SIP IT: Apricot Gin

This recipe isn’t for the impatient, but it’s totally worth it. Your future self will thank you for your foresight.

INGREDIENTS

700 g apricots

700 ml gin

100 g sugar

Wash and dry your apricots. Halve the fruit, and toss the pits (reserving five pits for your liqueur). Crack the pits gently. I use a hammer, but wrap the pits in a dish towel first so that they don’t shatter. Remove the kernels, and place them with the apricots in a large jar. Cover with gin and sugar. Close your jar.

Place your jar in a dark place. Shake every couple of days to help the sugar dissolve. From here, it’s a waiting game. At minimum, you’re aiming for two months. Of course, this means you have to do taste tests along the way to ensure quality!

Once your gin is to your liking, strain through cheesecloth or coffee filter, and place in tightly sealed bottles. Once in the bottle, let it age for a more few months. It will change and improve over time, which is half of the fun.