I Improved Alton Brown’s Orange Liqueur for Cocktails (Perfect for Margaritas!)

I Improved Alton Brown’s Orange Liqueur for Cocktails (Perfect for Margaritas!) SHOP YOU KLARIS ICE MAKER HERE ➡️ https://www.craftklaris.com/discount/TOTR10?redirect=/products/klaris-clear-ice-maker DON'T FORGET THE PROMO CODE FOR YOUR 1O% DISCOUNT ➡️ TOTR10 ALTON'S RECIPE ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t04lV6ctqek&t=306s Thank you @AltonBrown for inspiring us all... hope you will like my version! FREE COCKTAIL BIBLE V.2 ➡️ https://totr.ck.page/3308168d16 TRY STEVE THE BARTENDER BITTERS ➡️ https://shop.stevethebartender.com.au/?ref=TOTR10 USE MY CODE TOTR10 FOR 10% OFF JOIN OUR PATREON ➡️ https://patreon.com/totr?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link MY TOP COCKTAIL GEAR Shaker https://geni.us/9rmIH Mixing Glass https://geni.us/FF5HFJ Strainer https://geni.us/BjWZ Jigger https://geni.us/NcdVTO Crushed Ice Kit https://geni.us/pv4m Bitter Bottles https://geni.us/5OAx8 MY VIDEO / PHOTO GEAR A Camera https://geni.us/PoZ9z96 B Camera https://geni.us/3CqyYBt Main Light (America) https://geni.us/NgnD Main Light (Europe) https://geni.us/HN1IbO B Light https://geni.us/wX9q Tripod https://geni.us/5oteL Reflector and diffuser https://geni.us/miXF6 Speed Lights https://geni.us/iOJ1 Soft boxes https://geni.us/y2Fbmk https://geni.us/I777 My Smoke Top ➡️ https://middletonmixology.com/?ref=ebuynh0sfe As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. If you’ve ever tried making Alton Brown’s homemade orange liqueur, you probably discovered two things: It’s clever, delicious, and beautifully nerdy. It’s not exactly optimized for cocktails—especially if you want a perfectly balanced Margarita. So today, I’m taking Alton Brown’s iconic orange liqueur recipe and giving it the Mixologist Upgrade. Same spirit, same citrus magic… but rebuilt from the ground up to be smoother, sweeter, better balanced, and fully dialed for cocktail use. In this video, I break down exactly what makes AB’s recipe brilliant — and where it falls short when used behind the bar. From the low sugar content to the final ABV, there are a few key tweaks needed if you want your homemade orange liqueur to behave like a proper Triple Sec / Curacao–style liqueur in shaken drinks. What You’ll Learn: ✔️ How to correct Alton Brown’s original sugar ratio ✔️ How to calculate your final ABV so your liqueur performs in cocktails ✔️ Why increasing the orange peel (and choosing the right variety) makes a huge difference ✔️ How to sous-vide infuse at 160°F for maximum flavor extraction ✔️ Two methods to clarify your liqueur (fast vs. perfect) ✔️ How to make a properly balanced Margarita using your upgraded liqueur ✔️ Why shaking — not stirring — is essential for texture and temperature ✔️ Why great ice matters, and how a clear-ice machine changes the game Whether you’re a cocktail nerd, a home mixologist, or an Alton Brown fan who wants to perfect your margarita, this upgraded recipe gives you the ideal sweetness, 40% ABV, and rich citrus flavor a true orange liqueur needs. This version is smoother, richer, and far more cocktail-friendly — without losing the spirit of what AB originally created. And yes… we even “call Alton” at the end to see whether he'll disown me. ✨ JEAN-FÉLIX’S IMPROVED ORANGE LIQUEUR (The Mixologist Edition) Ingredients Vodka (45% ABV) — 500 ml (or 455 ml of 40% vodka + 45 ml of 95% neutral spirit) Brandy (40% ABV) — 250 ml Fresh sweet orange peels — 85 g (Valencia + Sumo recommended) Dried bitter orange peel — 7 g Sugar — 200 g Infusion temp — 160°F / 71°C Infusion time — 1 hour Method Zest your oranges (organic & wax-free), removing as little pith as possible. Add everything into a sous-vide bag: vodka, brandy, sugar, sweet orange peel, dried bitter orange peel. Seal the bag and place in a 160°F water bath for 1 hour. Halfway through, pull the bag out, mix, ensure sugar is dissolved. After 1 hour, chill immediately in an ice bath. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Optional clarity steps: Slow method: leave in a separatory funnel 5–7 days, drain sediment. Faster method: coffee filter → refrigerate 48 hours → decant. Your liqueur should come out around 40% ABV with ~250 g/L sugar, balanced, bright, and cocktail-ready. If you want a bright, citrus-forward, properly balanced homemade orange liqueur that works beautifully in Margaritas, Sidecars, Cosmopolitans, Mai Tais, and more — this is the recipe. Enjoy the upgrade. And Alton… call me. 🍊📞 0:00 INTRO 1:08 ALTON BROWN'S ORANGE LIQUEUR 2:36 CLEAR ICE AT HOME 3:45 IMPROVED ORANGE LIQUEUR RECIPE 7:51 MARGARITA RECIPE Rejoignez cette chaîne pour bénéficier d'avantages exclusifs : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbpv0BMQJ6ZGTZ2hj1meeWA/join