Post #722373 by AceExplorer on Sun, Jul 13, 2014 5:25 AM

On 2012-07-04 12:49, MadDogMike wrote:
Refrigerate after mixing? Self life? Add a little 151 to extend shelf life?

With regard to shelf life, I never use any 151 as a preservative because it comes with some flavor regardless of brand. I have been using grain neutral spirits (Everclear) for years with great success. When I make Falernum, for example, I add 4 ounces of Everclear as the very last step before I bottle it. Many have told me in the past to just "add an ounce of Everclear" but I have through the years found that for most syrup recipes you need to add much more to achieve enough alcohol content to act as a preservative. Additionally, in my Falernum, this much additional alcohol prevents the "extra" Falernum from solidifying in my freezer and therefore instantly available when I need to pull from long-term storage.

The flavor impact in a cocktail is negligible. I have been making Falernum #8 instead of Falernum #9 because the differences between #8 and #9 are negligible and using fresh almonds in #9 does not make a huge difference to me despite potentially being "more authentic."

Hope this info is helpful to others out there.