The simplest to prepare and very tasty alcoholic drinks have long been considered to be cordial. Their weak degree allows you to enjoy the taste and aroma of tincture even for girls, and the rich color always creates an emphasis on the festive table. The cherry-based drink is still particularly popular, not only in the real world, but also in the virtual one. In the popular Russian game “The Witcher 3”, the recipe for cherry liquor for alcohol is an important artifact that helps the protagonist to independently prepare the product and, thanks to him, will automatically replenish the supply of drinks in the future.
Of course, in reality, the liquor is not capable of such miracles, but it has a lot of useful properties due to the unique composition of the main component.
The chemical composition of berries
In most recipes, cherry liqueur at home is prepared without heat treatment of the berries, so the plant gives all its useful properties to the final product completely.
Cherries are rich in pectins, anthocyanins, coloring matter, proteins, carbohydrates. Also in its composition are organic acids, vitamins, macro- and microelements. Among them:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- sodium;
- riboflavins PP, P, A, E, H, group B and ascorbic acid;
- chlorine;
- magnesium;
- sulfur;
- chromium;
- copper;
- iodine;
- iron;
- manganese;
- zinc and more.
Among organic acids, malic, citric, quinic, formic, acetic, lactic and others should be distinguished.
Has cherry filling and harmful substances. The main is amygdalin contained in the seeds of the fruit. It is he who contributes to the production of toxic hydrocyanic acid, but only after a year of storage of the canned product. Before this period, compotes, preserves and liquors can be consumed without fear.
The benefits of cherries
Cherry liquor on alcohol can be prepared with the addition of leaves or twigs of a tree. These components contain the same beneficial substances, only in a lower concentration, therefore they make the drink not only useful, but also give it a special aftertaste and aroma.
Regardless of the recipe, the liquor, due to the chemical composition of the berries listed above, improves the blood composition, increases hemoglobin and strengthens the nervous system.
Cherry acids help to lose weight, as they contribute to the acceleration of fat burning in the body.
The bactericidal properties of alcohol are also transmitted to the cherry liquor. The drink is able to normalize metabolism, reduce blood pressure and fever, relieve swelling associated with diseases of the kidneys or heart. In addition, tincture helps with rheumatism, gout and arthritis.
Bans to use
Like any alcoholic beverage, drinking cherry is prohibited during pregnancy, breastfeeding and at a minor age. Individual contraindications to the product are diseases of the digestive system associated with increased acidity of the stomach, since cherries contain a lot of acids. They can also negatively affect tooth enamel, so people with hypersensitivity should not abuse this drink.
Classic recipe
From time immemorial, cherry filling at home was prepared according to this recipe, and only with the passage of time and the advent of other alcoholic drinks did other variations begin to appear with a different set of ingredients.
So, in order to prepare a classic drink, you must:
- 500 g of sugar;
- 700 ml of vodka;
- 1500 g of berries.
The technology is the simplest - you need to mix all the ingredients in a glass container and leave the container in a dark room to infuse for 1 month. Every couple of days, the jar or bottle should be shaken, and after 30 days, pour the tincture into bottles, having previously filtered it, and use it as intended.
Similarly, you can make cherry liquor from frozen or dried cherries, but its strength will be higher, since fresh fruits have more juice, which dilutes alcohol.
Pitted cooking
For those who plan to store tincture for a long time or are simply afraid of the action of hydrocyanic acid, there is an option to prepare the drink exclusively on the pulp of berries. This will require 1 kg of unpeeled cherries, a liter of vodka and 3 kg of sugar. When the berries are free from seeds, they must be mixed with sugar and left for several hours in a glass container to exit the juice. After that, alcohol is added to the jar, and the drink is left in a dark place for 15-20 days.
At the end, it is also filtered and bottled. Such cherry filling can be stored for several years.
Recipe with leaves
To give the drink a special aroma, you can add young cherry leaves to it. To do this, you need a glass of berries and pour about 200 leaves with a liter of water and boil for a quarter of an hour over low heat. The filtered broth is mixed with one and a half kilograms of sugar and fifteen grams of citric acid, after which it is again boiled, but no more than 10 minutes. Ready cooled syrup is mixed with a liter of vodka and bottled. You can drink a drink right away.
You can also prepare cherry liquor at home with vodka with the addition of young tree branches, while reducing the number of leaves.
Tincture "Amaretto"
Having prepared tincture or jam from the pulp of cherry berries, you do not need to rush to throw out the remaining bones, you can also make an interesting aromatic drink from them.
Cherry liqueur on vodka with the taste of popular liquor is made exclusively from seeds of berries, alcohol and sweet syrup.
First you need to fill up a third of the prepared container with seeds, and then pour the remainder with alcohol and, tightly closing, remove for 60 days to leave in a dark place. After that, boil the sugar syrup and add to the tincture to taste. After that, you can immediately drink homemade liquor.
Healing tincture
In the video game "The Witcher", cherry alcohol is needed to automatically restore the supply of drinks and many complex elixirs. In real life, with proper preparation, such a drink can even relieve inflammation and fever. To do this, in a liter jar full of alcohol, you need to insist a bunch of young tree branches for a month. Take this tincture three times a day before meals, only 20-30 drops.
A kind of classic
It is possible to prepare a liquor made from sugar, vodka and berries in a slightly different way from standard technology. To do this, you need to fill the jar with berries, not reaching the edges of 4-5 fingers.
Layers of cherry are sprinkled with a little sugar. Only 6-7 tablespoons are enough for a liter jar. After that, the container is filled to the brim with alcohol or vodka, tightly closed with a lid and also removed for insisting in a dark place for a month. Every couple of days the jar needs to be shaken, and at the end of the month, the liquid is filtered and consumed as intended.
Spiced drink
Everyone knows that some spices go well with alcoholic drinks, as evidenced by many recipes for mulled wine. How to make cherry liquor the same fragrant? To do this, you will need:
- liter of vodka;
- 8 clove buds;
- 0.3 kg of sugar;
- 2 kg of cherries;
- 2 cinnamon sticks;
- 2-3 g of coriander and nutmeg.
All products need to be mixed in a glass container, only the berries of the cherry need to be pre-punctured or transferred so that they give their juice better. The strength of the drink will depend on the further brewing process. If the jar is tightly closed, then there will be more degrees, and if covered with a cloth, part of them will disappear. Such a tincture is prepared for 60 days, during which it also needs to be shaken periodically. At the end, the liquid is filtered.
Berry tincture
Together with cherries, the drink can be prepared on the basis of other berries. The best combination will be with currants. To do this, you need to take berries in equal proportions, the same amount of sugar and 5 times more alcohol. Everything is mixed and put in a dark place for 45 days. After the expiration of the drink is also filtered and consumed.
Berry selection guidelines
The taste of the final product depends on the cherry juice, which is contained in the berries, so the ripe the better. The ripe, almost black fruits, but without rot, will be the best choice.
You can easily get rid of parasites in berries by soaking them for a while in salt water. When the cherry is completely peeled, you can begin to prepare the drink itself.
There is still debate over the bones. Many people believe that it is hydrocyanic acid that gives the liquor an excessive acid effect on the digestive system, and its harm has long been scientifically proven. Others do not tire of repeating that it is the bones that give the final drink a unique astringency and aroma, in addition, the proven harm of hydrocyanic acid begins to appear only in the second year of storage of the product. By this time, tinctures are usually already drunk.
Each of the proposed recipes options - everyone decides for himself. It is recommended that you just start with classic vodka drinks, and then experiment with the addition of spices or other alcoholic bases.
The choice of alcohol
In order to finally get a quality product, you need to choose the appropriate alcohol. It should be purchased only in proven places or prepared independently. Most often, the liquor is prepared on vodka, but you can use alcohol or moonshine. Some experiment with tastes and insist berries on cognac, rum, brandy and other drinks. Not only taste, but also the strength of the final product depends on their choice, which should also be taken into account. You can lower the degree by adding more water to the recipe with a decoction or increasing the amount of cherries.
Conclusion
The traditional cherry tincture has been familiar to many generations and does not lose its popularity even with the advent of a huge amount of foreign drinks. This is proved by its presence in the virtual world of the video game "The Witcher 3" of domestic design. It is easy to prepare a liquor, even without such experience, and all adults can enjoy it and appreciate the unique sweet and sour taste. A very important advantage of the drink is that there is practically no trace of alcohol with proper preparation. Sipping a sweet tincture of ruby color, you can really relax and enjoy your labors. The liquor will also become a wonderful decoration of the festive table, which all guests will surely appreciate.