Author Topic: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.  (Read 15336 times)

AJ Dual

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Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« on: June 20, 2012, 12:47:18 AM »
Whipped up a batch today. About 30 un-ripe black walnuts quartered. 1 L of 151 proof Everclear, a Vanilla bean, a clove, and the zest of an orange. It'll steep for two months, then I'll filter it, mix it with 1 L of simple syrup, and then it'll age in small corked bottles with waxed tops for a year.

That's a long time to wait to find out if it tastes like ass or not.  [tinfoil]



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cosine

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2012, 12:57:15 AM »
What's it for? Sipping, or mixed drinks?

Where'd you get the black walnuts? Store, or did you just raid a park around here (some of them have black walnut trees, last time I walked through).  :police:
« Last Edit: June 20, 2012, 01:03:04 AM by cosine »
Andy

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2012, 12:59:42 AM »
That is a really interesting concoction. What does it taste like when its done?

Edit: The alcohol bug must be biting, I just started my first batch of wine tonight, have to wait till morning to pitch the yeast though.

« Last Edit: June 20, 2012, 01:07:50 AM by brimic »
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2012, 09:09:48 AM »
If that doesn't work...Nocello.
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MrsSmith

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2012, 09:15:55 AM »
LOVE Nocello!

I just can't see how those very green and unformed walnuts could have any walnut flavor. But I'm no naysayer, just in case it turns out awesome and AJ wants to send bottles out to us as Christmas gifts!
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AJ Dual

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2012, 09:53:44 AM »
What's it for? Sipping, or mixed drinks?

Where'd you get the black walnuts? Store, or did you just raid a park around here (some of them have black walnut trees, last time I walked through).  :police:

Sipping as a Digestif/Apertif or could be used as a dessert sauce. Pouring some over ice cream is popular. I think the result is well, I don't know what... but with the color/consistency of Kahlua. And "whatever" it is, is probably somewhat more bitter like Jagermeister, but not in the licorice/anise sort of way. I'm not aware of any mixed drinks that use it.

The black walnuts are from my parent's yard. They have a few trees. And I was up in it's branches last weekend anyway replacing the ropes on the swings I've hung there for my kids to play on.

That is a really interesting concoction. What does it taste like when its done?


I've never had any, and no real idea.  [tinfoil] However, everyone in Italy (with access to black walnuts) makes this, it's almost on par with Limoncello for popularity. Like alcohol and black walnuts I guess...  =D

LOVE Nocello!

I just can't see how those very green and unformed walnuts could have any walnut flavor. But I'm no naysayer, just in case it turns out awesome and AJ wants to send bottles out to us as Christmas gifts!

Unripe black walnuts are incredibly bitter. Like chewing Tylenol-bitter, or stuff you spray to keep your dog from chewing the rug. However, when they're ripe, there's no way to cut them because the shells have formed. All the articles and recipes I read agreed on one point, that the walnuts had to be harvested at the end of May, and no later than the end of June, unless your climate meant the trees sprouted earlier, like in California. And I'm not sure that the "nut" itself is that big a part of the flavor. The pungent minty/juniper scent the fruits sort of have might be the base of the flavor. Dunno.

All I know is that this is the way it's done. And folks like it.  And that it takes at least 4-5 months of aging after infusion before it's even remotely drinkable, (if you don't have a stock of it, the first taste is around Christmastime) a year being preferred. I guess the tannins or whatever other compounds that make it bitter break down.

This is really just a leap of faith because the recipe seemed easy, and I had access to free walnuts.  =D
« Last Edit: June 20, 2012, 10:03:09 AM by AJ Dual »
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MrsSmith

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2012, 10:52:06 PM »
All I know is that this is the way it's done. And folks like it. 

One day I'll learn not to ask so many questions and just take things for what they are.

But likely not.

 =D
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2012, 11:01:19 PM »
You can't get proper Everclear either, huh?  (it's supposed to be 95% ethanol, not 75.5%)  I thought that was just a Minnesota thing.

Note to self, buy some Everclear in Texas next month...
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2012, 09:03:08 AM »
You can't get proper Everclear either, huh?  (it's supposed to be 95% ethanol, not 75.5%)  I thought that was just a Minnesota thing.

Note to self, buy some Everclear in Texas next month...

Iowa is the same way, they outlawed 95% Everclear. I pick mine up in Missouri to make spirits and liqour.

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2012, 09:40:30 AM »
hrm...  We can still get the 95% everclear here in OR...  might have to go hunt down some unripe black walnuts.....
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2012, 10:55:11 AM »
You can't get proper Everclear either, huh?  (it's supposed to be 95% ethanol, not 75.5%)  I thought that was just a Minnesota thing.

Note to self, buy some Everclear in Texas next month...

I'm pretty sure WI has the 95%/190 proof Everclear in liquor stores. This was just a supermarket. I was originally looking for some 100 proof vodka, couldn't find any, because I was just going to put the sugar right in with the walnuts. Now the water/sugar will go in at the end to cut it down to about 100 proof right before bottling it.

I'm also tempted to use some local Maple syrup instead, to make it more "Wisconsin" in flavor/nature. But I'd need almost half a liter. Pricey...  =|

ETA... it's already a nice black color, deepening by the day. Some people blogging about their Nocino efforts had green alcohol even after a few months. The trick is to either use a lid that isn't 100% airtight, but still tight enough to prevent the alcohol from evaporating, or if it's air tight, lift the lid every few days to get some air exchange, so O2 gets in and turns it black.

The same mechanism that stains concrete or even light colored car finishes if you're unlucky enough to have a black walnut tree by a driveway.  :-X
« Last Edit: June 21, 2012, 12:51:04 PM by AJ Dual »
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2012, 04:33:44 PM »
Interesting. This is now what I expected upon reading black walnut liquor. I've been told that if you soak those green walnuts in water and pour it over the ground it's a good way to round up worms. Your method seems better for killing 'em in your GI tract.

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2012, 10:41:12 PM »
Thanks for the inspiration, AJ.

Now I have a bottle of 190-proof Everclear (Yes, it's readily available here in WI), and a bunch of green walnuts sitting on my kitchen counter.

This, of course, after Googling "Nocino" and seeing how easy the recipe is.

I just have to decide on what additional spices to add to the mix for the steeping process.   =D
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SADShooter

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #13 on: June 25, 2012, 11:17:45 PM »
I didn't care for the bottle of Nocello I bought. Thin texture for a sweet liqueur, and an off, chemical flavor. I like the concept, just not the execution. I prefer Frangelico overall.

That said, the homebrew concept is intriguing.
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AJ Dual

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2012, 11:29:28 PM »
Interesting. This is now what I expected upon reading black walnut liquor. I've been told that if you soak those green walnuts in water and pour it over the ground it's a good way to round up worms. Your method seems better for killing 'em in your GI tract.

Well, you never know. I may well be using it as an insecticide after a year of aging is up.  :rofl:

Thanks for the inspiration, AJ.

Now I have a bottle of 190-proof Everclear (Yes, it's readily available here in WI), and a bunch of green walnuts sitting on my kitchen counter.

This, of course, after Googling "Nocino" and seeing how easy the recipe is.

I just have to decide on what additional spices to add to the mix for the steeping process.   =D

I guess the big thing with the spices is not too much, or it overpowers the black walnut flavor easily. Never having tried Nocino before, I'm still not sure just what the "black walnut flavor" IS, is it actual "nuts" or is the the weird-but-good medicinal smell of the green fruits surrounding the immature nuts? I'm not worried about the vanilla bean, but I read lots of advice not to use more than 2-3 cloves max.

I've seen some folks who didn't get a good dark black color to the infusion, a light urine shade, or worse, a murky forest green. So what I do know is that lifting the lid every few days to get some O2 in there is a good thing. Right now everything in there, the orange zest is overpowering. Although I still have faith the character of it will change over the course of a year. Mine's so black I can barely see the nuts/fruits pressed up against the glass. Too much? Too soon? Too dark?

Who knows?  =D
« Last Edit: June 25, 2012, 11:41:37 PM by AJ Dual »
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MrsSmith

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #15 on: June 25, 2012, 11:37:47 PM »
I didn't care for the bottle of Nocello I bought. Thin texture for a sweet liqueur, and an off, chemical flavor. I like the concept, just not the execution. I prefer Frangelico overall.

That said, the homebrew concept is intriguing.

I like Nocello. Do you need my address?
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SADShooter

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2012, 08:50:47 AM »
I like Nocello. Do you need my address?
I never said I didn't finish it. ;)
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #17 on: June 26, 2012, 09:35:19 AM »
Ah! Good man!
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2012, 12:09:02 AM »
Just like AJ, I'm a firm believer in "Better Living Through Chemistry". 



Thank you, my Celt and Druid friends!  Hopefully they'll all combine to make something drinkable around New Years...

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #19 on: June 29, 2012, 11:13:19 PM »
Holy Cow, AJ!

That stuff turns black darned quick!!!   :O

(And I've tasted it.  Granted, it's still at 190 proof, but it tastes like.... Christmas!)  =D
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #20 on: June 30, 2012, 11:47:05 AM »
Interesting on two counts. Back in my younger days when I drank Everclear (and lived in AZ) they only sold the 190 proof version in the smaller bottles, and the 750ml bottles were always the lower proof stuff. Also interesting in that I am wondering where I can find some unripe black walnuts, and if it's too late to get started...
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AJ Dual

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #21 on: July 15, 2012, 10:11:31 PM »


Well... it's got another 4 weeks to soak. If it doesn't turn out, I think it's got potential as ink...
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MrsSmith

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2012, 09:50:24 AM »
Or dying everything you own a dark color for nighttime stalking.
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AJ Dual

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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2012, 10:25:40 AM »
It is already changing. It smells pretty good now when I open it.  The orange note from the zest is still overwhelming, but I can smell some complexity underneath that.

It's giving me some hope it'll actually taste good after the syrup goes in and it ages for a year.
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Re: Nocino/Vin De Noix... Homemade Black Walnut Liqour.
« Reply #24 on: June 21, 2016, 12:09:44 AM »
So I finally decided to give this a shot.....   Had my cousin who owns an orchard/nut farm down in NorCal ship me some green walnuts....   Well, the lovely USPS somehow thinks that to ship a package from Chico, CA to Milwaukie, OR, it somehow needs to make a detour from Portland, OR to Brockton, MA.....

*facepalm*

New batch of walnuts being shipped tomorrow.....   Stupid post office...


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