Sweet Vermouth
By Nicole KonstantinakosPublished on November 18, 2020
Yield
Makes about 32 ounces
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer to use Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris in French), but you can substitute your favorite unoaked dry white wine. You can purchase dried wormwood, chamomile flowers, hibiscus flowers, and quassia bark chips online or in specialty spice shops; look for chips that are approximately ¼ inch in size. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. You will need a quart-size glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
Instructions
- Combine vodka, raisins, orange zest, bay leaf, wormwood, chamomile flowers, juniper berries, quassia bark chips, coriander seeds, sage, thyme, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods, and star anise pod in quart-size glass jar. Cover and store jar in cool, dark place for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Set fine-mesh strainer in medium bowl and line with triple layer of cheesecloth. Strain vodka mixture through prepared strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Set aside.
- If using hibiscus, combine flowers and 4 ounces boiling water in bowl and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into separate bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Combine sugar and 2 ounces boiling water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber-colored around edges of saucepan. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until caramel is evenly dark amber, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, carefully whisk in either hibiscus tea or remaining 4 ounces boiling water (mixture will bubble and steam) until syrup is smooth. Immediately transfer caramel to large bowl and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Add infused vodka, wine, and caramel to clean jar, cover, and gently shake to combine. (Sweet Vermouth can be refrigerated for up to 3 months. Shake gently before using.)
Yield
Makes about 32 ouncesIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
We tasted many commercially produced sweet vermouths; our favorites were at once herbal (redolent of their namesake herb, wormwood, plus notes of sage and thyme), floral, bitter, and warmly spiced. For our homemade version, we used the same basic method as for our Dry Vermouth, but we added golden raisins for their concentrated fruity sweetness, and we emphasized the warmer spices and floral flavors while keeping the herbal notes in balance. For enriched sweetening and to contribute to the color, we made an easy stovetop caramel syrup, adding it to our mixture of aromatized wine and vodka. The optional hibiscus flowers bring it closer to the garnet shade of commercial vermouths, but they may be omitted.
Before You Begin
We prefer to use Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris in French), but you can substitute your favorite unoaked dry white wine. You can purchase dried wormwood, chamomile flowers, hibiscus flowers, and quassia bark chips online or in specialty spice shops; look for chips that are approximately ¼ inch in size. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. You will need a quart-size glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
Instructions
- Combine vodka, raisins, orange zest, bay leaf, wormwood, chamomile flowers, juniper berries, quassia bark chips, coriander seeds, sage, thyme, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods, and star anise pod in quart-size glass jar. Cover and store jar in cool, dark place for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Set fine-mesh strainer in medium bowl and line with triple layer of cheesecloth. Strain vodka mixture through prepared strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Set aside.
- If using hibiscus, combine flowers and 4 ounces boiling water in bowl and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into separate bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Combine sugar and 2 ounces boiling water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber-colored around edges of saucepan. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until caramel is evenly dark amber, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, carefully whisk in either hibiscus tea or remaining 4 ounces boiling water (mixture will bubble and steam) until syrup is smooth. Immediately transfer caramel to large bowl and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Add infused vodka, wine, and caramel to clean jar, cover, and gently shake to combine. (Sweet Vermouth can be refrigerated for up to 3 months. Shake gently before using.)
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