Alewyfe Aquavit (aka, "Lie-nie")
A bracing beverage, infused with Scandinavian flavors of caraway, dill, and spice. This is fantastic chilled or served over ice, in a Viking Bloody Mary, or in mixed drinks. I like to add a bit of lingonberry or rhubarb syrup to a shot of aquavit on ice and top up with soda water for a refreshing summer cooler. Use a decent quality vodka here, but not the most expensive - save the dusty old bottle of Popov for cleaning windows, but you don't need to go high-end for this either... or frankly, ever, unless you enjoy lighting money on fire- save the premium labels for the brown liquor and gin, ok? Skål!
Ingredients
- 1.75 L vodka (I use Kirkland's)
- 2 tbsp whole Indian coriander seed lightly toasted
- 5 tsp caraway seed
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 small lemon, zest only, or 2 dried lemon slices
- fresh dill sprigs small bundle (about ¼" x 6")
- 1 split black cardamom pod (optional)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients (adjust proportions and ingredients to your preference) to the bottle (a small funnel is very helpful here). You may need to remove an oz or so depending on how much headspace there is in the bottle.
- Put the bottle in a cool, dark place and shake it once a day or so. Taste after a few days and let steep until you are satisfied with it (up to a few weeks).
- Strain through a filter funnel (line with a coffee filter for better clarity) and bottle either in the original bottle or smaller gift bottles. Enjoy!
Oak-Aged Variation ("Lie-nie")
- After straining, add a bit of medium toasted oak chips (go easy on the oak, start with maybe half an ounce at first, as it's easy to overdo oak- you can always add more!) or a couple ¾" cubes of oak. You can find these in winemaking and homebrew shops or online, don't just add sawdust from your shop, unless your shop is a cooperage, ok?
- Sample periodically and strain again when you've reached the desired amount of oak character. Bonus step for extra authenticity: Find a friend with a boat and convince them to stow your oaked bottle below deck for a year while they circumnavigate the globe. Then convince them to give you the bottle back. Good luck!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
