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How to infuse your own spirit
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Getting Started
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| Infusing
is pretty simple process and has been used by distillers for
centuries. It is the simple practice of steeping or macerating a
flavor into a neutral spirit and letting it sit for a period of
time. The time it takes for the spirit to absorb the that
flavors is all determined on the product and the environmental
factors.A good rule to go by when infusing is to start with your
oil based flavors such as citrus, chillies and similar |
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fruits
and vegetables. Using more succulent fruits such as strawberries could
result in a mushy mess without careful supervision.
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Phase One
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Ingredients:
While vodka is the popular
base to infusions, you can add flavor to any spirit. Stronger oil
based ingredients can infuse in a shorter amount of time, sometinemes
under a week, whereas softer more fibrous ingredients can take more
than a week.
Infusion jare:
Tall or round glasss jars with
tightly fitting lids, preferable complete with pouring spouts are the
only initial outlay required for your new in house vodka infusion
center.
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Choosing your
flavor
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The choice of flavors is all
based on your imagination, why not try orange infused tequila or maybe
a fig and cinnamon infused bourbon. Mellow flavors include cantaloupe,
peach, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry,
pineapple, mango, and vanilla beans. Lemon, lime or grapefruit flavors
offer a sharper bite to the palate.
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Time to Infuse
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Everything should be washed
thoroughly including fruit vegetables to ensure they are free of
pesticides and any impurities that might contaminate the final
product. Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
should be left whole while more fibrous fruitsl such as mango and
pineapple should be chopped into small chunks. Citrus fruits and
strawberries should be sliced thin. More obscure flavors such as
vanilla beans and chillies should be sliced lengthways and herbs left
on their stem.
When slicing up your
ingredients keep in mind the vessel you will be placing them in . Is
it a glass jar that will be on display on the back bar or will it be
hidden away. Presentation is everything when infusing your latest
creation in public.
The glass jar should be filled
with the infusion ingredients and the remaining with your base spirit.
Tighten the lid securely over the jar and place in the refrigerator or
at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
Infusion times will vary.
Taste every few days to obtain the flavors that you are aiming. for.
If you want to deepen the flavor and start foraying into liqueurs, add
a little sugar and stir it in to dissolve.
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Make
what I think of as the BEST of all infusions - a
fruit cocktail infusion.
I went to a farmer's market
and bought ripe watermelon,
honeydew melon, strawberries, peaches and kiwi fruit
- but you can add any fruit you want.
Peel the kiwi, peaches and
melons and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Slice the strawberries.
Place all the fruit in a tall
glass jar. It's nice if the jar has a spout, but not necessary. Don't
pack the fruit, but fill the jar to the top. Pour good-quality vodka
to the top of the jar. Screw the lid on tightly, give it a good shake
and store in a dark place.
Check your infusion 24 hours
later and every 24 hours after that, tasting it until it reaches the
flavor you desire. Give it a good shake every day, too.
I infused my fruit cocktail
vodka for 48 hours - I couldn't wait any longer. If your jar has a
spout, you can simply pour your vodka from it. I strained mine through
a kitchen strainer. It wasn't entirely clear but that didn't bother
me. For clear vodka, strain it through a double layer of cheesecloth.
The vodka drew out the color
of the watermelon and strawberry and ended up a pretty pale pink. I
poured it over ice in a shaker, then drank it straight. It was fresh,
fruity, slightly sweet with a dominant flavor of the watermelon. You
can store the leftover vodka in the refrigerator or the freezer to
preserve the freshness.
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| How
to Infuse Vodka With Cherry |
| Purchase
your vodka. This recipe calls for a 750-ml bottle
of vodka, so if you use a larger bottle, be sure
to add more cherries during the infusion process. |
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Choose
4 pints of cherries. The best cherry-infused vodka is
made with real, in-season cherries. In the United
States, cherries are typically picked from May until
August, with the peak season in June. If you are unable
to buy your cherries from a farm, you can buy them in
the grocery store at the same time for similarly
delicious results.
Find
a reusealable glass container in which to infuse your
vodka. A wide-mouthed container, such as a jar for
canning fruit, will work well. Whichever container you
choose, make sure you have enough room to stir the
mixture thoroughly.
Prepare
your mixture. First, remove the stems and pits from the
cherries. Pour the bottle of vodka and cherries into the
container and mix. Allow the mixture to sit in a warm,
dry place for several days. Stir the mixture three times
a day.
Test
your vodka after 2 days in the jar to get a feel for how
much longer it needs to completely infuse. The best way
to test the vodka is straight, without any mixers.
Pour
the mixture through a coffee strainer to remove the
cherries and serve your vodka. If you want to serve your
cherry vodka in a mixed drink, visit Drinks Mixer for a
few recipe ideas (see Resources below). If the cherries
you used to infuse the vodka with still taste good, use
them as drink garnishes
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| Tips
& Warnings |
- Make
sure to choose a quality vodka like Skyy or
Belvedere so you create the smoothest infused vodka
possible. If you only have a cheaper vodka
available, run it through a Brita water filter first
to remove some of the impurities.
- Some
of the best cherries to make infused vodka with are
Rainiers, Bings and yellow-red Royal Anns.
- Don't
let air into your cherry vodka infusion except for
when you're testing it. Extra air will hamper the
infusion process.
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| How
to Infuse Vodka With Chocolate |
| Basic
vodka can be turned into something more luscious
even before adding a mixer. Try infusing some
vodka with chocolate for a cheaper, tastier
alternative to the more expensive flavored vodkas
at the liquor store. |
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Choose
your vodka. Inexpensive vodka like Smirnoff can be
infused, but a more quality vodka like grey goose will
make your final product go down more smoothly.
Pick
your chocolate. Vodka can be infused successfully with
unsweetened cocoa powder.
The key to a good chocolate vodka is the quality of
the chocolate you put into it. If you choose a cocoa
powder, buy a quality product like Ghirardelli over
Hershey's. If you prefer a milder chocolate flavor,
choose Dutch-process cocoa, which is less acidic.
Decide
on the kind of container in which to infuse your
vodka. When you infuse vodka with cocoa powder,
you can make your concoction right in the vodka
bottle. However, if you're making a large batch, you
may prefer to use a gallon-size glass jar with a
screw-on lid. You can find jars like this at the
Specialty Bottle website (see Resources below).
Measure
out 1 cup of cocoa powder per 750 ml of vodka.
Pour it into the bottle of vodka through a funnel,
or simply pour it and the vodka into a
wide-mouthed jar. Stir or shake to combine.
Place
the container in a cool, dark area, such as a
little-used closet. Each week, take out your
infusion and shake or stir it.
Taste
the vodka after 2 weeks has passed. It
generally takes between 2 and 4 weeks to
develop the flavor fully.
Pour
the mixture through a coffee strainer and
into another reusealable container.
Make
a Simple Syrup
Combine
one part sugar to two parts water in a
small saucepan.
Place
over medium heat and stir until all of
the sugar has completely dissolved.
Cool
to room temperature and place in an
airtight container.
Sweeten
Your Infusion
Pour
the syrup into the vodka using a
spoon, tasting until you reach the
desired level of sweetness.
Pour
the vodka into a decorative bottle
and place it in a cool, dark
place.
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