I’ve enjoyed cherries my whole life. Except for that one time when I was 11 and ate an entire box of chocolate covered cherries in one sitting. I didn’t eat cherries, or chocolate, for a couple years after that. With that single hiatus, I’ve always enjoyed cherries.

Fresh cherries are just about the best thing I can imagine snacking on, especially in late June. To me, they reflect the brightness, richness, and goodness of summertime.

Karl Jacob and Elizabeth Kasper both came from Baden- Württemberg. That area of today’s Germany is known for sensational cherry-based desserts (e.g., Kirschmichel, Kirschstreusel, Kirschkuchen) and liqueurs such as Kirschwasser, Kirschschnaps, and Kirsch Wein.

The various types of cherry brandies, schnapps, and wine and how they are made can get confusing, and the terminology is sometimes debated. I’ve noted a great article by Jethro Kang below if you want to know more on the various types of cherry liqueurs.

Kirschwasser is a clear, colorless fruit brandy distilled from cherry mash. It was originally made from sour morello cherries common in The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) area of Germany which is south of Baden- Württemberg. Today, Kirschwasser is produced in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Alsace region of France. It is an alcoholic drink usually served as an aperitif (before a meal) or a digestif (after a meal) and often well-chilled or over ice.

Many cherry liqueurs retain the deep rich red color of the cherries. Some of these liqueurs are not distilled or are made from ingredients that have already been distilled (such as vodka).

I make my own version of Cherry Liqueur each summer and would like to share my recipe with you. I imagine that my Great-Great Grandmother Elizabeth Kasper, her parents, and ancestors would have made something that tasted something like the result of my recipe. The recipe I use couldn’t be simpler or easier and has produced many enjoyable batches over the years.

If you enjoy cherries, can safely consume alcohol, and are over the legal age to drink in your locale, I hope you will try to make it yourself. Enjoy!

For further reading:

Kang, J. (2017). 4 things to know about cherry Liqueurs. https://www.drinkmagazine.asia/2017/06/20/four-things-cherry-liqueurs/

Uncle Chris Ringle’s Cherry Liqueur

Preparation:

· Quart size canning jars, washed and heat-dried (Have at least 6 jars ready for one batch of this recipe)

· Canning lids for your jars. When using the 2-part ring and lid system, do not wash the lids. Do wash, or at least rinse, the rings.

Ingredients for one batch

(Note, you can multiply the ingredients for one batch to make as many batches as you have cherries.)

· 1-1/2 pounds (24 ounces) red cherries. I prefer Bing, or Queen Anne (Royal) if I want a sweeter liqueur, Morello if I want a less sweet liqueur. I do not recommend Rainier cherries for this liqueur.

· 1-3/4 cups granulated (cane) sugar. You can use a little more or a little less, depending on how sweet you’d like your liqueur.

· 2-1/2 cups vodka. I use Tito’s American brand vodka distilled from corn. You could easily use a different brand of corn-based vodka (e.g., Deep Eddy) or vodka distilled from wheat (e.g., Effen, Grey Goose, Ketel One, Absolut), potatoes (e.g., Chopin, Luksusowa, Reyka), or grapes (e.g., Ciroc) if you wish. I don’t recommend cheap or very inexpensive vodka for this recipe. This is an instance of “you get what you pay for.”

· 1 cup Disaronno Originale Italian Liqueur. This is an amaretto or almond-tasting liqueur. In the past I’ve experimented with alternatives such as Frangelico, Grand Marnier, and Mandarin Napoleon. I like Disaronno best for this recipe.

· Cinnamon sticks broken into pieces, each about 1 inch long.

Directions:

1. Mix the vodka, Disaronno, and sugar in a large glass measure or mixing bowl. Stir very well to dissolve. Let this mixture rest while preparing your cherries.

2. Drop the 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick into the bottom of each quart jar.

3. Remove stems then wash the cherries very well with cool, clear water. Do NOT remove the pits (the stones).

4. Take a handful of cherries, slide them into a plastic bag, then gently smash them with a small hammer to open them. Your objective here is to open them slightly, not pulverize them.

5. Place the smashed cherries into the quart jars, directly on top of the cinnamon. Put in as many cherries as you wish into each jar. If you want more liqueur, put in fewer cherries. Want more cherry flavor? Put in more cherries. I try to put in about 10-12 cherries per jar.

6. Stir the liquid mixture one last time then pour the dissolved liquid mixture over the cherries up to about 1 inch from the top of the jar.

7. Cap the jar tightly with the rings and lids.

8. For the next 3 weeks, let the jars rest upside down for a few hours, then turn them back right-side up. Keep doing this as often as you think of it. Turn them at least twice a day over these 21 days to evenly distribute the flavors.

9. Store your jars right-side up in a cool, dark place for at least four months. Don’t rush this!

10. Refrigerate one jar at a time and serve the liqueur chilled or over ice.

11. I personally don’t like the taste of the cherries once they’ve been used in this recipe, so I strain the liqueur through a strainer and discard the cherries. However, you might like the drunken cherries.

This year’s batch of Uncle Chris Ringle’s Cherry Liqueur. Prost!