Raspberry vodka recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Liqueurs | 149 comments
Home grown raspberries from our garden waiting to be made into delicious raspberry vodka
Note: Raspberry Vodka is probably the best and easiest of all homemade fruit liqueurs. It and raspberry gin are our all time favourite.
“One for me,” Gilbert popped a raspberry into his mouth, “and one for the bottle.” He pressed a juicy raspberry through the top of an empty vodka bottle.
“What on earth are you doing?”
Marjorie had sent me into the garden to join Gilbert. He was sitting on the terrace beside a large bowl of raspberries. Several bottles of vodka and a funnel beside him.
“Marjorie won’t let me into the kitchen, thinks that I’ll pour sugar into the cabbage.”
It took us just twenty minutes to make four bottles of raspberry vodka.
Always looking for new raspberry liqueur recipes, I asked Gilbert if it was a patent recipe. He nodded sagely and started to write the labels with a large, even hand.
“You better get the name right, before you note down the ingredients.”
Intrigued I got up and stood behind him, pen poised. The labels read, “Fiona’s patent Raspberry Vodka.”
“Is that me?”
He roared with laughter, “Of course it is, you goose.”
Tips and tricks for making the best raspberry vodka – printable recipe below:
- If you grow raspberries or have access to a “Pick your own”, you will make a liqueur that has a far fuller, fresher flavour than the supermarket raspberries that have been rattled around for miles (air and/or road). But even if you can’t find the freshest and best raspberries you will still make a fantastic liqueur (discard all bad ones). Our raspberry liqueurs (gin and vodka) are the two that people remember and natter about. And until a year ago, when our raspberry patch was finally established, we often bought the raspberries for this superb grog.
- Make notes on a label of your fruit/vodka/sugar ratio and stick it onto the bottle(s) so that you have a record When you make a particularly good batch you will need this info. The best production labels are made from decorator’s masking tape as these can be peeled off and passed from bottle to bottle. We also note our responses at the grog matures. It won’t be long before you will get a feel of what works well for your taste (and the notes will come into their own). In an ideal world it would be wise to make more than you need in the first year, so you can compare different vintages. This liqueur does improve over time. This can be difficult, even Gilbert has never managed to keep a vintage beyond three years.
- Keep your fruit vodka away from the light, unless the bottles are dark green or brown, as this will maintain the colour. If you are stuck with clear bottles, wrap them in brown paper to keep out the light or store them in a cool dark place that is dry and airy.
- Every couple of months take a tiny sip. At this time add sugar if it tastes too sharp. If it is too sweet it is difficult to go back.
- See how you can make your own labels
| Raspberry vodka recipe |
- 300g of raspberries
- 350g of white granulated sugar
- 1.5 litres (or more) of medium quality vodka (don’t be tempted to go for the cheapest or thr best)
- Sterilised 2 litre Le Parfait jar or 2-3 (70 cl) washed and sterilised vodka bottles
- Extra vodka bottles. We save a few empty bottles throughout the year as the raspberries and sugar fill about one third of each bottle
- Wash raspberries and discard any bruised/bad fruit. Place raspberries in either a large 2 litre Kilner/Le Parfait jar or divide the raspberries between 2 or 3 (70 cl) saved vodka bottles. If you have to squeeze fat raspberries through the neck it is fine.
- Using a funnel, add the sugar (divide the amounts if using several bottles) and top up with vodka to 2-3cm from the top.
- Shake every day until the sugar is dissolved and then store in a cool, dark place until you can resist it no longer (leave for at least three months, we usually let it mature for a year).
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hi if you can resist the vodka do you leave the raspberries for 12 months? thanks
I strained the raspberries out at the beginning of December, so 3-4 months. Used them in cold puddings……trifles etc!
Lois.
I tried this recipe last year and its lush.
Going to make this as soon as I can get hold of the Vodka! Loads of Raspberries, still to be used up in the Freezer.
hi how long did you leave the raspberries in?
Adding black raspberries to red produces a lovely color and taste.
I have just frozen a huge crop of Autumn Bliss raspberries. Can I use them to make the vodka or is it best to use fresh?
Sue, fresh or frozen work the same. Probably the frozen fruit works quicker as the skins will be softened or broken. Don’t forget to add the juice!
I make a double quantity with Autumn Bliss rasps which we start drinking at Christmas. I put less sugar (600g to 800g of fruit) to 2ltr vodka. I stick a vanilla pod in the jar at the same time which imparts a lovely subtle flavour. Lush!
Steve
Cornwall
I’ve been doing this for years with blackberries, either vodka or gin depending what’s on offer at the supermarket. You can certainly use the fruit afterwards for crumble (maybe with apple), fool (remove pips if penickerty) or with ice-cream.
Having moved to Scotland, am currently trying it with raspberries from my allotment & whisky from local distillery. This was inspired by recipe for Cranachan (look it up!)…which is obviously ‘designed’ to use local ingredients. Will try this later.
Enjoy!
Done raspberry whisky last year, divine. Also raspberry vodka.
Currently doing plum gin and raspberry vodka.
I have just filtered and bottled 4 jars of raspberry vodka 3 jars were great 1 had turned to vinegar, how? All made at the same time with the same ingredients and kept in the same cupboard, shaken at the same time. Same, same, same. Never happened before.
We keep the raspberries and put them on ice cream.
Can I use the vinegar, I haven’t tasted it, very strong smell.
If I use blackberries/whiskey, raspberries/vodka or whatever fruit/alchol mixture, then I do not discard the fruit, it makes a lovely crumble.
Wow, what a good idea…my friends will “love” that.
We pick the last raspberries of the season when it is going to frost, so it is probably October. My big pickle jar sits like an ornament on my countertop until the day before Thanksgiving Day, when it is opened and shared. (The berries fall to the bottom if you don’t shake it.) In answer to your question, yes, remove the berries. Some people eat them. We find them rather strong. At our house they are generally thrown away. Good luck!
I am making blackberry gin and raspberry vodka. Do I sieve out the fruit after three months.. thanks Rebecca