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Gentian is a wild plant that grows mainly in alpine terrain at high altitudes. It blooms in the summer months from June to August. The most used part of the plant is the root, which is quite thick and can grow up to a meter in length. The gentian root is often used in herbal medicine due to its numerous beneficial properties. It is usually used for making excellent herbal teas, thanks to the format available from Terza Luna, and for making gentian liqueur.
The liqueur with gentian root has a very ancient history, and its creation is attributed to the Abruzzo shepherds who used to collect the plant's roots during transhumance. The roots of the plant with a bitter taste have always been used for their great digestive properties, hence the creation of gentian liqueur. Today, due to excessive and uncontrolled harvesting of the plant's root, Gentiana lutea has become a protected species, prohibiting its free collection in several countries including Italy. However, dried gentian root can be easily purchased at specialized and authorized stores like Terza Luna.
Gentian liqueur is a typical beverage of Abruzzo tradition, and after a meal, the typical bitter digestive drink cannot be missing. There are several similar recipes available online, and we propose one here.
For the preparation of the liqueur, several ingredients are needed, which we will list here:
You could also add other spices like coffee or nutmeg according to your preference. The amount of alcohol and sugar can be adjusted to suit the taste of the preparer.
For the preparation of gentian liqueur according to the typical Abruzzo recipe, we will use already dried gentian root to avoid the cleaning and drying process, and a dark-colored glass container. The first step is to macerate the gentian root together with lemon zest and spices in alcohol. Leave the mixture to infuse for about 15 days in a cool, dark, and dry place. After the necessary time has passed, filter everything and add the solid part of the sugar previously dissolved in water. Boil everything for 20 minutes and then filter the drink again. Add the sugar and water solution to the gentian-based infusion and mix well. Pour the gentian root liqueur into a bottle and let it rest for at least a month before consuming.
Here at Terza Luna, in collaboration with Andrea Peconio, born in 1989, bartender consultant and trainer, we have thought of a revisitation of the original recipe, very similar in ingredients and procedure, but with less sugar, a higher alcohol content, and without the addition of lemon zest or coffee. It is a reusable recipe with roots of other botanicals. We have chosen the gentian root for the making of our favorite liqueur.
For the making of this particular revisitation of gentian liqueur, you will need:
For the preparation of the liqueur with gentian root, you will need to pour 1L of good quality still white wine into a sufficiently large airtight container and let it macerate for about 40 days in a dark and dry place with 45g of gentian root. After these 40 days, filter the liquid into a second jar where you will add 125g of sugar and 250ml of pure alcohol. Then, mix everything to have a homogeneous liqueur, transfer the liqueur into a glass bottle and leave it in the fridge for a few days. We have thought of a more "slimmed down" revisitation of the original recipe, but we assure you that the result will be exceptional! Word of Terza Luna.
The gentian root has numerous properties and for this reason, it has been used since ancient times as a remedy for various ailments of our body. Gentian liqueur, if prepared with care, has the same properties and benefits. In Abruzzo, the land of origin of the bitter-tasting liqueur, it is often used for its effective digestive properties thanks to the different active principles, including gentianin, amarogentin, gentisin, and gentiopicrotin, which help alleviate stomach problems. Gentian root is also used as a remedy against fatigue and anemia, and still today as a remedy against cough, cold, to strengthen the immune system, and to counteract fever symptoms.
For some years now, it is no longer possible to freely collect gentian root and therefore it must be purchased from specialized herbalists. If you don't know where to buy gentian root for the preparation of the liqueur, Terza Luna is the right answer for you! The gentian root for sale on Terza Luna, of the highest quality, is in the ideal format for the preparation of the liqueur and is available in different sizes to meet all customers' needs.
