Homemade Elderflower liqueur

Dr. Cork

Bitters

Elderflower

Gin

Lime

Tonic

Whiskey

Elderflower liqueur is a secret ingredient that elevates any cocktail, but not everyone has a bottle of St-Germain lying around. In this video, I’ll finally show you how to make elderflower liqueur at home using dried elderflowers — rich, aromatic, and much cheaper than store-bought versions. Then, I'll make some cocktails with it: Elderflower Gin & Tonic, Elderflower Old Fashioned, and the original cocktail Grandma Martina.

Ingredients

8 g Dried Elderflowers
350 ml Vodka
150 ml Water
150 g Sugar
Zest of half a medium Lemon
10–12 ml lemon juice (or 1–1.5 g citric acid)

Elderflower Gin & Tonic

1½ oz. / 45 ml Dry Gin
½ oz. / 15 ml Elderflower liqueur
¼ oz. / 7 ml Lime or Lemon juice
3 oz. / 90 ml Tonic water
Garnish with a Lime wheel
Build in a Highball glass over ice

Elderflower Old Fashioned

2 oz. / 60 ml Whiskey (bourbon, rye, or Irish)
½ oz. / 15 ml Elderflower liqueur
2 dashes Orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Garnish with Orange peel and fresh elderflower (if available)
Stir in an Old Fashioned glass with ice

Psychic Grandma Martina

2 oz. / 60 ml Gin
1 oz. / 30 ml Elderflower liqueur
¾ oz. / 22 ml Lemon juice
½ oz. / 15 ml Lavender syrup
2–3 dashes Butterfly pea flower tea (blue tea)
Garnish with a Lemon wedge
Shake and serve in a spheric glass

Blue Butterfly Pea Tea

1 tbsp butterfly pea flower tea
200 ml hot water
Let steep for 10 minutes, then strain

Recipe

Combine dried elderflowers and lemon zest with vodka in a clean glass jar with a lid.
Seal tightly and infuse in a cool, dark place for 1–2 weeks, gently shaking the jar every 1–2 days. The longer the infusion, the richer the flavor.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve and a paper coffee filter (or multiple layers of cheesecloth).
Make a simple syrup (1:1) by mixing sugar and water in a saucepan until dissolved.
Combine the cooled syrup with the infused vodka, then add either citric acid or well-strained lemon juice.
Transfer to a clean bottle and let sit for at least a week to allow the flavors to marry.
For a more complex flavor, you can add a small piece of vanilla bean during infusion, or ½ oz. / 15 ml of pear brandy at the end
Homemade elderflower liqueur keeps for 6–12 months in a cool, dark place.