St. Agrestis Amaro Falso (200ml Bottle) Recipe

Prepare botanicals

Weigh and lightly crush the harder botanicals (gentian root, cinchona bark, star anise, cardamom, coriander) to expose interior surfaces. Keep fragile ingredients (hibiscus, citrus peels) intact until measured.

Primary alcoholic maceration

Place the gentian root, cinchona bark, wormwood, star anise, cardamom pods, coriander seed, and gentian flower chips into a clean, airtight jar. Pour the 120 ml neutral grain spirit and the 10 ml high-proof neutral spirit over the botanicals, making sure they are fully submerged. Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place.

Cold maceration timing

Allow the mixture to macerate for 7 days, shaking the jar vigorously once or twice daily to agitate the botanicals and improve extraction of bitter alkaloids and aromatics.

Add citrus & hibiscus

After 7 days, add the dried orange peel, dried lemon peel and hibiscus petals to the jar. Seal and continue macerating for an additional 48 hours, shaking twice daily. This short secondary maceration preserves brighter citrus and floral notes without extracting excessive pith bitterness.

Strain

After the full maceration (approx. 9 days total), strain the spirit through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. Press gently on solids to recover liquid but avoid forcing fine particulates through.

Measure and reserve the 30 ml brandied red wine (or fortified wine). This will be used later to add body, slight acidity and a warm color. If you omitted the optional fortified wine, increase the neutral spirit by 30 ml and note the final color will be paler.

Make simple syrup

Combine 40 g granulated sugar and 40 ml water in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the 5 g light brown sugar, stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Combine extracts and sweetener

In a mixing container, combine the strained botanical tincture with the cooled simple syrup and the reserved 30 ml fortified wine. Stir or gently invert to integrate. Taste and add up to 2 ml of the optional bittering tincture (clove or gentian) to fine-tune bitterness; add in 0.5 ml increments, waiting and tasting between additions.

Adjust sweetness & bitterness

Aim for a final balance where bitterness is primary but tempered by sweetness and citrus brightness. If too bitter, add small amounts (2–5 ml) of additional simple syrup. If too sweet, add 2–5 ml neutral spirit or 1–2 drops bitter tincture.

Dilution to final volume and proof

This recipe targets a 200 ml finished bottle. After combining spirit extract and sweetener, measure the total volume. Top up with filtered water until you reach 200 ml. The alcohol by volume will depend on initial spirits; for a target around 22–24% ABV, adjust water accordingly (if your starting spirit strengths differ, calculate dilution based on volumes and ABV).

Optional light decolorizing / polishing

If the macerate is darker than desired, you may perform a mild polish: add 0.2 g activated carbon to the 200 ml batch, stir for 10–15 minutes, then filter through a coffee filter. Note this will soften some aromatics; use sparingly.

Final filtration and rest

Filter the final amaro through a coffee filter or fine cheesecloth into a clean bottle (200 ml). Seal and rest for at least 7 days in a cool, dark place to allow flavors to marry. Taste again and adjust sweetness or bitterness if needed in small increments. Label and refrigerate or store at room temperature; serve chilled or over ice.