Pastis

[Brewtrog]

Not actually from home grown stuff this year, but will be soon (I hope).
70cl bottle Morrison's good vodka (any would do, I use it because it's 43%, so isn't diluted too much)
20 star anise stars
1tsp fennel seeds (I didn't have any in so used an extra tsp of aniseed)
2tsp aniseed seeds
2" stick liquorice root
3/4 tsp coriander seeds
sugar to taste (after infusion)

Sterilise a large kilner jar. pour in vodka.
Batter dry ingredients with mortar and pestle, chuck into jar
shake every day for a week
strain off, add sugar to taste.
Hopefully the next time I make this it will be from (almost) all homegrown stuff. Obviously making vodka would be illegal, sadly I don't have a star anise tree and currently don't have coriander, but everything else is in the garden happily growing.

[wabbit955]

think I give this a go
cheers

[Brewtrog]

Bottled this today, had my first glass - purely for checking, of course. Very nice but needs some sugar adding though. I'll be experimenting from tomorrow by adding a sugar cube to a glass and messing from there. It even louched slightly which was a nice surprise.

[ojay54]

Take my hat off to anyone that grows liqourice in temperate climes.You can legally buy small alcohol stills (or you certainly could a couple of years ago).

[MKG]

Strangely enough, I discovered that very fact just a few weeks ago, ojay. And I thought "'Ello" - as you do. It turns out that distillation up to a ridiculous amount of stuff has been legal in the UK for quite a while - but only if you're distilling fuel additives for your motor. So motorists can produce 80% ABV alcohol (multiple passes through the still) with no duties as long as they're sticking it in their cars.

Oh well, I thought to myself ... what a pity I can't use that still for other purposes. You can tell, by the way, that it's not for human consumption, as the instructions don't tell you to throw the first few fluid ounces away to get rid of fusel oils and methyl alcohol.

Mike

EDIT: Here's another surprise - just looked it up on the off-chance ...

http://www.brandycarrnurseries.co.uk/li ... plants.htm

[Brewtrog]

The concentration of ethanol for any human consumption by any means is illegal in the UK. Still that are sold in homebrew shops and similar are marketed for distilling water and essential oils. That people will ignore that is their own choice

Edit: Liquorice was grown in pontefract for years, hence the name of the pontefract cakes.

[MKG]

Well, I never knew Pontefract Cakes were dangerous. From Wikipedia ...

"Healthcare professionals have warned against overindulgence in Pontefract cakes after a 56-year-old woman was admitted to hospital following an overdose of the confection. The woman consumed about 200g daily leading to dangerously low potassium levels and subsequent muscle failure. The European Commission recommends limiting consumption of the active ingredient, glycyrrhizic acid, to 100mg or less per day. "

Distillation may be safer

Mike

EDIT: So how did the experiments go, Brewtrog?

[ojay54]

Well it's a b----r to grow,everywhere other than Pontifract.
(Actually I despise the taste anyhow,I used to dismantle Allsorts,and just eat the white and coloured bits).