jswordy Extracts

[Sammyk]

I could not find the post where you talked about extracts. I bought bunches of different ones, blueberry, cherry, chocolate, coffee, black current to name a few.

The blueberry extract gave our blueberry wine the kick in taste that it needed.

Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[Rocky]

SammyK, I don't know what one would pay for extracts but I make my own, mainly citrus based. I use the zest only of lemons, oranges, limes and grapefruit with Vodka. Works really well and if one does notl use a premium Vodka, it is really inexpensive.

 

[Runningwolf]

Sammy are the just using the little bottles found on the pharmacy counters? How much are you adding?

 

[Sammyk]

No I found them on line and they had 4 and 8 oz bottles. Jim had mentioned he uses 8 oz in 5 gallons. I did not need to use that much, about half in 6 gallons that really enhanced my blueberry wine. 8 oz of blueberry was $8.99. I did not think that was too expensive.

Here is the link http://www.olivenation.com/Extracts-culinary-C55.aspx

 

[saramc]

The extracts from the site that sammyk referenced are exceptional, I have been using them in the kitchen for a while now. Though I now prefer to make as many of my own extracts as possible. I use 80proof Everclear or higher and have oak, cocoa nib, coffee. I make vanilla using high proof vodka or everclear or bourbon, just depends. And for sweet sipping cordials I will use Everclear, dried fruits (make sure it is oil free) and sugar. Awesome stuff, and the fruit cordials can be added to wine especially ones that are being backsweetened. Could also used the dried fruit in Everclear alone to make a "dry" extract, it takes just a month to get it done but of course the longer you allow everything to "marinate" the better. I had a batch of plum cordial made from fresh plums that had the fruit intact for almost 6 months, dried apricots were intact for a year and I just removed them, then chopped them and used them for some drunken apricot preserves, and I currently have a batch of dried tart cherry cordial in process. Great gift giving too.

 

[joeswine]

Sounds like!

OLIVE NATION HAS A GOOD PRODUCT AND EXTRACTS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER,USING THESE COMPOUNDS IS BEST (BY TASTE),EVERCLEAR MAKES A STRONGER EXTRACT BUT GOES A LONG WAY,VODKA MAKES A SMOOTHER EXTRACT BUT DOESN'T HAVE THE STAYING POWER THAT EVERCLEAR HAS ,ITS ALL A MATTER OF PREFERENCE,SAMMY REFERENCE TO WHEN GOOD WINES GONE BAD THE EXERT OF HOW TO MAKE AND WHEN TO USE..IT WILL GUIDE YOU..

 

[seth8530]

Wow, that is impressive. Thanks for the link.

 

[Sammyk]

saramc how much fruit in how much everclear? I used rum to make my vanilla extract...I am interested in plum for my plum wine. I did simmer down some black beauty plums that I found at the farmers market of .50 a pound but there were not enough plums for the amount of wine I made.

 

[GTS]

I have been looking for something to add a little more flavor to my plum wine. I ran across this product line of syrups yesterday. All natural ingredients, no preservatives, etc. This might do the trick.

http://www.barryfarm.com/

Greg

 

[Sammyk]

I thought about flavored syrups but did not like that they syrups have sugar. I had to add to much to get the flavor I was looking for. So I opted for just extracts. Check out my link above.

 

[saramc]

@sammyk...For my extracts, I essentially cover the fruit in Everclear and top off by an inch or so, using an airtight jar. You should get a highly concentrated extract within 30 days, of course if you can allow everything to soak for longer and a better flavor will impart. The amount of liquid would depend on how much fruit you are looking to cover.

For my cordial (think a sweet sipping liquor): I used equal amounts of destoned or dried fruit and sugar. My plums were fresh and I left the skins intact. I want to say I used just approx a 1.5-2 liter of Everclear for my 3 pounds of fruit. I made sure to use greater than 80 proof so that it would not freeze if I opted to stash a bottle in the freezer. It went in a large glass jar with airtight lid and it was stirred daily for the first 10 days and then when I could remember. I did put a plate on top of the fruit to help keep it submerged and eventually it dropped to the bottom on its own. It was interesting to watch the liqueur transition from purple plum color which it maintained for 6 months and then all of the sudden it went golden. You could pull the plums off at any time, and you can chop and freeze it and use it to make a drunken topping for ice cream or incorporate into jam, or just toss it. Makes an excellent cough syrup and throat soother believe it or not, my MIL gets a 500ml bottle every year, and gets testy if I do not have one for her.
When I made the dried apricot batch, I ended up adding one of those "plane sized" bottles of Butterscotch Schnapps to the finished version and O-M-G, it is amazing stuff. The longer you can allow the cordials to "marinate" the better.

For my homemade vanilla, believe it or not my favorite to date is made with Evan Williams Honey Reserve, 70 proof, and I split at least six to eight 5" Madagascar vanilla beans down the center and stash them in the bottle. Prior to that I made it with 80 proof Everclear. I start a new bottle every Thanksgiving, that way I know I will always have some available for gift giving (which I bottle in the small bottles similar to what you are given at Cracker Barrel and such for your pancakes).

 

[dangerdave]

I was motivated to try zesting when I read joeswine's take on it in his thread. I used the zest of a dozen citrus fruits (lemon, lime, and orange) and added this to 12 oz of Everclear in a Mason jar. After a month or so, I had a pungent, clear liquid---one yellow, one green, and one orange---in the three jars. I racked the clear liqueurs off the lees of the rind and stored it for later. This summer, I added the lemon liqueur to my first ever batch of original lemon Skeeter Pee when I stabilized. We had our 4th of July gathering on a really hot day, where upon nearly the entire batch was consumed by some very appreciative winos! The zest vastly improved the lemon flavor.

After that success, I made another batch of lemon and used the lime liqueur. Calling it Leaping Lizard Lemon-Lime Wine. Now, try saying "Weeping Willow Wines' Leaping Lizard Lemon-Lime Wine" three times real fast! I'll wait...

Hah! Nice try!

Anyways, the lemon-lime is now crystal clear, with a gorgeous yellow-green tint. It's begging for some sugar. If it turns out as good as the lemon did, I'm going to do the lemon-orange next. I have used commerial extracts to add flavor where it was lacking, and it works nicely, although I have not had the cajones to add more than a few ounces to a five gallon batch. Perhaps I will try more next time I use it. That means I need more extracts.

Thanks for the link, Sammy! And saramc, for the great info.

 

[saramc]

@dangerdave...you are one step away from Limoncello, just missing the sugar component. And the lime version is quite tasty too! You are quite right that the zests are an easy way to get your feet wet with extracts.
I always have homemade Limoncello in my freezer (great thing for settling an upset tummy) and it is quite delicious added to Skeeter Pee. The next version will be Limoncello Crema (a milk based limoncello), actually just finished putting my ingredients on the grocery list.

 

[Sammyk]

Saramc I am wondering about making this in a quart mason jar (actually a few jars) putting the lid on and shaking it regularly?
What kind of container do you use? How about a 1/2 gallon carboy with a cap and shaking it? Cut up the fruit to fit into the opening of the carboy?

 

[joeswine]

Dangerdave

Glad to see you took the plunge into the extract, they work out quite nicely, don't they, I made and orange Seville sangria ,using orange extract and basic red Chilean wine. Came out very nice, very smooth with a hint of orange straight through.

What you really should try is making the coffee bean extract, . Once you've tried that and made coffee cello though be no turning back it's great, morning, noon or night. Also good to see you read the thread thank you ......................... JPH

 

[GTS]

Sammyk,
Since I will be back sweetening my plum wine anyway, I thought the syrup might be worth a try at just $5 a bottle. If it doesn't have a strong enough flavor, I'll eat it on pancakes.