Autumn, known as the season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’, lives up to its name if you harvest those succulent autumn berries for maturing into warming winter liquors.

With blackberries, blueberries, red currants, and autumn-fruiting raspberries in abundance, there is just enough time to use up these berries to make fruit liqueurs in time for Christmas.

Home-made fruit liqueurs may sound complicated but it really is fruit steeped in sugar, and your spirit of choice. They are quick and easy to prepare, taste delicious, and make the perfect homemade tipple to gift over the festive season.

The mixture takes two to three months to mature so you still have time to get some prepared in time for Christmas. The longer you leave the mixture, the deeper the colour and flavour becomes.

Fruity Suggestions

Blueberry Vodka – the blueberries will turn the vodka a lovely purple shade

Bramble Whisky – use a good blended whisky with blackberries

Raspberry Brandy – autumn-fruiting raspberries work really well to flavour brandy, and they work equally well with vodka

Sloe Gin – Sloe gin is made with the bitter sloes of the wild blackthorn tree. If you keep the bitter sloes in the freezer for a few weeks before using them, it helps to release their sweetness

What you will need:

• A glass screw-topped bottle or a jar with a large enough neck so you can put in the fruit
• Washed and de-stalked fruits of your choice
• Granulated sugar
• Spirit of your choice: gin, vodka, whisky, or brandy

Tip: do not use your top shelf spirits but do use a good quality spirit as the fruits will enhance but not mask the original taste.

What to do:

• Sterilise a jar or preserving bottle by washing it in hot, soapy water. Rinse, then place in the oven at 140C and allow to dry completely.
• Half-fill the bottle with the fruit, and add roughly a teaspoon of sugar for every 10 fruits.
• Top up the bottle with your chosen spirit and seal.
• Shake to dissolve the sugar and leave the bottle in a cool, dark place. Shake every other day for 7-10 days, or until there is no sugar visible.
• Leave for at least two months before straining through a muslin or sieve, into a clean jar or bottle. You can discard the fruit pulp, but some berries, such as blueberries, retain their shape, and taste delicious served with ice cream.
• The mixture will last for up to a year although it may lose some of its colour after a couple of months so it is best to keep it stored in a cool, dark place.