimpinella anisum)
20g fennel seeds
100g elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
2L of neutral

I grind it all together, add to the neutral in a 5L demijohn and let it sit for few days. Then fill the demijohn with water an put in my small pot still. Throw away the 1st 50ml and collect 1.5L then I collect in small jars. Once the output goes cloudy I throw it and the previous 2 jars away. Sambuca is meant to be minimum 350g of sugar per liter. I have made it like that but I prefer half the sugar, it comes down to personal preference :thumbup: I aim for 42% abv after adding the sugar syrup
When the above is complete is the spirits black? If so could you not just strain or filter to keep the dark and make this into a black Sambucca?
No it’s clear like all distilled spirits are, am working on a black sambuca an will post that when I think it’s good enough.
Wobblyboot
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Re: White sambuca

Post by Wobblyboot »

anzaak wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:10 pm Where would one get elderberries?
I bought mine dried from online supplier in oz, it’s a northern hemisphere type of “fruit”. Pm me an can help u out with small amount :D
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