Maceration Calculator - Fruit Tincture Recipe Builder

One kilogram of cherries yields half a liter of juice

Every fruit has its own ratio of spirit, sugar and maceration time. Cherries release about 500 ml of juice per kilogram and need 4-6 weeks. Quince gives just 250 ml and takes 8-12 weeks. Green walnuts barely release any juice but require a full 4-6 months. This calculator knows all eight ratios and builds a complete recipe from a single input: how many grams of fruit you have.

Key numbers at a glance

fruit types with unique ratios

0.5-1.5

ml spirit per gram of fruit

2-24

weeks maceration (elderflower to walnut)

sweetness levels (dry to liqueur)

How to use - step by step

Fruit type - select from 8 options: cherries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, quince, green walnuts, elderflower or other fruit. Each has preset spirit ratio, juice yield, sugar base and maceration time.
Fruit mass - enter grams of fruit. Typical batch: 1,000 g per jar.
Spirit strength - choose 95% (rectified), 70% (diluted), 40% (vodka) or enter a custom value. 70% is the all-purpose choice.
Sweetness - dry (no sugar), off-dry, semi-sweet (standard) or sweet (liqueur). This multiplies the base sugar amount.
Read the recipe - the calculator returns exact amounts of spirit, sugar and fruit, predicted ABV, jar count, preparation instructions and fruit-specific tips.

Fruit reference table

Fruit	Spirit (ml/g)	Juice yield	Weeks
Sour cherries	0.5	50%	4-6
Raspberries	0.5	60%	3-4
Strawberries	0.5	45%	3-5
Plums	0.6	35%	6-8
Quince	0.7	25%	8-12
Green walnuts	1.0	10%	16-24
Elderflower	1.5	15%	2-3

Things most people get wrong

Adding sugar too early: Sugar draws juice out of fruit, but it also slows alcohol extraction. If you add all the sugar on day one, the spirit has to compete with a thick syrup. Better approach: macerate with spirit only for half the time, then add sugar for the second half. Or add sugar after straining - you get cleaner flavor and can adjust sweetness to taste.

Using too little spirit: The fruit must be fully submerged in spirit. If it pokes above the surface, the exposed part will oxidize and can grow mold. Top up with more spirit if the fruit floats above the liquid level.

Shaking the jar daily: Gentle swirling once a week is enough. Vigorous shaking breaks soft fruit (raspberries, strawberries) into mush, making the tincture cloudy and harder to filter. Hard fruit like quince and walnuts can handle more agitation.

Practical examples

1 kg cherries, 70% spirit, semi-sweet:
Spirit: 500 ml. Sugar: 250 g. Predicted juice: 500 ml. Total: 650 ml.
Predicted ABV: 36.8%. Maceration: 4-6 weeks. 1 jar.

2 kg raspberries, vodka 40%, off-dry:
Spirit: 1,000 ml. Sugar: 200 g. Predicted juice: 1,200 ml. Total: 2,320 ml.
Predicted ABV: 17.2%. Maceration: 3-4 weeks. 2 jars.

500 g quince, 95% spirit, sweet:
Spirit: 350 ml. Sugar: 240 g. Predicted juice: 125 ml. Total: 619 ml.
Predicted ABV: 53.7%. Maceration: 8-12 weeks. 1 jar.

1 kg green walnuts, 95% spirit, dry:
Spirit: 1,000 ml. Sugar: 0 g. Predicted juice: 100 ml. Total: 1,100 ml.
Predicted ABV: 86.4%. Maceration: 16-24 weeks. 2 jars.

300 g elderflower, 70% spirit, semi-sweet:
Spirit: 450 ml. Sugar: 90 g. Predicted juice: 45 ml. Total: 549 ml.
Predicted ABV: 57.4%. Maceration: 2-3 weeks. 1 jar.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

How do I know when maceration is done?

The fruit will look pale and shrunken - it has given up its color, flavor and juice to the spirit. Taste the liquid: if it has a strong fruit character and the fruit itself tastes bland, maceration is complete. For most fruit this happens within the time ranges shown in the reference table. Going longer rarely hurts (except elderflower - it can get bitter after 3 weeks).

Can I reuse the macerated fruit?

Technically yes, but the second maceration will be much weaker. The fruit has already given up most of its flavor and color. Some people do a second extraction with fresh spirit and blend it with the first batch, but the result is diluted. A better use for spent fruit: add it to cakes, jams or chocolate desserts where the residual alcohol adds flavor.

Does fruit need to be fresh, or can I use frozen?

Frozen fruit works great - and some experienced makers prefer it. Freezing breaks cell walls, which means the fruit releases juice faster and extraction is more efficient. Thaw completely before adding to the jar, and account for the extra liquid. Dried fruit is also usable but requires 40-50% more spirit since there is no juice to offset the volume.

Why does the calculator recommend different spirit ratios per fruit?

Hard, dry fruit (walnuts, quince) needs more spirit because it releases very little juice. Juicy fruit (raspberries, cherries) needs less spirit because the juice itself becomes a major portion of the final volume. The spirit-to-fruit ratio ensures the fruit is fully submerged and the final ABV lands in a drinkable range - typically 25-40% for a classic tincture.

What is the difference between maceration and infusion?

In practice, these terms are used interchangeably for homemade tinctures. Technically, maceration means soaking fruit in cold alcohol for weeks (what this calculator does), while infusion can also mean using heat (like making tea). For spirit-based fruit liqueurs, cold maceration is the standard method because heat would evaporate the alcohol.

How many bottles will I get from 1 kg of fruit?

With standard proportions (semi-sweet, 70% spirit), 1 kg of cherries yields about 650 ml of finished tincture - roughly 1.3 standard bottles (500 ml each). Raspberries give more (about 850 ml) because they release more juice. Quince gives less (about 600 ml). The exact amount depends on how much juice the specific batch of fruit releases.

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