How to Make Your Own Malort

Malört is a Chicago brand of Bësk, a medicinal Swedish beverage. Bësk is made by infusing ingredients in grain alcohol. For the DIY-er trying to make their own Bësk or Malört, the easiest way to make your own liqueur is to infuse vodka. Herbal liqueurs have herbs. In fact, the coveted Green Chartreuse is said to contain 130 herbs and spices, and only two monks know the recipe. 

What Malört Tastes Like

The strong botanical flavor of Besk and Malört is from Wormwood. In the Middle Ages, wormwood was used to spice mead, and in 18th century England, wormwood was sometimes used instead of hops in beer. 

How to Serve Malört

Typically a Bësk or schnapps is served as cold as possible and sipped, particularly after a meal as a digestive, but Malört tends to be thrown down the hatch as a shot - it’s up to you how you serve your homemade version! Another way to serve a shot of Malört is as part of a Chicago Handshake.

DIY Malört Recipe Supplies:

• Vodka

• Wormwood in liquid or herbal form

• Dried Elderflowers

• Juniper berries

• Allspice

• Star Anise