Well, it is time of the year, when kumquats are ready... Last year, the farm where we pick fruits only had Meiwas out of all citrus they grow. So, we got them... a lot. To save leftovers from rotting, I decided to make a liqueur out of them and the product came out pretty well (to my taste and taste of friends, who tried it). It has a fine fragrance that reminds some flowers in addition to citrus taste. So, I thought that some of forum members may find it interesting.

A liqueur usually constricts of four main ingredients: fruit juice, alcohol, sugar, and water. Therefore, all we need to do is to extract juice and mix it with other ingredients in the proportions we like. This is how I make my kumquat liqueur…

1. Wash fresh kumquats and dry them on a piece of paper towel for 20-30 minutes.
2. Cut fruits in halves and place them in a jar.
3. Poor vodka in a jar, such that kumquats are covered by ½ - 1 inch of vodka. Regarding the vodka selection, there is no need to go fancy. However, something slightly better than “Popov” or “McCormick“ is generally recommended since this stuff evidently contains ingredients that are impossible to get rid of and that may cause a headache… Do not let bad ingredients spoil your fun!
4. Seal the jar and keep it in dark at a room temperature for a month.
5. After one month, drain vodka in a bottle, seal the bottle.
6. Spread sugar on top of kumquats. Make sure that fruits are well covered. Seal the jar.
7. In a few days after all sugar will be dissolved by juice, drain the syrup, add it to vodka.
8. Poor water in a jar of kumquats. The amount of water depends on the desired alcohol content in your liqueur. Covering most of the fruits is a good idea. Seal the jar and wait for another month (or at least a half).
9. Drain water and mix it with what you have in a bottle…Wait a few weeks.
10. Enjoy responsibly.


You may notice that it is not really a step-by-step "cook-book recipe" but rather a "general direction" to go. Please, experiment with proportions, add other ingredients if you like... You can stir or shake fruits in the jar to expedite the juice extraction.

Let me know whether you like it.

Sounds like something I'd like to try and I think I'll have enough Meiwa to try.

I think I'd like to try a second bottle with a substitue of Everclear! How do you think that would work.

This year I made a broccoli salad that uses raisins. I thought I'd spice things up a bit and I covered a cup of raisins with some Smirinoff Vodka and a few onces of Triple Sec. I let the raisins soak for 24 hours and then drained them. The resulting leftovers (the liquid part) I drank/sipped. It reminded me of brandy and was quite tasty!

Darkman,

you will never know before you try.

Your brandy recipe sounds very interesting!! Keep experimenting!!!!

GT,

Was your finished product clear?

I'd like to make a high octane Triple Sec to use with Margaritas.

GT-

Sounds like a great recipe.
Have you tried another other citrus varieties?

Kyle

Darkman,

yes, the product is clear (I usually wait until all particles settle down and drain the liquid with plastic tubing) and is amber in color.

Kyle,

thank you very much! I tried making lemon wine with... ok results (as well as wine out of many different fruits and berries) and I made liqueurs out of blueberry, cranberry, currant (when I could get it) but never tried to make another citrus liqueur. I think lemon should be good.