Hi everybody,
My first post here. I hope this is the appropriate forum for this.
Here it goes:
There is this particular kind of vodka made in Poland called Zubrowka. It's flavored with so-called Bison Grass. It makes a great summer drink when mixed with apple juice and a lemon wedge.
Unfortunately it has been banned in the USA because the Bison Grass contains coumarine, which is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) and it has been linked to some forms of cancer. The amount of it in the vodka is tiny, nevertheless it's there and the FDA decided to be caucious.
I'm determined to make Zubrowka at home. I found a source for the grass, which I have already growing in my back yard. I also found a rather simplistic polish receipe for Zubrowka on the web.
I'm not concerned about the coumarine. After all the Polish have been enjoying the Zubrowka for centuries and it is being sold all over Europe with no restrictions.
My first batch has the great flavor but it also has some bitter grassy aftertaste that's not present in the original. My question to all in-the-know here is: is there a known ingredient or process that can strip the vodka of the bitterness but preserve the flavor?
Simply adding a spoonfull of sugar as the receipe I have suggest is not enough.
By the way, if you think of suggesting I buy the artificially flavored, coumarine free "Zubrowka" that has been available in the States lately- don't. I tried it- it's awfull. Not even close to the real thing. It actually might turn people off and prevent them from ever trying the real thing.
My first post here. I hope this is the appropriate forum for this.
Here it goes:
There is this particular kind of vodka made in Poland called Zubrowka. It's flavored with so-called Bison Grass. It makes a great summer drink when mixed with apple juice and a lemon wedge.
Unfortunately it has been banned in the USA because the Bison Grass contains coumarine, which is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) and it has been linked to some forms of cancer. The amount of it in the vodka is tiny, nevertheless it's there and the FDA decided to be caucious.
I'm determined to make Zubrowka at home. I found a source for the grass, which I have already growing in my back yard. I also found a rather simplistic polish receipe for Zubrowka on the web.
I'm not concerned about the coumarine. After all the Polish have been enjoying the Zubrowka for centuries and it is being sold all over Europe with no restrictions.
My first batch has the great flavor but it also has some bitter grassy aftertaste that's not present in the original. My question to all in-the-know here is: is there a known ingredient or process that can strip the vodka of the bitterness but preserve the flavor?
Simply adding a spoonfull of sugar as the receipe I have suggest is not enough.
By the way, if you think of suggesting I buy the artificially flavored, coumarine free "Zubrowka" that has been available in the States lately- don't. I tried it- it's awfull. Not even close to the real thing. It actually might turn people off and prevent them from ever trying the real thing.