I think about some samples I had years ago back when I was involved in trades and bombs here, about its storied place in FGM's Mississippi Fishin' Herfs (Ray, if you are reading this, I still wear the T-shirts you gifted me years ago).

I simply must have some to help me survive the coming Winter season, but this is not a typical mooch post...rather than samples, I'd like to choose between a few recipes of tried and true proven winners.

Jamie (zrx) you posted one years ago (think it had star anise in it maybe?) but I lost my copy.

Hope folks have recipes that can be made with grain alcohol cuz I ain't building a still.

Gonna make some (kinda like) Kahlua stuff again soon, that uses vodka and is crazy easy, but it's not really like the real thing.

And every year when sipping that stuff, I wish I had a few mason jars of that golden Winter Warmer too.

I miss the old days...sigh.

I had a bunch of it one night, so maybe I don't recall correctly. HA!

sounds right!

1 gallon good apple juice cider (I prefer Honey Crisp)

6 cinnamon sticks

3 star anise

(May have used cloves, you could probably do cardamom seeds as well)

I cup sugar (I used brown)

1/2 cup chopped candied ginger (these bit taste GREAT later)

Stir until sugar is dissolved then bring to a boil. FYI this takes forever to cool. When it gets down closer to room temp I added a split and scraped vanilla bean and add:

1 bottle (750ml) Everclear

1 cup apple schnapps

1 cup butterscotch schnapps

It’s important to let this all rest together for a least a week preferably 2.

Ok Frank you know I love you so I’ll look for the actual recipe

Also the actual recipient which I believe Greg the crazy F***ing biker gave me was 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar and I paired it down to just the 1 cup brown sugar. You could also skip the schnapps and add a bottle of good white rum if you were so inclined.

and yeah, I know you love me!

Want me to post it?

too much work for me. Gonna make some easy peasy fake kahlua

those fucquers

I'm so confused

(from a printed copy of an email on November 25, 2014)

Word for word as received from Jamie:

1 gallon organic apple cider

1 cup brown sugar

12 cinnamon sticks

4 whole star anise

Nutmeg (as much as you prefer, I never measure)

1 or 2 whole vanilla beans (again up to you I do 2)

Heat cider and sugar until boiling, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cinnamon sticks and lower heat to medium,

cooking until cinnamon sticks "open up" add star anise, nutmeg, and slice scrape and add vanilla bean "guts" and bean carcass.

Turn heat off and let it cool, this takes forever so I actually make this late at night and finish in the A.M. just put the lid on it.

If you're in a hurry you can cool it quickly by placing pot in an ice bath in the sink.

When cooled, add 1 750ml bottle (5th for the old fogs) of Ever Clear or good moonshine, 1 1/4 cup butterscotch schnapps, 1 1/4 cup sour apple liquor and stir.

Bottle or jars, your choice, the local Natural Food store where I buy the cider sells it in glass jugs that I love reusing.

Mason or Kerr jars work. But the important thing is let it rest for at least a month to "settle".

All the sediment you saw was from the vanilla beans, nutmeg and the organic unfiltered cider.

Oh crap, forgot...I pour the cider through a colander to catch the star anise and cinnamon sticks and whole vanilla beans. Fairly fine one (colander).

Now you're just showing off

2 qts apple juice

3 cups brown sugar

Jar of cinnamon sticks

Cook till sugar is dissolved

Let cool then add

750 ml vanilla vodka

750 spiced rum

1.75 Spirytus Rektyfikowany (Polish vodka)

(Use everclear if you can't find the other one)