By Malu Lambert
Photography Alex Bozas, Styling Pippa Briers-Danks & Taryn Hickson

A spoonful of washing powder, a squeeze of Sunlight liquid, a pinch of cat hair and a deceiving swirl of Milo. All these ingredients merge viciously into my mixologist’s coffee mug. My witch’s brew is ready, cunningly disguised as a welcoming, malty drink. Who will be my unsuspecting victim? Will it be the cat? Or perhaps my brother? What about the more deserving Ken and Barbie?
This was how I used to spend my afternoons as a nefarious 10-year-old. But, those sunny Sunlight liquid filled days are long gone. It’s time to try my hand at a kinder alchemy. I’m going to make my own liqueur.

There are four ways to make liqueur. The first is the process of maceration. This is where the raw material you are using (roses, nuts, herbs) is immersed in alcohol until the spirit absorbs the flavour.

Then there is infusion. This technique is very similar to maceration, the only difference is the alcohol is heated over a period of several days. Infusion sounds a bit dangerous. Alone in the kitchen for several days with an open flame and bubbling raw alcohol—it’s best to leave that to the professionals.

The third technique is percolation. The ingredient you decide to use is placed in a receptacle and the alcohol is brought to the boil so that the vapours can rise and percolate through the chosen ingredient and end up in the main chamber. For this method an old coffee percolator should do the trick. Although I don’t recommend trying it at home—it will be difficult to come up with a good end product using make-shift equipment.

The final technique, distillation, goes way back in history. It is up for debate about which nation was the first to distil alcohol. Some argue it was the ancient Egyptians, others say it was the Persians. There is no arguing the fact that in the 17th century the monks of the Chartreuse monastery in Vauvert (a suburb of Paris) made the world’s most famous liqueur, Elixir Vegetal de la Grande-Chartreuse (The Elixir of Long Life).

This liqueur was first intended as a medicine. It contained many different types of herbs and botanical products and its health properties were renowned across France. We can imagine why. It soon gained popularity as a refreshing beverage and the crafty monks distilled a lighter version, known as The Green Chartreuse.

Just as the monks of the 17th century used potstills to distil liqueur, the same method is used by distillers today. Distillation uses heat to extract flavour and then the vapours are distilled into a concentrate. In this way the essential oils are extracted, thereby creating an intense flavour base.

If rumours are to be believed, there was another way to distil: wine was heated in an animal bladder, which would draw out the water leaving mostly the alcohol behind. This method seems a bit too grisly for the happy potions I wish to create.
I’m getting romantic here. I’m dreaming about primordial potstills bubbling away in a medieval apothecary, cackling away as I invent elixirs for the soul and body. On the return trip to earth I realise my ancient dusty apothecary is my modern kitchen, I don’t have a pointy hat and there is no snivelling, toady assistant in sight.
What I do have, however, is a charming liqueur recipe book that was published in 1991 called Maak Jou Eie Likeur by Jean Dickson. The book has just under a hundred recipes, ranging from granaat (pomegranate) to rooi roos (red rose). The recipes in the book are geared toward the maceration process. So, it sounds easy enough. A little bit of clever mixing and a lot of waiting and I’ll have the real-deal liqueur.

I have decided to make a red rose petal liqueur and a classic orange liqueur. Both recipes are delightfully simple for an end product that is quite special. I make the orange one first. My equipment is straightforward, all I need is a glass bottle or bowl, with a seal that fits securely and a bottle to eventually store the liqueur in.

The mixture must sit for eight weeks and all it needs is a brisk shake everyday. The only trick to making a really flavourful liqueur is to make sure the ingredients you use have an intense aroma and a deep colour.

People have been mixing drinks, fermenting fruit and making sour mash for centuries. Some experiments have not been so successful, some rather poisonous in fact. There are countless stories about people going blind or even dying from homemade moonshine. That is why it’s best to leave the actual alcohol making to the professionals.

Once the liqueurs are ready, they can be used in a variety of ways, the only limitation is your imagination. Use them swirled on top of ice cream or in a glass of bubbly to make a rose kir royale. Drizzle it over fresh fruit to enhance their flavour. Or, simply pop a few ice-cubes in and enjoy it after dinner.
Some liqueurs have health benefits and can help ease digestion and cramping. As well as lift the spirits, of course. Look out for liqueurs that contain buchu, fennel, fynbos or even Aloe Vera.

How Wildebraam Does It
Swellendam is the largest youngberry producer in the world, which makes it an ideal setting to make liqueur. Martyn and Natalie Turck are the owners of Wildebraam Berry Estate, and they love to star gaze, occasionally play some golf and enjoy jumbo-sized springbokkies with their own Peppermint Liqueur.

What are your thoughts on pairing liqueurs with food?
Natalie: We love them. They’re wonderful paired with desserts but also suit many other dishes. A good one is foie gras with Honey Liqueur or a drizzle of Fennel Liqueur over a Kingklip Bouillabaisse.

How did Wildebraam’s begin?
Martyn: I guess you could say it grew out of a family hobby of making liqueur, with many experiments taking place in the garage. I grew up on a youngberry farm and developed a love for red wine while studying in Stellenbosch. So it seemed natural we start a company specialising in berry products. It all began in 1998, we were proud to offer three products at the start: Youngberry liqueur, syrup and jam. Today, Wildebraam has grown tremendously and we produce over 75 different deli products including a range of liqueurs, syrups, jams, chutneys, relishes and pickled chillies. Would you say these liqueurs have any health benefits?
Natalie: Well honey is a natural antibiotic so it’s good for colds and flu. If you’re feeling slightly under the weather mix Honey Liqueur with some lemon juice, and serve it as a hot toddy. The Fennel Liqueur is excellent for digestion as it helps with cramps, winds and water retention. Have it after dinner as a digestive. Our Rooibos Tea is made from rooibos concentrate and while it’s got plenty of antioxidants I can’t vouch for its anti-ageing properties once you mix it with alcohol.

How do you make the Wildebraam Youngberry Liqueur?
Martyn: First we extract the juice of the youngberries by slowly pressing them through a hydraulic basket press. This juice is then filtered and stored in a large cold room until we’re ready to make the liqueur. Then we blend the fruit juice with a KWV spirits and a grape concentrate. It’s very, very important that the ingredients are blended in the right quantities and in the right manner to make sure the delicate flavours aren’t destroyed in the mixing process. And I suggest you serve it with sparkling wine to make a South African Kir Royale.

Talking about cocktails, do you have a favourite?
Martyn: Yes, the ‘wild sex on the beach’—a lovely tropical cocktail: 1 tot Youngberry Liqueur, 1 tot Melon Vodka, 4 tots Pineapple Juice, Dash of lemon juice all served on crushed ice.