Becherovka at home

The Czech city of Karlovy Vary is famous not only for its healing waters - it produces one of the most famous and popular bitters - Becherovka. The drink has a delicate herbal aroma, harmonious sweet taste with a mild bitterness. It improves digestion, is easy to drink, is considered one of the best digestives. “Becherovka” is made on the basis of spring water and infusion on two dozen herbs. Its exact recipe is known only to two people: the owner of the company that produces this herbal liqueur, and his chief technologist. To create an elixir that is absolutely identical to the original “Becherovka” is almost impossible, but there are recipes that allow you to prepare drinks with similar organoleptic qualities. “Becherovka” at home is not quite the same as the real one, but no less fragrant and pleasant to the taste.

Cooking Features

To prepare a high-quality alcoholic drink at home, it is not enough to get a good recipe - you need to know a few more subtleties on which the result may depend.

The water for making this “Becherovka” is taken from springs beating in Karlovy Vary. For homemade drink you have to pick up another basis. Even moonshine is softer, if insisting on spring water. Not being able to get spring water, use filtered. The main thing is not to use hard tap water as a basis.
To create an aromatic composition similar to that of the famous “Becherovka”, alcohol, vodka or moonshine insist on herbs and spices. The result depends on their quality. If you manage to get real Indian spices, the bouquet will be more pronounced and pleasant than when using the contents of cheap sachets from the nearest grocery store.
Anise, cinnamon and other spices before insisting on them to drink, it is desirable not to grind much, otherwise it will be more difficult to filter it later.
Herbal tincture must be drained before connecting to the syrup. Mix it with syrup will be easier if it is poured into a container with a sweet product, and not vice versa.
Homemade balm will be more beneficial if the syrup is prepared not on sugar, but on honey.
At relatively high temperatures, extraction is faster. It is better to insist alcohol on herbal raw materials at a temperature slightly above room temperature. Then the herbs will give the drink more flavor and nutrients.
After combining the alcoholic tincture with syrup, the drink should be allowed to infuse, then its taste will be more solid and harmonious.

Fans of Becherovka tried various options for making this liquor at home. Through trial and error, recipes were created that suited many gourmets, but the search continues. It is possible that in the future a recipe for the drink will appear, which will be almost indistinguishable from the true Becherovka.

Recipe for homemade “Becherovka” vodka with spices

Composition:

vodka - 1 l;
96% alcohol - 0, 2 l;
cinnamon - 5 g;
black pepper peas - 10 pcs .;
anise - 5 g;
cardamom - 1 g;
carnation - 15 pcs .;
orange peel - from 1 fruit;
water - 0, 25 l;
refined sugar - 150 g.

Preparation Method:

In hot water, wash the orange, wipe it well with a cloth to ensure that the wax that many manufacturers cover the fruit with is given to give them a presentation.
Cut off the zest, trying not to touch the white layer between it and the pulp. It gives the drink a bitter taste. If a little white pulp gets into the tincture - it doesn't matter: for “Becherovka” a slight bitterness is permissible.
Put the zest in a 1, 5-2 liter can.
Shred cinnamon sticks, add to zest.
Cardamom and anise slightly put down tolkushkoy, send to the peel and cinnamon.
Put the remaining spices in the jar.
In a separate container, mix vodka and alcohol, pour the aromatic base with the resulting liquid.
Close the can, put it in the warmest place in the apartment. It is desirable that it be protected from direct sunlight.
Insist on shaking the can once a day for a week.
Strain the tincture over the gauze folded in several layers.
Put sugar on the bottom of a small saucepan, cover it with water, put it on a fire. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring and removing the froth protruding on the surface.
Pour syrup into a clean jar. Pour into her alcohol tincture. Close the jar lid and shake well.
Insist in a cool place for a week, so that the ingredients “make friends”. Then the drink will have an organic taste.

This is one of the easiest and most popular recipes for making Becherovka at home. It requires a minimum of components, and all of them are available.

Herbal spirit “Becherovka” recipe

Composition:

alcohol diluted to 50% - 1 l;
cinnamon - 1, 5 sticks;
lemon peel - a piece of 1 * 10 cm;
cardamom - 8 pcs .;
badyan - 1 pc .;
carnation - 13 pcs .;
Kalgan - 10 g;
juniper fruit - 1 pc .;
St. John's wort - 5 g;
anise - 5 g;
camomile pharmacy - 5 g;
black pepper peas - 7 pcs .;
fennel - 5 g;
coriander - 5 g;
sage - 5 g;
wormwood - a pinch;
sugar - 0.5 kg;
water - 0, 5 l.

Preparation Method:

Place all spices, herbs, and lemon zest in a clean jar.
Fill with diluted alcohol.
Close the can. Infuse the drink for three weeks at room temperature. Shake the can once every two days or more often.
Strain through a fine sieve or gauze folded several times.
Strain a second time through a cotton pad.
Boil syrup from sugar and water, mix it with tincture.
Pour the mixture into a clean jar, close it tightly. Put for 2 weeks in a cool, dark place.
Strain the drink again. Bottled.

The recipe for making a drink is not difficult in itself, but it requires patience. Harder to collect a full bouquet of herbs and spices needed to make this version of home “Becherovka”. But the result justifies the wasted time and effort.

“Becherovka” recipe on moonshine with honey

Composition:

double-cleaning home brew with 50-55% alcohol - 1 l;
mineral water - 0.5 l;
flower honey (liquid) - 120 ml;
vanilla sugar - 10 g;
orange peel - from 1 fruit;
anise - 10 g;
cinnamon - 0, 5 sticks;
cardamom - 5 pcs .;
black ground pepper - 15 pcs .;
carnation - 15 pcs .;
oak bark - 50 g.

Preparation Method:

Pour boiling water over oak bark, leave for half an hour, pour out water. Let the bark dry, put in a jar. This is to remove excess tannins.
Add spices and orange zest. Fill with moonshine.
Insist in a warm place for 7 days, shaking daily.
Filter well.
Put honey and vanilla sugar in a small saucepan, pour mineral water over it. Heat over low heat, stirring until the honey is dissolved. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature.
Pour tincture into syrup, mix thoroughly.
Pour into clean bottles and refrigerate.

It is possible to consume homemade “Becherovka” prepared according to this recipe in a week.

Becherovka is a unique herbal liqueur made only in the Czech Republic. At home, it is possible to prepare a drink with similar taste and aroma. To get maximum pleasure from its use, you need to drink it chilled to approximately 14-16 degrees in small sips. Serve “Becherovka” taken after a meal as a digestif. Snacks are not required. Also this bitter can be used to make cocktails.

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