How Bols liqueurs are made

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How Bols liqueurs are made

Bols draws upon over 400 years of liqueur-making experience, combining centuries-old techniques with modern-day technology and scientific evaluation and testing techniques. Bols talks about its liqueurs being flavoured with either Esprits or Tinctures. Esprits are produced by distillation, while tinctures are made by steeping or percolating natural ingredients such as herbs, spices and fruits.

The difference between these is illustrated by the company's two Crème de Cacao products – White and Brown. The white version is made using an esprit (distillate) of cacao beans, whereas the brown version is made using a tincture (percolation) of the same ingredient. When you sample these two extracts, there is not only a difference in colour (one is clear, the other dark brown), but also a significant difference in flavour between the two.

The steeping process to make a tincture sometimes involves maceration, where the botanicals are broken rather than steeped whole in alcohol. Often, the production of an esprit will involve steeping or macerating a botanical before being distilled.

Percolation

Percolation can be compared to the old-fashioned way of making coffee, and Bols percolates botanicals such as cacao and coffee beans for several days. A large stainless steel filter is filled with broken cacao beans (or other botanical) and this is hung in the Percolator tank. The tank is closed and filled with a warm mixture of alcohol and demineralised water. The warm diluted alcohol is continually pumped, so after the liquid has steeped down through the beans, it is pumped from the bottom of the tank to the top to repeatedly steep through the beans. The extract obtained is called a tincture because it extracts not only the flavour and aroma but also the colour of the botanicals.

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Steeping

Steeping can be compared to making tea, where natural ingredients such as mint leaves are left to soak in a mixture of alcohol and demineralised water for hours or even several weeks. The resulting extract is also called a tincture and is strongly aromatic with not only the taste but also the colour of the ingredients.

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Distillation

Before the distillation process begins, the still is filled with a mixture of herbs, seeds, peels or pips, depending on the recipe. These are either poured on the bottom grid of the still or placed in bags so that they can be removed easily after use. Then alcohol and demineralised water are added to the botanicals. While the mixture is allowed to soak, it is heated very slowly by means of a steam jacket under the still (in the old days, by means of an open fire), a process comparable to making a good stock. When the temperature is eventually brought up to boiling point, the actual distillation process starts. The alcohol in the mixture boils at 78°C and, as it evaporates, takes oils and other volatile extracts from the botanicals with it into the head of the still. Once the head of the still is saturated with this hot aromatic vapour, it flows on into the condenser, where it is cooled and condensed into a liquid. Bols call the clear botanical flavoured distillate obtained an 'esprit' – with an alcohol strength of 70 to 80% alc./vol..

Blending of liqueurs

For the final liqueur, the highly flavoured esprit and/or tincture will be blended with what Bols calls 'Eau Divine' (a solution of white granulated sugar dissolved in warm water at an alcohol percentage of 20% abv.), alcohol (neutral alcohol, rum or brandy, depending on the recipe), fruit juice(s) (around 50% of all Bols liqueurs contain fruit juice), and water (purified and filtered).

The master distiller exactly specifies the blend for each liqueur. This mixture is left to 'marry' for a certain number of days until all flavour components are in balance and the finished liqueur has been tested and approved.

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