Beech Leaf Noyau

[Crastney]

Hi there, I've just joined the forum.

I have the Booze for Free book, which has a recipe for beech leaf noyau - I'm struggling to identify beech trees.
I've just planted a beech hedge in my front garden however I don't want to take the leaves off these trees as they're small and I don't want to risk killing or weekening them. I've seen several trees in the local park which might be beech, but the leaves are slightly different shape, so I'm not sure.

I did this morning find a copper beech tree - this is very easy to identify, as the leaves are the right shape, texture, and a very brown colour, but obviously new leaves this year, not dead leaves.

so does the recipe for beech leaf noyau need green leaves or will the copper ones be ok?
I'm using Gin (because that's what I have) will that be ok?

it says new fresh young leaves - how young and fresh, is young and fresh? a day after oppening? within a month of oppening?

any answers greatfully appreciated.

[GeorgeSalt]

If the leaves are still soft and supple, they're young enough.

Beech is quite easy to identify (link), the trunk has smooth silver-grey bark, the leaf, bud sheath and twig pattern are all very distinctive.

If in doubt, post a few photos of what you've found - detail of a leaf, a wider shot showing about 6-12" of twig with leaves attached, and a wider shot of the whole tree.

Noyeau is a really wonderful liqueur, I must get a bottle of gin tomorrow as next-doors beech is coming into leaf.

[Crastney]

cool thanks - I'll see what I can get on the way home.

[edit to add] - found the copper beech, but thought that the taste of the leaves was too bitter, so went with another tree just down the road. picked a quarter carrier bag full, and they're now under gin in a jar in the cupboard.