Airstill akvavit/aquavit/akevitt (sputnik-free method)

[wormwood]

As requested, here is the recipe I've been using for a few years now. I can't take full credit for it - that really belongs to Odin. I also don't claim it to be the last word in akvavit, but it is simple, reliable and I like the results.

Coarsely grind or crush the following:

30g caraway seed
10g coriander seed
10g dill seed

Dump the whole lot into your airstill and pour over it 2 liters of your best netural at 35% ABV.

Leave it overnight (minimum of 12 hours, maximum of 24), then power up the still. Collect 1 liter of product, then shut it down. Dilute to your prefered drinking proof, bottle and leave it alone for a couple of days. A couple of weeks is better and a couple of months is better still. A couple of years might be best, but I've never managed that.

That's the basic process. Some comments:

Not sure you really need to grind or crush the seed. I suspect that distilling with the botanicals in the pot should get you a pretty good extraction of flavor.

I usually pour a liter of filtered water over the seeds, then pour a liter of neutral at 70%. That could just be due to old herbalist superstitions.

If you let it macerate more than 24 hours, you might want to strain out the botanicals before distillation.

Akvavit often has a little added sugar. Not enough sugar to make it a liqueur, but enough just to sweeten it a tad. I personally find that if you have good quality ingredients, there is a natural sweetness to the drink, so I've never bothered with added sugar. It occurs to me that little bit of honey might be an interesting addtion, though.

For the first few years of making it, I drank it white. Recently, I've tried oaking it just a little and I really like the results. Commercial versions are, not surprisngly, often colored with caramel.

In addition to the holy trinity of caraway, coriander and dill, other ingredients are common. I really like the addition about about 5g of dried bitter orange peel. Odin suggests adding a little juniper. Nettles are also traditional - I keep meaning to try this, but somehow I've managed to move somewhere where nettles are not common. Other finishing touches to the basic recipe include star anis, cumin, cardamom, angelica, even amber.

In Scandanavia, it is often drunk cold from the fridge, but I agree with Odin that drinking it neat at room temperature allows you to appreciate the flavor much better. Of course, if you find you don't like the flavor, it might be easier to down it ice cold! It's a great accompaniment to a heavy meal and definitely helps the digestion. It is very often drunk with fish and it is claimed that the akvavit helps the fish swim down to your stomach.

Finding a cocktail that features akvavit is much like trying to find a rhyme for the word "orange". That said, recently I've been drinking it with celery soda (as I'm doing right now). Dr Brown's Cel-Ray is the most popular (relatively speaking, of course!) brand and is easily found in the Eastern US, but is probably less common elsewhere. I make my own using this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... ecipe.html

That's about all that comes to mind on this topic right now. It's an odd drink and I expect it is not for everyone, but I think it's worth investing a little of your precious neutral to see if you like it.

[Easydrinker]

Thanks wormwood, that was a good read and all the information that anyone could ask for.
I have spare neutral, but little spare time at the moment, and as I am happy with Scotch,Gin,Vodka, wine and beer I feel that I can delay the distraction.
But do intend to give it a try.

Robert.

[Icefever]

Thanks WW... my airstill sits looking a little forlorn most of the time...I'm going to give it a try.

[gaza the instructor]

Thanks W.W. lets fire up the A.S.

[Mash]

Cracking post. Going to order some dill seed today and give it a go. Thanks.

[hampk]

Finding a cocktail that features akvavit is much like trying to find a rhyme for the word "orange".

Blorenge - a hill in South Wales - is as far as I'm aware, the only English word that rhymes with Orange

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blorenge

Cheers

Hampk