Sage liqueur for June 13 2009 party

And why not. The amaro won't be nearly ready, and this might be a little bitter - a balance to the anisette.

• 14 sage leaves
• 2 cloves
• 1.5 cups dry white wine
• 1.25 cups vodka
• skin of one lemon, no pith

Combine the above and let set for 2 weeks.
Strain and filter.
Combine with

• 1 cup simple syrup

Let age for 4 to 8 more weeks weeks.
That makes it a little tight. The minimum aging, 4 weeks, puts us at May 29. Party day gives us 6 weeks. (Maybe it's tme to start a quicker aging nut liqueur.)

I'm using a 12.5% Italian pinot grigio, and a 40% (Tito's) vodka. And I think that gives a final product of about 18.3% alcohol.

Anisette for the June 13, 2009 party

Just started a 750 ml btch of anisette for the party. Same herb mix as the first attempt, but I'm moving away from K1 - or about 2 cup K1 and 1 cup Tito's Hand Made.

What other after-wine booze shall we make?

Date set for 2009 wine & puttanesca party

and, image maybe set, too. June 13 - the second Saturday in June. The back side text lists all the wine-makers, the tradition, the times &c.

S&L 2008 wine finally oaked

This morning we added 6 Barrel Mill spirals to the tank - 4 medium toast American oak, 2 medium toad French oak.

Will leave them in until we bottle, and I don't think we have any plans to bottle until the tank might be needed again for the the next vintage. Will draw this June's party wine directly from the tank.

Anisette, take 2

Yesterday filtered the alcohol (maybe a half dozen passes through cheese cloth) and added the simple syrup. It all has a yellow tinge from the herbs - makes me think that commercial anisette must be made from oils and extracts rather than from infusions.

Smells delicious. Looks completely integrated this morning. Will taste in the next day or so. Recipe did not call for further aging. Just about filled a 375 ml bottle.

Anisette, take 1

Well, I've been jonesing for an anisette, and we didn't have any in the house, so:

Per Dona & Mel Meilach in Homemade Liquors, page 83:

• 2/3 tbsp anise seed
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp coriander seed
• 1.5 cup vodka

Mortar the seeds, and put into the vodka for 1 week, shaking daily, for one week. Then strain and add

• 1/2 cup simple syrup

No other aging needed. I figure the final produce will be about 30% alcohol - I used 40% alcohol Kettle One for the booze.