how to make honey liqueur?

[Berti]

has someone on this board maybe a reliable recipe for honey liqueur to make?
of course there are sources on the web, usually involves vodka and a pound of honey but I'd like something with more complex flavors.

[GeorgeSalt]

I haven't tried making a honey liqueur, but I've found almost several recipes on chefkoch (link). For liqueurs I tend to find that the German recipe forums have a much wider selection.

A few of the ones that look interesting..

Honey Liqueur
70 cl vodka
500 g honey
8 cloves
2 sachets vanilla sugar
Zest of a lemon
Zest of an orange
Pinch of cinnamon


Honey whisky liqueur
70 cl whisky
700 g honey
Cinnamon stick
Vanilla pod


Walnut honey liqueur
375 ml brandy
250 ml honey
150 g ripe walnuts
250 ml water
Cinnamon stick
3 cloves
Zest of an orange
Zest of a lemon
Vanilla pod

Orange honey liqueur
75 cl clear alcohol (schnaps, korn, vodka)
500 g honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Zest of 2 oranges


I can translate the methods of any that take your fancy (they all sound nice enough to be worth a trial for consideration in The Little Book of Liqueurs). I'd be tempted to replace the vodka with gin in the first one and the last one, it always seems a little less harsh to my taste and adds a little complexity to the flavour.

[Berti]

oh I can read german.....thanks for the suggestioins thats exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. :) lets see which one first.....
its hard to find GOOD honey around here except the expensive organic (9 euros or more for a 900 grams jar)

[frozenthunderbolt]

Plagiarized from another web site: KRUPNIKAS
Krupnikas
Ingredients:
All spices should be cracked lightly if possible to maximize flavor.
8 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
10 cardamom pods, cracked
1/2 nutmeg seed, cracked
5 allspice berries
1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seed
3 inch piece of ginger root, cut into 4 pieces
2 inch piece turmeric, cut into 4 pieces
The peel of 1 orange
The peel of 1/2 a lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 1/2 lbs honey
1 quart water
750 ml Everclear (190 proof grain alcohol)
Method:
Take a stroll through your kitchen and gather up all the spices… you’ll need a large heart to hold all this goodness. Next, bring the honey and water to a simmer. Skim off any foam that surfaces, then add in all the spices (everything but the Everclear). Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the mixture smells like “good” and tastes even better. Meanwhile, take a walk in the crunchy snow and listen to the clouds whisper.
When you’re done, go home and remove the pot from heat. Add the Everclear to the still-hot mixture, stir to combine and then strain the mixture. (Tip: use the spices again to flavor a vanilla ice cream base, chocolate, flan, etc- yummmmm) Pour the golden goodness into sterile bottles (run them through the dishwasher before using) and set aside for two weeks (or up to a year). Explore your world while you wait, even if you just go down the street a little ways.
Through the quiet of this winter, the heat of next summer and the chill of autumn, the spirits will settle. They’ll go from super cloudy… And end up clear as day. Just like a well-traveled human spirit. But don’t be fooled. Even in this clarity, there is depth and an entire universe of flavor. The gunk that settles on the bottom of the bottle is perfectly safe. Some Lithuanians like to shake their Krupnikas up, while others go so far as to filter it out. I love the idea of using it to add a bit of boozy oomph to a fruitcake.
Distribute the bottles to friends and family who could use a sweet sip of love. And be sure to save a bottle for yourself and sip until you feel like you’re glowing, from the inside out.

[GeorgeSalt]

I was looking at that Krupnikas recipe yesterday.. it does rely on being able to get hold of pure grain spirit, although once you allow for the water the combined water/Everclear is roughly equivilent to gin/vodka (c.40%). But some water does look esential to the recipe to loosen the honey.

[gregorach]

You can pick up new-make spirit if you really want - both Highland Park and Glenglassaugh have released some at 50%. They just can't call it "whisky"... It's not exactly cheap though, and it does tend to sell out. Not sure if it's really strong enough for that recipe...

[GeorgeSalt]

Everclear is in the 85-95% range..

[frozenthunderbolt]

Chem supply shop? - just say you want to cut it to make liqueur, or tell them it is for tinctures (it kind of is) just specify that you want aeziotropic ethanol