Irene’s Strawberry vodka liqueur recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Liqueurs | 28 comments
Gin label
I spent a couple of hours analysing the jungle of srawberry liqueur recipes on the internet but always Irene’s recipe sounded best. I did find a very useful thread on the chowhound forum for making a wide range of fruit liqueurs
Making fruit liqueurs can be as much fun as the tippling. Salting away the jar to mature is a good idea. Most of the other recipes that I found are ˜mature’ within three weeks!
Generally, I’ve found that fruit liqueurs are best left for at least six for the fruit to really do it’s stuff (with the exception of blackberry gin and vodka where the fruit should be strained after three months and the grog left to mature for as long as you have the patience). If you leave soft fruit in the alcohol for longer than six months you run the risk of spoiling your liqueur, which can take on a woody taste.
Without the fruit, all grog benefits from a long maturation process And the boozy fruit can be used to perk up fruit salads, crumbs and tarts. Be wary if children are sharing your meals as these fruits are strongly alcoholic.
Try and find green bottles to mature your liqueur. This will keep the bright colour of the grog and this is why red wine is stored in brown or green bottles. If only clear glass bottles are available cover them with a tea cosy of brown paper to keep out the light. Always sore your liqueurs somewhere cool.
| Irene’s Strawberry liqueur recipe |
- Enough strawberries to fill a preserving jar/wide necked bottle
- Caster sugar
- Vodka or gin
- Hull enough perfect strawberries to fill a preserving jar or wide necked bottle.
- Prick each berry a few times with a cocktail stick and pop into jar or bottle. Add caster sugar to come about a third of the way up the jar and top up with vodka or gin.
- Seal and keep in a cool dark spot for 3 to 6 months. Strain thru muslin and re-bottle. ENJOY!!
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Made Cherry Vodka – really nice, currently making Strawberry Vodka now! Got some 1 litre coloured bottles from Aldi with reclosable tops (you know, the wire thing that springs over holding the top on) Now I’m looking for some smaller bottles to make gifts for Christmas for people. This is so easy to do and yet such excellent results.
Made the strawberry liqueur last year and cassis. About to make some more. Has anyone tried similar with cherries?
Hi there
just been mooching for damson recipe ideas (going to try your jelly) and found this bit…. thought some of you may like my daughter Judi’s version of strawberry vodka – she adds vanilla to it (real stuff, not out of a bottle!) & one version has had blueberries thrown in it too – the results were fabulous! She also chops the strawbs roughly in the food processor for speed. Her quantities are generally a bit of guesswork but follows the general principal of half sugar to fruit in weight & top up with cheap vodka then tweaks the sweetness later.
Unfortunatley she’s gone back to London to complete the last year of her degree & taken it all with her…. hope her engineering mates appreciate it!
Hi Aunty Ruth
Thank you so much for the recipe for your daughter’s strawberry liquer – can’t wait to try the new twists!
Brilliant site! Full of great information. I found wild damsons in my garden last year, and made damson gin. I added mulled spices to one bottle and it was to die for. My husband isn’t keen on mulled spices – so much the better and more for me! I also added vanilla to it.
Reading about your strawberry vodka has made me keen to try it. I’m off out to buy strawberries tomorrow! Thanks for sharing your recipes x
Can adding fruit to a spirit increase the alcohol? or will it always remain at the % of the original spirit? Thanks
Hi Rachel
The sugar in the fruit turns to alcohol. So the answer is yes!
I made the strawberry vodka (liquer) and just thought i would try it…like you do…..hehe..it tastes wonderfull and its not been a week yet, so im going to pick some more strawberries and get some more vodka this week. Like all recipes i think you can adapt them as i did, i only had one jar but plenty of bottles, so i cut the strawberries up to fit threw the bottle neck, and because of this there was enough room for mucj sugar as the strawberries had wet the bottle neck with strawberry juice, which i know you can add more later on so wasnt worried, so to andy just play it by ear, and like it says somewhere on this site use a lable so when you think wow thats great you can reproduce it again with the next batch 🙂
Hi Andy
It depends on the size of your jar. If you follow Irene’s instructions you can’t go wrong.
Does anyone know the measurements for this one – is it more like the raspberry gin or sloe gin proportions? (which are quite different!)
Don’t really want to guess as it’s a long time to wait to find out it’s wrong!
Can you make blackberry brandy using the same method only fill the jar with brandy?
Hi Fiona and all. Can’t believe you’ve featured my Strawberry Liqueur recipe. Famous at last. I love it because it is soooo easy and filling the jar right up with fruit (cutting large strawbs in half) makes it a very fruity flavour. Try using blackberries instead of strawberries, exactly the same way. Tastes very moreish!! Last year I used raspberries, also very passable and makes brill pressies for friends.
P.S. This website is excellent with all the tips and links I’m hooked. Off to get ready for dinner now…..well it is Feb 14th!!X