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
Ali says
Vodka is made from potatoes so is GF. Rum comes from sugarcane, also GF. And tequila & mezcal both are made from agave. Rum is my go-to liquor also 😉 It would pair well with citrus, possibly raspberries, and most tropical fruits.
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
Laurie says
You should ask your friend and then share the recipe. It sounds wonderful.
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.
Petro says
I live to learn more
Alisha Sequeira says
Can you use frozen fruit?
Gina Kleinworth says
Yes – you can – But I would recommend that you thaw it first & pat it dry with paper towels so you don’t have too much water in the mixture. The frozen fruit tends to release more liquid as it thaws which would change the ratios later on in the process.
L D says
I made cherry bounce over 2 years ago, and it is still delicious! I keep it in my bar at room temp. All of the liqueurs I have purchased are stored at room temp for years on end.
Nigel says
I’m going to try to make a bilberry (not blueberry) liqueur.
does it make any (much) difference what quality vodka is used?
do you think it is possible to do the process twice (or more) perhaps months apart adding a further fresh (or by now frozen) batch of bilberries to the mix to create a more intense flavour?
Gina Kleinworth says
My mother in law believed that the cheaper the better when it came to the vodka for this recipe. So I have always followed her instruction on that.
I have never tried to process beyond the first round, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do that. I might reduce the sugar the next time since you would be working with something that has already been sweetened. However it will still need it for the fermentation process, so maybe only cut by 1/4 cup. Please let me know how it turns out.
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s exactly what I was looking for. I’ll be starting with berries this week. One question; can I leave the fruit in the jars for longer than 3 months before straining? Is there a time limit on this part of the process? Thank you!
Gina Kleinworth says
You can definitely leave them in for longer, but I don’t think it has a lot of benefit beyond the 3 month mark. After that point the flavor won’t continue to strengthen so it isn’t adding anything to the result.
Carla says
Thanks if using voka is there a special proof? Do u have to strain?
Gina Kleinworth says
No specific proof, just cheap vodka. You will need to strain, see step 9 in the recipe.
Judith Fitz says
Hi
In writings you mentioned two different places to store bottles during turning process. Cool dark place and sunny or dark place
Which is preferable??
Thank you
Gina Kleinworth says
Just store on the counter. I mention both because it doesn’t matter if it is a sunny spot or a dark spot – that part doesn’t change the outcome. Just keep it at room temperature on the counter, shelf or in the pantry.
Judith fitzpatrick says
Hi Gina
Thanks for quick reply
I’ve just completed an Apricot batch👍🏼
Thanks again. Judi
Annie says
Can you use a sugar alternate? Swerve or Splenda?
Gina Kleinworth says
I have not tried it but I don’t believe that sugar substitutes will ferment the same way sugar does, so I don’t think it would turn out.
Nina says
I used strawberries with Paul Masson and it turned out very good!!! We love it!
Clara says
I’d like to make this with plums, would you depit them or would you use them whole like you would with apricots?
Gina Kleinworth says
Good question. Because the skin is tougher and thicker than apricots, I don’t think the results would be the same. I would slice them in half and remove the pits before adding them to the jar.
Lourdes says
For make liquor whit plum you it is better used vodka or brandy?
Gina Kleinworth says
Please use vodka when making this with plums.
Marlo Casabar says
Thanks for this great Christmas gift tip. I started a batch of four jars on 6/18 using the following for each jar. Blue berries, honey crisp apples, orange and peach.
As of today I am at the 1 month 1 week mark. I was wondering, would it help the process if I were to cut the fruit into small pieces?
Gina Kleinworth says
Hi there. Great flavor choices! Making the pieces smaller really wouldn’t make that much of a difference since they soak for as long as they do & usually start falling apart the longer they soak. It all should turn out the same in the end.
Trevor Martin says
Super great recipes, and advice! Thank you all for your input and recipe advice…gonna be fun making up some different types of liqueurs…yum! Going to start with an apricot one, and then make a plum one to follow. Two totally different methods, as the apricots go in whole, and the plums get cut in half and pitted.
Thank you all! Happy liqueur making!!
Sherry Abercrombie says
Just started a batch today with cherry, strawberry, clementines and peach. Can’t wait to try these. Might also do blueberry and blackberry (the blackberries came from our bushes this spring and I have a lot of them still in the freezer)
I made blackberry wine this year, just bottled it last week and it is wonderful. Have a batch of triple berry wine (Dragon Blood WIne by DangerDave if anyone wants to look it up) and will be making watermelon wine in a few weeks.
Thanks for the idea for more Christmas gifts.
Jeanine Libka says
I use the leftover fruits after making liquors into jelly. Nothing better than Sloe Gin Jelly or Raspberry Cordial Jelly and peach brandy jelly. It really ups your jelly making into something special. Reduces waste too.