German herb moonshine.

[Tim Bueler]

The German word is kräuter. My family is of Swiss heritage and I remember there always being what my family simply called "kräuter". Essentially distilled spirits with a special blend of herbs. It only came out for special occasions. Usually when one of our Swiss relatives would visit.

One of my neighbors is an occasional moonshiner. Strictly small batch stuff, but high quality. His latest recipe is very reminiscent of the kräuter my Dad always had around, just missing the right herbs. I know there are some German/Swiss heritage woodworkers here. Would any of you have any idea what that blend of herbs is and/or where I could get some? Also, and my friend may already know, at what stage would these herbs be added? During distillation or after?

Moderators, hopefully this isn't too "Off Topic" a subject. If so I offer my apologies.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Half Swiss here, I remember my Grandpa and great uncle joking about that stuff, they were going to make a batch. I was pretty young, remember thinking why would you drink kraut (sour) juice, it smelled so terrible when Grandma was making it in the big crocks on the porch. Several years later we discovered Grandpa's still, and it all started to make more sense. No idea on the recipe, but thanks for promoting a trip down memory lane!

[Peter Kelly]

Kräuter-Likör

250g sugar
100ml water
800ml vodka
Juice from one lemon
Juice from one orange
60g Lemon zest

60g each fresh herbs (finely chopped)
Mint
Basil
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Citronella (not for everyone)

In a sauce pan bring sugar and water to a boil and allow to darken slightly, remove from heat and cool a bit to warm but still workable. Pour chopped herbs in a large glass jar adding the slightly caramelized sugar. Add vodka, orange and lemon juice, close tightly and let stand for 6 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain and decant into a clean bottle after 6 weeks.

Lots of other recipes out there too, just takes some trial runs to get the combinations of herbs adjusted. Probably need to adjust the rosemary as I think it is a bit dominant.

[Jim Koepke]

Maybe it is akin to this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartreuse_(liqueur)

There are too many ways of using herbs to flavor spirits that it would almost be impossible to guess what your ancestors may have concocted.

If you are lucky it may be a regional tradition with some online recipe.

This page doesn't have a recipe, but it indicates there is more knowledge to be found:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kräuterlikör

If it is for an after dinner drink, it would likely have fennel and lovage. This would result in a licorice and celery flavor. Lovage has been used for centuries to sooth the stomach.

jtk

[Wade Lippman]

Dissolve a Ricola cough drop in vodka?

[Peter Kelly]

Can also by the dry ingredients to make with your own white spirits (vodka, rum, etc). Process is the same as described above.
https://www.amazon.de/Teegalerie-Anno-1773-Ansatzlikör-Ansatzgewürz/dp/B00OYIPUJA

[Jason Roehl]

And then there's Malört. Search for the commercial (Jeppson's unaired). Maybe it's not your brand of humor, but I thought it was a riot. Even funnier to me since I have imbibed that particular spirit (we have cellphone video of that occasion--also hilarious).

[Tim Bueler]

Steve, my fond memories are of family gathered around a big table when Swiss relatives came from the "Old Country" for a visit. There were always many forms of distilled spirits. Often these spirits were added to coffee. Of course, being Swiss, the measurement of added spirits needed to be very precise. Exactly 2 teaspoons, no more, no less. The measure started by turning the spoon upside down :rolleyes: :D

Interestingly, the spirits our relatives brought were almost always home brews. They claimed it was easier to get a distillers license in Switzerland at the time than it was to get a drivers license. I have no idea of the validity of that claim but it makes for a good story.

[Tim Bueler]

Jason that was both hilarious and disgusting!

[Tim Bueler]

Thank you guys for the comments and links. I'll be looking at those closer when time permits. I do remember a hint of licorice aroma and flavor but I know there were many more herbs involved. Peter your link to the Amazon.de herbs may be the ticket but my high school German said Auf Wiedersehen a long time ago. Is there a way to display that page in English. Otherwise I'll take it as a good translation exercise.

Thanks again!

[Peter Kelly]

There's a small button just below the magnifying lens on the search bar the reads "DE". Select "EN" for Amazon.de in English. The search term for the dry ingredient packages is "ansatzlikör".

Sometimes you can also find either Kuemmerling or Underberg in the US. Both come in small bottles so you'd want to buy a box of them.

[Lee Schierer]

I did a search for kräuterlikör and found this at this site (https://keeprecipes.com/recipe/howtocook/topfenschau-am-beeren-kr%c3%a4uterlik%c3%b6r-ragout):

Ingredients:

185 g Topfen
1 Stk. Vanilleschote ausgekratzt
0.75 Stk. Zitrone Fruchtsaft
375 g Sahne
3 Stk. Eiweiß
90 g Zucker
Für das Beeren-Kräuterlikör-Ragout
700 g TK-Beerenmischung
375 g Beerenmischung frisch
300 g Zucker
Weißwein
Kräuterlikör
Für die Garnitur gegebenenfalls:
5 Stk. Minzblätter
5 Stk. Schokotropfen
See original recipe at vox.de

[Peter Kelly]

Lee, that's a recipe for a desert made with kräuterlikör. Topfen (quark) and Sahne (cream) are dairy products.

Might be good though!

[Tim Bueler]

Thanks Peter, I'll be checking that out.

[Lee Schierer]

Lee, that's a recipe for a desert made with kräuterlikör. Topfen (quark) and Sahne (cream) are dairy products.

Might be good though!

It looked sort of strange because it looked like butter was an ingredient. 5 Stk. Minzblätter

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

If it is like a few things with the PA Dutch, (a mixture of German Swiss and a few Dutch from Holland) here in central PA, ingredients change slightly every 30 miles further down the road. Most of the herbal knowledge the old timers had was altered due to no longer having the same herbs, or using new world herbs. There are a few elderly around who still speak of "making brandy" which merely means a whiskey with sweetener and spices added. My grandfather had a "remedy" which was heavy on Lemon, honey and a few other things added to whiskey and then set in the closet a few months to infuse. When finished it was thick like a syrup. He added it to coffee and tea., but only after dinner. And I recall it was about a double shot glass worth added. He let me have a taste on a spoon once and it was like cough syrup but fiery and twice as nasty. He put Lemon and honey into lots of things anyway. Ice Tea, etc. I was just a preschooler back then and don't remember much about it.

[Peter Kelly]

There are a few elderly around who still speak of "making brandy" which merely means a whiskey with sweetener and spices added.In Germany it's "Obstbrand" or fruit brandy (France "Eau de vie"). There's a great bar within a restaurant around Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin that specializes in these types of drinks. Always amazed at the range of flavors. Great stuff.