Ingredients
-
5 liters of 96% alcohol
-
3,6 kg of sugar
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3,6 kg of water
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1,2 kg of laurel berries
Directions
Sooner or later comes the time in the life of every bartender to prepare the laurel berry liqueur, also called Laurino by all the Italian grandmothers. The secret is to find the right degree of sweetness, the sugar must be dosed carefully, otherwise, you risk submerging the aromatic and delicate flavor of the laurel berries in a sea of glucose. And it wouldn’t be nice.
The best time to harvest laurel berries is after mid-August, however, if you are out of season you can find them easily in any herbalist’s shop. With 300 grams of laurel berries, you will be able to make a liter of liquor, so you don’t need too many.
Ok, let’s start, this is our secret recipe to make the laurel berries liqueur, make good use of it. And if you want to add some elderflower, anise or china, only when the liqueur is ready and bottled. The infusion phase of the laurel is long and it is better not to put too many flavorings together.
Ingredients and doses for making laurel berry liqueur
- 5 liters of 96% alcohol
- 3.6 kg of sugar
- 3.6 liters of water
- 1.2 kg of laurel berries
How to make laurel liqueur
Take a jar, an amphora or a glass bottle and put the laurel berries in it, add the sugar, then the alcohol and seal tightly. Let it sit for 15 days, remembering to shake the jar twice a day.
After 15 days, open the container, taste. It should have a good balance, but if you want it sweeter, eventually correct it with a maximum of 400 ml of sugar syrup.
At this point the Laurino liqueur is almost ready: stir well, then filter with a fine sieve or even a rag to remove any impurities. Bottle the laurel liqueur and let it rest in the dark and cool, maximum 18 degrees, for a month.
And now the Laurino liqueur is ready. Handle with caution: it is explosive material!
Many will wonder, but why bother so much? Why don’t we just use grappa, gin or vodka as a liquid for a simple infusion, without having to add sugar? The reason is very simple: the alcohol at 96 degrees is more difficult to work and we must pay attention to the proportions, but it is fundamental to extract all the aromatic substances. In this way, we can make artisanal, handmade liqueur with amazing aromas, the right dose of sugar and no chemical aromas or cheap ingredients. Because you deserve the best!
