How to make Polish Sliwowica (Polish Slivovitz)
This is a basic recipe for Polish Sliwowica.
You will need:
- About 5 kg (about10-11 lbs.) fresh plums
- A fermentation pot and empty bottles
- A distillation setup
Get whole, ripe or even overripe, fresh, good quality plums. Using right fruits is crucial for success! No dried prunes or things like that are allowed. Remove the stems. Wash the plums, when they’re dry cut them into pieces. Removing the stones is not recommended for a "real" Sliwowica. But you can do it if you want. The taste is going to be somewhat smoother then.
Place the plums pieces in the pot and crush them so there’s as much juice as possible. Leave it to ferment by itself. Do not add any sugar or yeasts! (The plums should be ripe and sweet enough for such fermentation to be possible.) The pot should be covered, but with a way provided for the gases to go out. After the fermentation stops, strain the liquid and distil it. (Check if it's legal where you are!)
What you will get is a 60-70% (120-140 proof) alcohol. Bottle it, cork the bottles and leave for maturation in a dark place (e.g. basement). The maturation should last for about 12 months. After that time, the Sliwowica is ready to drink.
Now, we cannot guarantee that your Sliwowica will be as good as the classic Sliwowica Lacka. But if you get good plums, the results should be enjoyable. And if you want to compare it with the original, come to Poland and visit Lacko!
Good luck!
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Polish Drinks 