Brandy gets all wintery in this Winter Solstice Brew with flavors of anise, cinnamon, vanilla, orange and black pepper! Makes wonderful homemade Christmas gifts!
Post may contain affiliate links, full disclosure on sidebar.
Winter Solstice Brew
According to the weather forecasters, it’s going to be a cold and snowy winter. I’m ready for it. I made this Winter Solstice Brew from Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects
Click here to pin this Winter Solstice Brew now!
This is one that I am really excited about. Who doesn’t love a good infused brandy, especially one infused all wintery with cinnamon and oranges and vanilla. I imagine this is in hot tea, or in one of those cute brandy snifter glasses that make me feel all Masterpiece Theatre as I swirl my brandy around in them.
The good news is that this infuses for about 5 weeks, so if you start it now, right now, you can have it in time for the holidays.
Some more infusions you might like: Chamomile Pear Infused Vodka and Homemade Candy Cane Vodka.
Winter Solstice Brew
You are going to love the warm spicy flavors in this Winter Solstice Brew!
Ingredients
- 4 cups brandy
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick 8-inch
- 1 vanilla bean sliced lengthwise
- 4 small sweet navel oranges scrubbed, dried, and chopped into 4 to 6 pieces
- 24 black peppercorns
Instructions
-
Combine all the ingredients in a clean, odor free wide-mouthed glass jar (all the better if you have a wonderful old canning jar). Label the jar, cap it tightly and store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking daily.
-
Strain through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter. Return the infusion to it’s jar, recap it, put it back in a cool, dark place, and let it continue to mellow for 3 more weeks.
-
Refrigerate or store in a cool dark pantry almost indefinitely!
Recipe Notes
Note this recipe takes only about 5 minutes to gather your ingredients. Then the brew ages for 5 weeks.
This week I am linking up with:
Amaze Me Monday |
Lou Lou Girls |
| The Scoop
The Hearth and Soul |
The SITS Girls |
Full Plate Thursday |
Thursday Favorite Things |
Foodie Friday |
Country Cook Weekend Potluck
I just found this recipe and I’m so upset…….that I didn’t find it sooner! This will be a staple. It looks so pretty. I can’t wait to taste it!!!
It’s so good! You’ll have to let me know what you think!
Absolutely lovely. I used this for my blot on solstice and had the rest with my family on christmas day. It went down a treat!
No wonder you are excited, Pam, your Winter Solstice Brew looks amazing! I love all the wonderful fresh flavours in this infused brandy. Pinning and sharing. Thank you so much for bringing this wonderful recipe to The Hearth and Soul Link Party. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Couldn’t fit 4 cups of brandy in my jar so used 3 cups. Only used 1 Orange and added about 10 cloves and 10 whole coriander in place of vanilla bean. It’s resting under the sink right now. Can’t wait to try it for Christmas.
. . . and we are to havr a scorching summer, so I will be looking for the summer solstice version. Enjoy!
This looks and smells delicious! Only thing is …… I made this LAST autumn ie 2015 and left it at the back of the cupboard and with a rather ‘complicated’ year, forgot about it till now, 30th October 2016 !! I need to strain it and taste it! It looks gorgeous still and hasn’t gone all dark and miserable! I might add some sugar or better honey if I find it too dry (although the local honey is very strong flavoured and gorgeous but I don’t want to overpower the ‘Brew’ !).
I will come back and tell you what it turns out like !
Can this be made without the peppercorns? What are the peppercorns for?
Peppercorn & Citrus brandy is so unique! I can’t wait to try this during the chilly months. Does the citrus over power the peppercorns? Because I like it spicy & would add some more peppers to the recipe. =]
+1 looks very interesting
Thank you for sharing this. It was really yummy! And I look forward to topping our Irish Christmas cake with some of it when we head down to my family for the holidays!
Jessica – yes it all gets strained out and then the flavors just mellow. I just had some this weekend and it’s good!
Thanks!
It sounds — and looks — wonderful! I saw it on Food in Jars.
I have a question about the straining step at the two-week point. All the fruits and spices get removed at that point, and just the flavored brandy gets put back in the jar to mellow? I’ve got a cherry bourbon that’s been steeping, fruit and all, for months now, which may account for my uncertainty. Thanks!
With you on this one… YUM!
I just started a jar of this brew. I also added a couple of cloves some sliced ginger and a bit of nutmeg to it. I can hardly wait for Christmas. Thanks for the recipe.
LOVE this recipe! Just what I need with my tight budget this holiday season! I might just get to liking it so much though I’ll drink it all before Christmas 🙂
Cynthia Crane
http://www.TheCranesNest.com
you can keep your cold and snowy winter, pam. keep it far away from me! i know it’s inevitable, though, and the flavors in this delightful brew can aid in calming me down when the storms hit. 🙂
Keep up with the jarred liquor stashed around the house and the “revenooers” might think you’re Popcorn Sutton (ha!). Nice brandy, I could see using it in a flambe.
Infuse my pretty!
this just screams Christmas to me – I would love to experience a snowy Xmas!
Very nice.
Ah, so the “senior moments” are beginning to attack? I just tell everyone to suck it up and live with forgetfulness. Or, I guess I could give them some of your winter brew, and they’d never notice if I forget something!
Yummy! I think I’ll try this one. Thanks.
looks so pretty, one sip and no reading that night for me…
Cheers!
You’ll be all nice and warm from the inside out this coming winter. Remind your loved ones to keep you well away from the fire.
All that alcohol… 😉
Wow – that looks awesome and I love the idea of the peppercorns in it too. I’m off to buy some brandy!
I swear….You find the best recipes! Thanks for sharing this. Blessings, SusanD
I agree with Lydia — this would make a beautiful gift!
Sounds good to me!! I hope they are wrong on the winter, but I have a suspicion it will be a cold one too.
I know we will have snow very soon in this corner; nice way to have your brandy. I couldn’t find your blog I was following; am I losing it? could be.
Rita
Now that I know you hide infused booze around the house, I might just drop in for a visit! Seriously, this is a great gift idea for the holidays.
Oy. I am NOT prepared for cold and snowy! I think I need to move in with you and all of your infused alcohol. I’m going to need it.