Cognac is an elite alcoholic drink highly appreciated by connoisseurs. It is made from grape alcohol using a complex technology, and a quality product is not a cheap pleasure. In addition, it can be difficult for an uneducated consumer to choose good alcohol in a store. It is not surprising that homemade cognac recipes are popular among many folk craftsmen. They allow you to achieve a good imitation of an elite drink, delighting with a bouquet of tastes and aromas.
Vanilla-flavored cognac
So that homemade alcohol can be called cognac, albeit with a stretch, it is very important to clean the moonshine well, remove the unpleasant smell of fusel oils. This can be done with baking soda: add 2 teaspoons per 1 liter of liquid, mix well and leave for 24 hours. Shake the moonshine once during the cleaning process. When the sediment falls to the bottom, drain the top, transparent layer of the drink.
If you replace moonshine with vodka when preparing a homemade alcoholic drink, you will not need to clean the cognac base. In any case, the alcohol must be strong - at least 45%.
To give alcohol its characteristic cognac color, some add tea, coffee or other additives to it. An excellent homemade drink can be infused on dried internal partitions of walnuts - a handful on a three-liter can of purified moonshine. Place a tablespoon of large leaf black tea in the liquid and season with a tablespoon of vanilla sugar, the same amount of cumin and 5-6 cloves.
Throw a pinch of citric acid into a container with alcohol and close the dishes with a nylon lid. Infuse homemade cognac at room temperature away from direct sunlight for two weeks to a month, until it acquires a rich color and taste. Filter the drink thoroughly through white flannel or cheesecloth before drinking.
You can buy potassium permanganate at the pharmacy, this is an excellent means for cleansing moonshine. You need to put 2 g in 3 liters of drink and wait for the sediment to settle. To speed up the process, the jar can be held in a water bath for 15 minutes.
Cognac on oak bark
Real cognac is aged in oak barrels for at least two years, which gives this "alcoholic elite" a characteristic bouquet. It is no coincidence that experienced home-grown winemakers prefer to use oak bark to infuse a home-made drink - a very successful imitation of a popular product is obtained. For this cognac recipe, stock up on oak bark in advance. The easiest way is to buy it at a pharmacy, but you can also prepare it yourself at home: cut from a young oak tree, break into small chips and dry.
Fill a glass jar with oak bark, leaving the crockery free about a third. Pour in strong peeled moonshine and sweeten it with a tablespoon of granulated sugar (as an option, you can add 2 powdered glucose tablets). Insist the alcoholic drink for at least a month in a dark room, away from drafts. After aging, filter the cognac very well.
If you wish, you can diversify this recipe by making the drink spicy. To your taste, add cinnamon, allspice, vanillin, lavrushka, rose hips to the oak bark. Any homemade drink is unique, so do not be afraid to experiment when preparing it.
