How to Make Homemade Liquors or homemade brandy. This homemade fruit brandy recipe is so easy & makes excellent gifts for the holidays or any occasion.
It’s now September, can you believe that? That means the holidays are literally around the corner. I can’t keep up.
However- I am doing little things like planning ahead on some things. I decided that I would start now & share with you all How to Make Homemade Liquors or sometimes called sipping brandy in a few of our favorite flavors. These make great gifts & I usually also use them in holiday recipes.
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You will love just how simple this is to do. But you have to start now so they are ready in time for the holidays.
It should be ready to strain & bottle just in time for the gift giving season. People are always so impressed when they find out its homemade liquor, which is why it makes a wonderful hostess gift for all those holiday parties or for handing out to the neighbors or co-workers.
How to Make Homemade Liquors
You can see I just used some painters tape on the top & wrote the date & a reminder of when the jar should be upright. This helps to remember if you have turned them each day or not- unless you forget for a couple of days 🙂
Keep in cool, dark place & just turn, turn, turn. You are just a couple months away from your own homemade fruit liquors.
I put these together the night before I took the pictures. As you can see the sugar had almost completely dissolved & the liquid had started turning color already. I’m really going to love watching this process over the next couple of months. I have between now & then to find some really pretty bottles for the finished product & I’m so excited.
Here are some commonly asked questions
Where can I find those bottles?
I completely understand your frustration in trying to find these bottles. I think I had picked these up at a craft store or something many years ago & can’t find the exact ones now.
However, here are some links to some similar ones & some other really cool ones that I have picked up since then when I make this for gifts.
They are all still cute, interesting & unique, making them so great for gifts. 17 Oz Glass Bottle Set with Swing Top Stoppers – Glass Beer Bottles with Swing Top Cap – Swing Top Square Glass Bottles – 16 oz Kombucha/Beer Glass Bottles Clear Leak Proof.
HOW DO YOU MAKE Homemade Liquors?
- Sterilize your jars & allow to cool.
- Fill with your fruit to the neck of the jar.
- Add sugar.
- Pour in your vodka- to the neck of the jar.
- Put on the lid making sure your seal is tight.
- Add a strip of tape & write the date on it.
- Store on the counter – does not have to be a particularly sunny or dark place.
- Flip every day for 3 months – once the fruit shrinks & is floating in the liquid it’s okay to just give it a good shake every day.
- When the 3 months is up- strain out the fruit pieces through a colander.
- To make the brandy more clear- strain again through a coffee filter.
- Transfer to airtight decorative bottles if giving as a gift.
How to Make Homemade Sipping Brandy
What is the best way to store homemade liquors?
Once you have transferred the final liquor into the bottles continue to store in a cool, dark place like a cabinet or pantry. This will help prolong the life of this recipe.
To make this recipe you will need…
- 2 pint jar- per flavor
- fruit of choice or enough to fill the jar
- *note- if making apricot brandy you can add the apricots whole- do not pit or skin
- granulated sugar
- Vodka least expensive- plastic bottle to fill
Products I love when making Homemade Liquors…
This Homemade Liquors recipe is so simple and delicious – and you probably already have many of these items on hand like I do! OR If you’ve never made liquors at home recipe before, you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love the how great these are for gift-giving season. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this delicious recipe.
- 17 Oz Glass Bottle Set with Swing Top Stoppers
- Glass Beer Bottles with Swing Top Cap
- Swing Top Square Glass Bottles
- 16 oz Kombucha/Beer Glass Bottles Clear Leak Proof
- granulated sugar
- jars
- measuring cups
- wet ingredient measuring cup
- measuring spoons
If you love this Homemade Liquors recipe, you’re going to love these other quick & easy liquor recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
easy homemade liquor
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How to Make Homemade Liquors
Ingredients
- One - 2 pt jar per flavor
- 2-1/2 cups fruit of choice or enough to fill the jar
- *note- if making apricot brandy you can add the apricots whole- do not pit or skin
- 12 tbsp granulated sugar
- Vodka least expensive- plastic bottle to fill
Instructions
- Sterilize your jars & allow to cool
- Fill with your fruit to the neck of the jar
- Add sugar
- Pour in your vodka- to the neck of the jar
- Put on lid making sure your seal is tight.
- Add a strip of tape & write the date on it
- Store on the counter - does not have to be a particularly sunny or dark place
- Flip every day for 3 months - once the fruit shrinks & is floating in the liquid it's okay to just give it a good shake everyday
- When the 3 months is up- strain out the fruit pieces through a colander
- To make the brandy more clear- strain again though a coffee filter.
- Transfer to air tight decorative bottles if giving as a gift.
Kim Cunningham says
This is really cool! Would definitely make a neat gift!
Mike says
Your recipe is for Liquors and brandy. Your recipe calls for Vodka. Do you substitute with brandy if you are making brandy? You are only infusing flavor in to ready made products, right.
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi Mike – yes you can substitute with brandy for this if you like. But the definition of brandy is “the distilled alcohol extracted from any fruit-based mash. A good deal of the world’s brandy is actually made from grapes and the word “brandy” derives from the Middle Dutch “Brantwijn” or “Burned [i.e.: distilled] Wine.” Which is why we use vodka & combine it with the fruit & make “brandy” for this recipe.
Kayla @ Home Coming blog says
MMMMMmmm. These look SO good. Great idea. I’m hosting a throw pillow giveaway that you should enter! http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/09/pillow-covers-giveaway.html
Ashley says
What an awesome idea!! I think Im going to try this out! Thank you 🙂
Gina Kleinworth says
Glad you like it Ashley- hope you give it a try.
joybee83 says
Lovely. My sister did something similar with blueberries. I’ve been planning on trying coffee flavored rum. This just confirms I have to try this. Saw on Show Stopper Saturday.
Gina Kleinworth says
Oh I sure hope you do. Makes for lovely gifts.
ce.leb says
ohh, that looks delicious.. how much vodka did you use? i ended up using 2 pt vodka for a 4 pt jar…
Gina Kleinworth says
It really depends on the fruit that you add to the jar first- I just filled my 2pt jar with the fruit & sugar & then added the vodka until it covered the fruit – I didn’t measure the vodka. I’m sure if I had measured it out it would be different for each one being that the fruits have different volumes.
Cassidy says
LOVE THIS. Please come link up with me 🙂 cass-eats.blogspot.com
Betsy @ AnnaNimmity says
This is so pretty! What a fun idea!
wendi says
When you say flip over you mean upside down. Back and forth? Sorry to sound like a dumm
Gina Kleinworth says
Yes Wendi- right side up one day & upside down the next.
Paula says
12 tablespoons sugar for each quart jar?
I am excited to try with my apricots…….interesting that I do not peel or pit.
Sounds great!
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi Paula. Yes – that is correct – 12 tbsp (equal to 3/4 cup) granulated sugar per jar. Enjoy.
karen says
These look like so much fun to prepare as gifts for the holidays. I am not sure what pt means, those look like quart jars? Not pints.
Gina Kleinworth says
Thanks Karen- they are 2 pint jars- which is the same as 1 quart. The box labeled them as 2 pint & I was adding things by the 1/2 pint so that was why I marked it as such.
How long will this liquor last?Bette Englehart says
How long will this liquor last?
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi there – it really depends on how it is stored. They CAN last indefinitely. Just keep them out of direct sunlight and regular liquors will last a good long time and even improve some with age.
Clare says
Do you use fresh fruits or frozen?
Gina Kleinworth says
Either one will do.
Trisha says
Can you use any kind of fruit? Pineapple?
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi Trisha,
Yes, you can use any kind of fruit, including pineapple. But as I mentioned in the recipe, if you are making apricot brandy you can add the apricots whole & you do not have to pit or skin them.
Sandi says
I plan on using Peaches, they are seconds, which mean they are slightly over-ripe. Should I peel, quarters and add the pits?
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi Sandi, peaches will be great for this recipe. If you are quartering the peaches, you don’t need to peel them first since you will be straining it out at the end. Also, you can toss the pit. It won’t add to the flavor of the end product. It is just easier to when using apricots to leave it all intact because they are so small. But with peaches, it isn’t necessary.
CMoore says
Love this! I am wondering about the bottle you used and where I can find them? I’m not having much luck on google. LOL Thanks!
Gina Kleinworth says
I completely understand your frustration. I think I had picked these up at a craft store or something many years ago. However, here are some links to some similar ones & some other really cool ones that I have picked up since then when I make this for gifts. They are all still cute, interesting & unique, making them so great for gifts. 17 Oz Glass Bottle Set with Swing Top Stoppers – Glass Beer Bottles with Swing Top Cap – Swing Top Square Glass Bottles – 16 oz Kombucha/Beer Glass Bottles Clear Leak Proof .
Eric McCuskey says
Ok question. We have apricots going but the jars are pressurizing. Is this normal? Should we vent them? Or am I growing bacteria?
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi Eric,
Yes, pressurizing when it is fermenting is normal. I don’t typically vent when making the berry version, but I have known many who vent when making the apricot version. I have never had to, but if you just pop the top occasionally & then reseal, that would be fine. Sometimes just loosening the top & letting it pop on its own & then retightening is all it needs. As for the bacteria, the alcohol should “disinfect” anything that might try to grow, so I’m not too concerned about that. All that being said, how long have you been processing your apricots? Taking into consideration how it is behaving now if it has been longer than 3-4 weeks, you might be okay to just go through the straining process now & bottle it up to enjoy.
ANITA ZIPPIROLI says
Do I need to boil jars again to be sure seal is tight or can I just place on lid and tighten ring by hand.? I AM HOPING FOR A PROMPT RESPONSE BECAUSE I WANT TO START ASAP. Thank you.
Gina Kleinworth says
No need to boil the jars – which is why I didn’t mention it. Finger tight is fine.
You didn’t have to yell at me to get a response. While I do work 80 hrs a week to keep up this site, I can’t always reply immediately.
AW says
What’s the purpose of flipping the alcohol daily?
Gina Kleinworth says
To keep things mixed without shaking. You don’t want the sugar to settle at the bottom for too long.
AW says
Got ya! thanks for your reply
Andrea says
I was hoping to maybe infuse mine with some nutty flavors. Do you think I could add walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the mix or would the flavor not come out?
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi Andrea. This would require a different process. You would need to toast the nuts first & then allow them to cool. Then soak in whiskey in a mason jar for 3-4 days (any longer & they will dry the whiskey out).
LareeMade says
I made this recipe last year with italian plums (pitted and halved) and loved the results so just finished filling my jars again this year. Just FYI for others: Mine leaked a little liquid out & fizzed on its own & got messy when turning (so i kept the jar in a big bowl) but i never opened lid and never vented it myself. Had large bottle vodka 1.75 ltr and it covered 6 jars (qts) of fruit.
Sean says
I made Peach Pie Moonshine, but had a bunch of peaches left over from the batch(already cooked) can I use those for the liqueur or they are were mixed with everclear and peach schnapps before being strained and stored.
Gina Kleinworth says
I don’t think cooked ones would work the same, especially if they have already been mixed with other things.
Twila says
What could you use besides vodka for this? This would be a perfect gift for my hard to buy for brother, but he says vodka gives him a headache. Thanks!
Gina Kleinworth says
You could use everclear instead.