44 Orange Liqueur Recipe

While researching orange liqueurs, I came across a basic recipe for one called "44 Orange" and had to try it.

It is a traditional european apertif made using an orange, coffee beans, sugar, and grain alcohol (vodka can also be used in a pinch). Some recipes call for cloves, cinnamon, and honey, but I will probably wait for my next batch to use some of these.

Step 1: Ingredients

Ingredients:
1 Large Orange
6 Tbsp Sugar
44 Coffee Beans
4 Cups Grain Alcohol/ Vodka (highest proof you can find)

You Will Need:

A mason jar, or other airtight container
Knife
Veggie Wash (Optional)

Comments

[mr.space]

Very interesting, i can see why its called 44 Orange liqueur. As to the organic/non-organic argument, i believe the only noticeable flavor enhancement being via GM food, which contrary to popular and media belief is safer than spraying organic fertilizer (i.e. poo) or pesticides of any nature. i'd also like to point out that the most popular pesticide used in orange production is so harmless you would die of Vitamin C poisoning before you died from the pesticide.

[puppygirl]

Hmm--you say "most popular pesticide used in orange production is so harmless you would die of Vitamin C poisoning before you died from the pesticide"
Funny!--Isn't that what they used to say about DDT?
I am afraid you will never convince those like me that suffer from permanent nerve damage from pesticides that any chemical pesticide is harmless. They just haven't used them long enough to find out what kind of damage they will do yet---but they will.

[The Ideanator]

A pesticide that doesn't kill, right. Would you mind linking us to the MSDS for the pesticide(s) your referring to?

[BtheBike]

poo is the only organic fert ? I think there are plenty of ways to deter pests without spraying chems or gene mods .

[mr.space]

Poo isnt the only organic fertilizer. Although there are other ways an genetic modification would last almost indefinitely or at-least a few hundred generations, chemical deterrents are also often simpler to apply, ie dissolved in water and sprayed on, as opposed to introducing a new animal to kill the pests, the new animal itself having a high chance of becoming a pest itself.

[BtheBike]

Currently monoculture and scale may be the main issues due to a lack or unwillingness to understand how things work together. I agree ,there are many examples where introducing a new "beneficial' insect or animal has turned out terribly. Again , due to a lack of understanding . Asian carp anyone? A cheaper and "easier" way often end up being just the opposite .  

As others are saying, there ,of course are many ways to use the term Organic.   

[choicechick1977]

my orange didnt sink :( but looks interesting, half way through now!!

[Pattus]

My Orange floated too and I was worried about it being exposed to the air for that long so I sank it with a shot-glass.  Seemed to work well, I just had to remember not to be too violent when turning the bottle at mix time as to not break or chip the shot-glass.  You can just see it in first few pictures I posted.

[Pattus]

Was day 44 today and I split my brew.
Smells and tastes divine.
I wasn't sure about the coffee beans but I think because they are whole that the flavour isn't harsh or bitter. Just a pleasant coffee smell and after-taste that's very slightly smokey.

I think if you used some of this in a chocolate mousse that you would win awards :D

In case the captions don't come through...
Picture one is Day 22, Half way and the vodka has turned a light Yellow.
All the other pictures are on Day 44.
The discoloration in the picture of the sliced orange is the coffee beans staining the flesh, not rot.
 I yielded slightly less than cup for each of the 4 bottles, my original jar was not big enough for the orange and vodka so I have topped them off with fresh vodka and will leave it for the weekend to prove a bit more.

[Ginger Magnus]

I made this recipe 30 days ago. I added some cloves for depth and it tastes wonderfull!

[storunner13]

Could you fill me in on how it tastes? Does the coffee come through? Could it use more orange or more coffee flavor? More sugar or water? It sounds pretty delicious.

[Christopher B.]

Cubed sugar is in teaspoon volumes... 1 cube = 1 tsp. 6 Tbl. of sugar would only be 18 tsp. so you don't even have half the sugar in the original recipe. 44 tsp. of sugar sounds like it would be WAY too sweet anyway, though.

[Tysonwein]

If you used grain alcohol (note: Everclear grain alcohol is available in 151 proof and in some states, 190 proof) the author suggests you would dilute with 1 cup of water. If you consider that most liqueurs use simple syrup for sweetness and texture, and that simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar, 44 tsp of sugar would end up being slightly weak, but nobody would notice. The missing 4 tsp that would make up an even cup would probably just end up on the kitchen counter anyway. I imagine that if one were using 151 proof, this mixture would probably be a little too sweet for some, but if one were using 190 proof, I'd probably want to dilute it even further, for comfort (chemical burns to the lungs aren't fun!). Not that 190 proof is even sold in California. I'd have to drive to Nevada to get it. Christopher B., this was not meant in any way as an argument, and in fact I appreciate you bringing out the standard expected sugar content for a sugar cube. I just thought I might be able to address the "too sweet" concern. Now I want to try it both ways (4 ways, if one counts trying 6 tsp vs. 44 tsp with 151 proof and again with 190).

[la3bna]

I know this is really good... I have heard the recipe before and tried it my self. It comes out really good.. Be sure to shake well (once a week was suggested to me)

[IBreakHeavyStuff]

Awesome. I think I might rip this off to prepare the liqueur for Sangria. So much more convenient to take to a party. This recipe sans coffee plus the cinnamon in a brandy base. =)

[Jon B3]

What do they wash the "organic citrus" in the "All Natural Veggie Wash" with?

[surfreak]

Where did you find this recipe? I'm getting suspicious with "44 coffee beans, 44 sugar cubes, store for 44 days." I think whoever wrote it just loved the number 44.

[AlissaSueK]

This instructable was not really intended to be an argument over organic vs non-organic produce. I grow lots of my own fruits and veggies and I like to support local farmers (which I have a lot of living in Southern California). I like knowing that no pesticides are used in my food. That being said, I use a great deal of non-organic food and produce. For this instructable, use the best tasting oranges you can find!

[Scurvymcdiggle]

really organic does not taste any different from non. its all the same varieties as the non organic if you want a better tasting fruit or veg go with a kind that is not sold in the supermarket.

[s2gz]

if you can get local produce, it usually tastes much better, (organic or not). When fruits are shipped long distances, they're picked prematurely so that they wont bruise when shipped. They're ripened artificial using hydrocarbon gas to change the colour of the skin. although they look ripe, they lack the flavor of naturally ripened fruit. hard to buy local oranges in a lot of places though...

[Lorellai]

...Often non-organic produce are sprayed with pesti&fungicides or wax coated with said substances to keep pests and fungus away ...Sounds like a good idea but I can guarantee you do not want to eat the stuff. Lots of these -icides will accumilate in the tissues of animals that eat them (and in higher concentrations in the animals that eat those animals and so on) - seeping unwashed products in alcohol will ensure you get a higher dose than would be normal! ...Wash wash wash your fruit and veg. ... PS: I have never head of this fruit/veg wash - does anyone know if it is available in the UK?

[Bad Maxx]

I'm only addressing the Vegetable Wash. It is getting harder to find, used to be available in all the stores here and because people just didn't bother buying it, it has become more scarce. But the internet has made it easy to find, thankfully there are enough people willing to buy it on-line that for now there is a good supply.

Perhaps another reason it has become a bit scarce is there has been a lot of news about the stuff not doing anything. I watched a program where they tried three methods of "washing" fruit and vegetables and then tested for traces of pesticide.

1.) Spray with a hose
2.) Commercially available Fruit & Veg. Wash
3.) Dish Soap & Water

The differences between all three were negligible, all still had pesticide traces. The consensus was peeling fruits & Vegetables, and those that cannot be peeled should be avoided by people with sensitivities to chemicals. Just telling you what I saw.

As for Fruit & Veg wash in the UK: Veggi Wash Fruit Too Fruit & Vegetable Wash Concentrate 500ml £2.98 at Organic Shops everywhere.

[Lorellai]

Thanks - I'll take a pass on the Fruit/Veg wash and stick to soap/water. ... The 'negligible' differences part has dissuaded me - what's point of buying a special wash if it barely makes a difference?!
... Do you remember what programme you saw this comparison on?
... I wish I had access to a lab in order to be able to test the claims on food and products (contains more X/Y/Z, less A/B/C etc). All the claims, in my humble opinion, are useless unless there is a SIGNIFICANT difference between the wonder-product and the standard stuff.
... One of my favourite annoyances is the graph on the side of cartons of Welch's Purple Grape juice that compare the antioxidants in Welch's to methink tomatoes, apples and other grapes. The graph either has no numbers or numbers without the SI quantity they represent ie: mg, g, kg (I do not have a carton to check at the moment). This bugs me no end because for all I the difference could be measured in yoctograms for all I know and in my opinion that would make spending the extra for a 'higher' antioxidant content pointless. I only buy the stuff because it tastes nice.
... Anyway - rant over! Thanks for the info x

[Bad Maxx]

I know I'm really late on the reply here but keep forgetting to check for replies to my comments!

I was really disappointed to see I had been wasting my money on the "expensive" washes available. (expensive relative to alternative i.e. soap & water)

Like you I'm always skeptical of claims on labels, my pet peeve is "New & Improved" as it usually is not New after all, it is the same product but supposedly improved, and improved is often questionable. I find the Dawn Soap which I grew up with is now New and Improved Concentrated, yet it seems to clean less effectively than the unimproved version of old.

As for what program it was on? I do not recall, however I called my mother and asked her if she remembered as we discussed it the day after it aired. She did not remember but had some excellent news for me about the vegetable wash recipe she saw on Oprah. Apparently Grapefruit Seed Extract is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound! Helps protect against E-Coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecium and surprisingly a lot of other scary stuff. The USDA has approved it for this use. I think this should be another News Program!

1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. baking soda
20 drops of grapefruit seed extract*

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then, transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce, and rinse thoroughly after 5 to 10 minutes.
* Readily available at health food stores.

[Sitnalta]

Organic produce still uses pesticides. They just have to use "organic" pesticides which doesn't really mean anything. No matter what you like to buy you should always wash your produce. Even if you buy directly from the farmer, you still want to get the germs off.

[Bad Maxx]

This is not completely true. Some organic farms, like the one a few miles from me, use ONLY Soap & Predator Insects. The township is not even allowed to put salt on the road in front of the farm in winter due to run-off and the possibility that the salt or chemicals mixed in the salt may find it's way into the soil.

[MaXoR]

You know I've been eating "non-Organic" things all my life, and I am "very Healthy" according to blood tests done for cancer (I get screened due to family past). I drink about 4-8 Dr. Pepper soda's a day, and eat steak, chicken, corn, rice, and various snacks like chocolate bars now and again, and I really like sitting and munching on Oatmeal Crisp Almond.... the reason I'm saying all this is that I don't believe there to be a true LASTING benefit to organic things.

Has anyone who is concerned for their health and well being enough to go out and spend "Organic" prices for their food, looked at studies about what you inhale simply by breathing in the air around you? Or what is lurking in your very own washroom.... kind of makes those -icides look like child's play.

I also believe that cancer is not caused by this one thing or that, I believe cancer is a result of abusing your body with chemicals like processed meats, canned food, fast food....etc. Processed things are horrible, they contain fake ingredients, and are toxic to the body in some cases, if not all.

With all that aside, this ible looks pretty good. If I was a drinker, I might give this a shot.... but then again... alcohol is about as good for you as eating that non-organic apple..... (Moderation is a joke, if you want the benefit of wine, go get the supplement that contains FOR more than your wine does anyways)

[idogis1]

Usually organic produce also means local so it is allowed to ripen on the plant and doesn't have to be the species bred or engineered for shipping. That said, some of the current generation genetically engineered fruits are mighty tasty. I tasted those new hillbilly apples with multiple copies of it's own genome for the first time and I may never buy an organic apple again.

[PACW]

Hillbilly apples? I'm intrigued!

[darrenchittick]

Organic does not mean local. Citrus fruit will only be local if you live in an area that grows citrus fruit. It's important that people recognize the difference between local and organic. Organic is not always better because of the large scale operations that are now being run. The benefit to the environment is being lost because of this and this is why buying local, from the farmer, is even more important now. That being said, this looks yummy!

[Batness]

Actually that depends on the produce. Hardier strains of veggies and fruits are generally less tasty and this is what commercial markets put out. It really does depend on the item in question. I can tell you, fresh-off-the-tree home-grown organic oranges really truly are the best tasting I've had.

[tleet59]

I suggest cultivating friendships with people who are snowbirds. My mother is always bringing citrus back to the upper midwest of the US after her winter stay in Florida. The fruit is usually unsprayed, and the skins are thinner, but the flavor is ultimately WAY better than anything (organic or not) that I've ever purchased from a supermarket or food co-op.

[lorajean]

Can you leave the Orange in longer. Let's say you were going to give a jar of this as a gift and you wanted it to look pretty? So how long is too long?

[darrenchittick]

If you use vodka instead of grain alcohol, that means the alcohol content is lower. I'm wondering how much longer one should allow it to steep in order to extract the full flavor of the citrus and coffee. Might be worth experimenting... by someone with more time. :)

[Scurvymcdiggle]

yeah personally i would just zest the orange and throw the zest in with the coffee beans.

[AlissaSueK]

I was wondering a bit about the pith making the liqueur bitter but I did not notice it. Some people compare the flavor to Grand Marnier but I find it is somewhat chocolate-y. Definitely will try it next time with some cloves!

[AlchemistGeorge]

Wow! I love stuff like this.

How did it taste? Is it a wintery / Christmas-y sort of flavor?

I wonder about the white part of the orange peel making it taste bitter, another approach (with far more work) would be to use the zest and the carefully peeled orange, then you could infuse it for a l.o.n.g. time.

http://cocktailsat80.blogspot.com/

[ChrysN]

This sounds interesting, I can see the cloves and cinnamon going well with this.