Saint John's Wort Schnapps

This schnapps is based on the flower buds from the perforated Saint John's wort - and it's one of the finest flavoured schnappses you can make.

It has a beautiful deep red colour, a quite unique and aromatic flavour, and a very characteristic taste of strawberry, vanilla and dark spices that's difficult to describe.

It's a schnapps with great softness and roundness, and yet with considerable taste intensity.

Enjoy on its own - or serve with mussels, shrimps, lobsters, hot chili dishes, all types of cheese and cheese cakes.

Also, see how you can easily...
turn your Saint John's wort schnapps into a liqueur.

Perforated Saint John's Wort

Hypericum perforatum

You can see it if you hold a leaf to the light.

The fragrant flowers are bright yellow/orange with numerous stamens and five petals with oil glands.

There are other species of Saint John's wort, but this one (Hypericum perforatum) is the best for schnapps making.

Here in Denmark, perforated Saint John's wort is common throughout the country, where it grows in semi-dry soil in coastal areas, meadows, fields, road ditches, shrub edges, on dry hillsides and near woods and hedgerows.

More information about perforated Saint John's wort

Recipe

Use fully developed flower buds from the perforated Saint John's wort.

If you crush a bud and see small dark red drops coming out, you will know that the buds are fully developed and ready to be picked.

Leave the sepals on the plant, or remove them from the buds before steeping. The sepals make the schnapps bitter and unpleasant.

Pick the flower buds before noon or before the sun becomes too hot.

You can easily keep flower buds from the perforated Saint John's wort in your freezer for later use.

Direction:

• If necessary, rinse the flower buds carefully.
• Leave them to dry in the shadow - on paper towel.
• Put 1/2 deciliter (a small coffee cup full) flower buds into a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Cover with 70 centiliter clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% alcohol content (80 proof).
• Steep for anywhere between 3 days and 3 weeks in a dark place at room temperature, 18-20°C (64-68°F).
• Shake lightly and taste it from time to time.
• Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.

You can serve your schnapps after it has settled for a couple of days.

Or you can store (age) it for several years - in a dark place at room temperature.

During storage the colour of your schnapps will change from dark red to red-brown and eventually dark brown - and the taste will become more round and soft.

If necessary, dilute your schnapps with the same type of vodka you used as base. Leave it a couple of days to settle.

I usually dilute my Saint John's wort schnapps to the extent when it becomes translucent. First then the extraordinary fine flavours appear. But that's my opinion. Dilute it so it suits your taste.

Note: If for some reason you are not satisfied with your infusion, there are ways to adjust both taste and flavours - click here to see how.

Serve your schnapps at room temperature in suitable glasses. And remember to keep your schnapps bottle tightly closed and in a dark place before and between servings.








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