StillSmart

Dusted off a bottle of Mango Liqueur I started on a year ago. Took it down to the local beach bar for the "experts" to comment on. They all liked it - but then they always do if its free.

I dont have a recipe but something like this. I took 10L of my rum (50% ABV) and put in a large glass container. Cooked up a bunch of fresh ripe mangoes with heaps of sugar and some water. Felt the lot was too hot so put it in the fridge. As the glass cooled a lot faster than the mix, it cracked and liquid everywhere. Replaced glass, added some strips of cinnamon and cloves.

After a couple of weeks I filtered it to get the mango bits out. But paper coffee filters not fine enough and kept seeing sediment settle. Syphoned off the contents several times leaving the sediment behind. Now have a very respectable after dinner liqueur. Nice yellow colour. Superb taste.

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I have never been in a bar where someone walks in and starts giving away free booze.

I must be doing something wrong

They are few and far between, but the one mentioned gives me a lot of leeway. I usually have a few bottles open behind the bar so people can sample. As foreigners we get away with a lot in China.

Today I made a few liqueurs

First one,

Coffee liqueur - Vodka Base

The recipe was from this site but can't find it now.

1 Cup Sugar & 1/3 Cup instant coffee dissolved in 1 Cup of hot water
Add 2 cups of Vodka & 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract.

2nd One,

Coffee liqueur - Rum Base

This is out of my head based on the label of a drink I enjoyed a few months ago (memory is not what it should be)

1 Cup Sugar & 1/3 Cup instant coffee dissolved in 1 Cup of hot water
Add 2 cups of Rum & 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract & 1/2 teaspoon of Orange extract.

3rd One

Sweet Vodka Tea

Recipe from HD to be drunk on ice with lemonade on a long summer afternoon.

Leave 2 tea bags in two cups of Vodka for 24 hours.
Dissolve 1/3 of a cup of sugar in 1/3 of a cup of hot water.

Mix syrup and vodka infusion together.

This is a lot better than it sounds.

I know I was supposed to spit the tasting samples out, but willpower was never one of my strong points. I have a glowing feeling all over my body.

Finished the spirit runs on Gen 2 of my cornflake wash.

Well happy!

Just need to get chip's now and exercise some patience. Not my strong point.

Yesterday I did absolutely nothing temp was 30oC with humidity off the scale so it was really uncomfortable. I surrendered to a tall glass with lots of ice and some of my best Whisky and a little Soda Sippin' it slowly and lovin' it

We haven't had weather like this in 20 years and it's too hot to be in my workshop so my brewing and distilling operations are officially suspended until the weather improves

I have a new yeast starter made to get a new batch up and running but I can't bring myself to turn on the boiler. I need Air-Con - maybe that'll be my next project anybody got notes/plans on how to build and air conditioner?

It's only 10am and already 22oC ...ain't complaining just saying!

AM

Aidan, enjoy the sippin' (better still....have another)
and mate, I reckon you DONT consider moving to the subtropics anytime soon

I spent a lot of time in the Middle East and Africa and was never bothered by the heat so it must be that I'm getting old and intolerant these days.

AM

Racked off a sugar wash and started another wash going.
alan

Today I bought some mint. In one hour and 15 minutes at the crack of noon, I am going to put some of it in a long glass that is filled with ice and muddle it. Then I am going to pour a good measure of sweet tea vodka over the ice and then top the glass up with chilled lemonade.

Then what?

I do not know, maybe have another.

Sounds like a plan

AM

It is now 1 hour and twenty five minutes after my last post.



It was good yesterday but with the mint, it is very very good.

Looks very tropical and cool

AM

YHB: That does look nice and refreshing. Something for you try with your mint, instead of muddling the leaves, hold them in the palm of one hand and slap your hands together a couple of times. The flavour will be superior to a muddled mint leaf.

woke up this morning with bells palsy going to be drinking through a straw for a while.
alan