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).
Leave a reply
Hello Ms. Nevile,
I would love to try your recipe at home. I have a question, after you strain the raspberry did you throw them away or make something out from that strained berries?
If I got this one correctly I would really love to include your Raspberry Vodka on my menu on http://www.foodcateringchicago.com/catering-company/
Strawberry gin is also great.
I use a Polish Fruit syrup and sugar with my gin or vodka. It speeds up the fermentation to 6-8 weeks instead of a year. And you do not have to shake it as often. I mad the mistake once of using a red decanter. I could tell what I was pouring so I I left at the end of the liquid with only fruit that I HAD TO REALLY SHAKE TO GET OUT OF THE BOTTLE
Dear Andy,
The used raspberries; may I suggest you buy a large tub of soft vanilla ice-cream and, after allowing it to soften even more, swirl the delightfully alchoholly fruit into the ice-cream and replace into the freezer until you can bear it no longer….
Can anyone tell me what they do with the raspberrys
After they have strained them off
Kate – I left mine in for around six months, decanted them just as the weather started to warm up, so now should be ideal.
I made a bottle of raspberry gin and one of vodka the week before my son was born six months ago. I was just wondering when I should decant the raspberries from the alcohol I have been a little preoccupied until now to even think never mind drink!!!
I made 4 litres of Raspberry vodka last year (2011), is was all gone be the end of April’12 so have just finsihed making another 8 litres. I tend to double up on the raspberries and just chuck them in frozen. This time I have made a batch from Russian Standard vodka and another 2 litre batch from Tesco everyday vodka will compare around Christmas time and again at Easter.
I keep them in my porch (north facing) for 4 weeks and then move them to the shed/barn and turn them whenever I’m out there.
We just drink it with a few ice cubes, it goes down a treat, too easily and you can end up finishing a bottle between two easily in an evening if the sun is out!
i have no idea whether you will read this since its 4 years on… however i’d love to hear your verdict on R.standard v. Tesco’s value! 🙂
I’m sure I saw a receipe for ammeretto using vodka, aprocot kernels and fruit – anyone seen it please?
Also I would love to make cherry brandy/vodka; do I leave the stones in and what ratio fruit to sugar would work?
Please can you tell me whether I can use frozen fruit as I do not have time to make straight away.
Will be having a go at this, for family Xmas Hampers.