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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Phew!Thanks for relieving my mind , not having seen any more posts from Clare I was beginning to worry.
Bottling my Raspberry Vodka today , Yum!
Hi Jan
Blackberry vodka needs to be infused for a maximum of three months otherwise it starts to taste very woody. We have a recipe for blackberry whisky here https://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=422. Otherwise use the fruit sugar ratio for raspberries.
Hi Tess
You need a massive amount of apricot kernels to create an effective poison. Most fruit kernels and pips, including apples, contain trace amounts of cyanide and can be ingested without dire results. Agatha Christie has a lot to answer for!
Hi Shria
What a shame about your vodka. I reckon that some of your raspberries must have been bad inside. I have no idea whether it’s safe to drink. I think that it might be worth venturing onto the wine making forums.
My home made raspberry vodka had mold on the top this year. I’ve never had that problem before. Should I throw it out??
Hi
I have been making raspberry vodka this time of year for several years. We pick them for the last time just before the frost (Michigan). It sits “beautifully” on my countertop in a huge jar unopened until Thanksgiving. That day we crack it open and share. What a wonderful tradition.
However, this year I had mold growing on the top. I can see it through the glass. HELP! What do I do?
I will be happily making raspberry Vodka and blackberry gin this year due to a complete lack of damsons, so thank you for those recipes.I am a little worried about your apricot kernals though, after all that’s where cyanide comes from, remember the Agatha Christie story?
Hi
I have just started off this wonderful sounding rasberry vodka and it looks really good already.
I was just wondering if I could use the same recipe with blackberrys with the sugar and vodka ratio being the same as I followed the link to the danish recipe but it doesn’t say anything about sugar and its blackcurrants used.
Fantastic site also with lots of useful stuff.
Hi Clare
Thank you so much for this recipe and your tips. Can’t wait to try this myself!
Love to hear the comparison of real Amaretto with the home made one, when the time comes.
I got it from an old Sainsbury’s cookbook called “Preserves and Pickles” or something similar.
Basically: Decide on the alcohol you’re going to use, add the crushed fruit stones and some sugar and combine in a large jar or bottle (I used a huge kilner jar that was my grandmothers) and shake well before leaving in a dark place for a few months.
I used apricot kernels (about 20, left over from a batch of jam), smashed with a hammer because I couldn’t crack them with a nutcracker. I removed the inner kernel from the broken shells and only used those. I used a bottle of cheap brandy, and about 4tbsp of sugar – a mix of white and brown as I thought the brown sugar flavour would be nice. I also threw in a vanilla pod for luck. After 4 months I needed to add a bit more sugar – the flavour was great, but a bit too strong on the alcohol burn.
When it’s done (I need to do this now, really) strain off the kernels. Mine has formed a very fine white sediment which I’m hoping I can remove by decanting it carefully but will filter through coffee paper if not.
The recipe suggests you use peach kernels or cherry stones, and I think if you used vodka with cherry stones you’d end up with a kirsch-substitute.
We’ve actually been given a bottle of Amaretto for Christmas, so I’m hoping to be able to mature the home-made for a bit longer, then do a taste test.
Hi Clare
Raspberry gin and vodka are both superb!
I’d love the recipe for home made ameretto. Thanks.
We’ve just opened our large kilner jar store of Raspberry vodka, and, curiously, I’ve realised that when I made it back in June it was from your recipe, and I subsequently “found” my way to your site again when looking for something to do with my quinces. Goes to prove what a great resource this is!
The raspberry vodka is excellent, of course, and having now read your comments, I am looking forwards to making raspberry gin next summer. I’ve also just sampled our home-made “amaretto” made from crushed apricot kernels left over from jam-making. It’s excellent too and I can supply the recipe if you want.