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.
Lynn Marie Wheaton says
Can you add the sugar after the liquor has been strained?
Gina Kleinworth says
The sugar is what helps the fermentation process – so waiting & doing it at a different stage of the process will not yield the correct result.
Jennifer says
Can you use fruit from a can?
Gina Kleinworth says
I’m not sure how that would turn out since the fruit is already so processed & cooked.
Christina says
Very tasty!
Sheryl Arroyo-Glausch says
If I’m not mistaken, vodka isn’t gluten free. And I need a gluten-free choice, because of my dietary restrictions. Could I use white rum instead?
Gina Kleinworth says
From what I could find in my research, Yes, pure, distilled liquor, even if made from wheat, barley, or rye, is considered gluten-free. Most liquors are safe for people with celiac disease because of the distillation process. However, look out for hidden gluten in liquors that add flavorings or other additives after distillation. There is also a risk for gluten cross-contamination in facilities that process products containing wheat, barley, or rye.
Gluten-free liquors (after distillation) include: Bourbon, Whiskey/Whisky, Tequila, Gin, Vodka, Rum, Cognac, Brandy, Absinthe, Mezcal, Scotch, Vermouth
To be safe – try New Amsterdam Gluten Free Vodka
Mona says
How long is the shelf life after it is completed, and does it need refrigerating.
Thank you.
Gina Kleinworth says
No refrigerating needed. It should last up to 6 months if stored correctly.
Lydia Aguilera Zuniga says
This person used to give me a jar filled with the following peelings orange, Apple, plum, it was SO good never woke up with hang over but it would give you a gReat mellow high. It was All homemade liquor I want to know what it was
Sue says
I am a vender at a farmers market. Could I sale this at the market? Thank you
Gina Kleinworth says
You would have to check your local laws. From my understanding, it is still only legal for personal consumption even though you aren’t actually creating/fermenting alcohol, just flavoring it. However, each jurisdiction has its own rules for even that. I am not in a position to give legal advice.
aldrin says
What other fruits can i used?
Gina Kleinworth says
You can use blueberries, apricots, plums. I have not tried it others, but it doesn’t hurt to just see what happens with something different.