Mint liqueur

Homemade Mint Liqueur

I made this liqueur for the first time after gathering a lot of mint from the garden and wanting to make sure it didn't go to waste. It's not a complicated recipe, but it does require patience. If you have fresh mint and a little time, it's the kind of drink you can keep for months. It's much more concentrated than what you find in stores, and you can adjust it to your preferences.

Quick Info

Total Time: 2-3 weeks (including maceration)
Actual Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes (for syrup)
Servings: 2 bottles of 700 ml
Difficulty: easy
Recipe Type: homemade alcoholic drink, digestif

Ingredients

fresh mint leaves (enough to fill two jars as much as possible for maximum extraction)
1 liter of 96% alcohol
600 g sugar
300 ml water
6-8 whole cloves

Preparation Steps

1. Wash the mint leaves in cold water, detached from the stems. Let them dry on a clean towel. You can gently shake them to remove excess water.
2. Fill two large jars (or other wide-mouth containers) with the mint leaves. Pack them tightly, but without crushing them. The more leaves there are, the more intense the flavor will be.
3. Slowly pour the alcohol over the leaves. Press the leaves with a spoon to eliminate any air bubbles. The alcohol should completely cover them.
4. Seal the jars tightly. Let them macerate in the sun, in a safe place, for 1-2 weeks. I've noticed that the extract quickly takes on a deep green color, and the leaves become pale and brittle after a while.
5. After the maceration period, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Discard the leaves.
6. In a saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and cloves to a boil. Stir occasionally. Once the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup reaches boiling point, let it boil for another 1-2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Allow the syrup to cool.
7. Remove the cloves from the syrup. Mix the cooled syrup with the strained mint extract. Stir well.
8. Pour the resulting liqueur into clean, well-sealed bottles. Store in a cool, dark place.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

I love this liqueur because it's versatile and lasts a long time. You can control how sweet or concentrated you make it. It's a great way to use fresh mint when it's abundant. It's also useful in various desserts or simply enjoyed cold in small portions.

Tips and Variations

Tips

If the mint is not very aromatic, you can let the leaves macerate longer, but do not exceed 2 weeks as it may develop bitter notes.
It's important that the alcohol completely covers the leaves; otherwise, they may mold.
Do not fill the bottles to the top; leave some space for expansion, especially if storing in the cold.

Substitutions

The 96% alcohol can be replaced with lower concentration food alcohol, but the flavor will be less intense, and you'll need to adjust the proportions of water and sugar.
If you don't have cloves, you can omit them without affecting the base flavor, but they do add an interesting accent.

Variations

You can add a few basil leaves for a different flavor, but do not change the proportion of mint.
If you prefer the liqueur less sweet, reduce the sugar to 500 g.

Serving Ideas

The liqueur is best served cold, straight from the fridge, in small glasses.
It can also be used in various cakes or creams for an extra flavor boost.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use dried mint?
I do not recommend it. Dried mint does not have the same extraction power, and the result will be bland.

2. Do I have to use 96% alcohol?
Ideally, yes, for extraction and preservation. With weaker alcohol, the flavor won't be as concentrated and may ferment.

3. Does the liqueur have to be kept in the sun for maceration?
Exposure to light helps extract color and flavors, but if not possible, you can leave it at room temperature in a bright place.

4. Does the mint liqueur need to be strained very finely?
Yes, it's good to strain it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to avoid leaving bits of leaves or impurities in the bottle.

5. Can I double the quantities?
Yes, as long as you keep the proportions, you can make a larger quantity without problems.

Nutritional Values

Approximately, a 40 ml serving contains about 120 kcal. The liqueur has carbohydrates from sugar (about 15-18 g/40 ml serving), and the rest is water and alcohol. It contains no significant fats or proteins. Values may vary depending on how concentrated the final liqueur is.

Storage and Reheating

The liqueur keeps very well in bottles, at room temperature or refrigerated, for at least a few months, even up to a year. It does not need reheating. It's important that the bottles are tightly sealed. If you notice changes in color or smell, it’s best not to consume it.

We wash the mint leaves well after we detach them from the stem. We let them dry, then we fill the glass containers (preferably jars, so we can easily remove the leaves when the extract is ready) as much as we can. We add alcohol over the mint leaves, pressing with a spoon to release air bubbles. The alcohol must completely cover the mint leaves. We cover the containers and let them macerate in the sun for about 1-2 weeks, during which time the liquid turns green and the leaves become whitish and brittle. We boil water with sugar to prepare a sugar syrup, to which we also add a few cloves (6-8 pieces). Over this syrup, we pour the strained mint extract, shake everything well, and put the resulting liqueur into bottles, which we cap and store in the pantry/cellar/fridge. It is an excellent drink, which I consider to be an ELIXIR :X

2 servings mean 2 bottles of 700 ml.

 Ingredients: fresh mint leaves (as many as needed for the extract to be as concentrated as possible) 1 liter of 96% alcohol 600 g of sugar 300 ml of water 6-8 cloves

 Tags:  mint liqueur