Sweet gale schnapps

Sweet gale schnapps - based on fresh, young sweet gale leaves - is one of the most popular flavoured schnappses here in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries.

It's produced commercially, but the homemade schnapps tastes much, much better.

It's a sweetish and very aromatic schnapps with a wonderful taste and fragrance.

When just made the colour is light green. But during storage the colour changes to yellow or light brown.

Enjoy on its own - or serve with seafoods, soups, stews, cheese or cold dishes such as the Danish smorgasbord.

Or add it to bitter chocolate desserts.

Sweet gale schnapps blends very well with...
crowberry schnapps · southernwood schnapps · star anise schnapps.

Sweet gale

The sweet gale plant - also known as English bog myrtle, bayberry or Dutch myrtle - is a deciduous, low growing and bushy shrub.

It has blue-green leaves that are toothed at the end - and beautiful, yellow-green flowers arranged in short, stalkless catkins.

Leaves and stems have resinous, fragrant glands - and if you crush the leaves between your fingers you will enjoy a wonderful, aromatic fragrance.

The fruit catkins are brown nutlets containing resin.

Here in Denmark, sweet gale grows wild in west, middle and north Jutland (Jylland), while it's rarely found in other parts of the country.

It grows in moist, acid soil in shrubs, heath areas, raised bogs, and along lakes and streams.

The aromatic resin contained in the leaves and nutlets is said to be poisonous. An overdose could result in digestive and nervous disorders. In moderate doses, however, it's perfectly safe.

Leaves and berries can be added to soups, stews and meat dishes.

In England sweet gale is used to flavour ale, known as Gale Beer.

More information about the sweet gale plant

Recipe

Use fresh, young sweet gale leaves.

You can pick and use the leaves throughout the season.

But you get the best result if you pick the newly full-blown leaves during springtime.

You can freeze the leaves for later use. Just remember to defrost them in the vodka.

Direction:

• Rinse the leaves carefully.
• Leave them to dry in the shadow - on paper towel.

  If you dry them for one or two days you get a more strong-flavoured schnapps. Try to experiment.

• Use a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Put 1 deciliter leaves in the jar.
• Add 70 centiliter clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% (80 proof).
• Steep for 1-2 days - in a dark place at room temperature,
  18-20°C (64-68°F).

  If you use leaves that are picked later in the season you might want to steep 1 or 2 days more.

• 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 sweet gale schnapps after it has settled for a couple of days.

But the schnapps gets even better if you store (age) it for a couple of months or more - in a dark place at room temperature.

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 sweet gale 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.