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How to Infuse Liquor with Flavor

Published: Tuesday, 02 June 2015 18:40

Infusing your own vodka is the best way to add a twist and have a story to tell with every cocktail when entertaining. With plenty of your favorite vodka, a jar, some fruit, a discerning palate and spare time, you can customize vodka and make it your own.

1. Choose a flavor. Decide how you want your vodka to taste, and get plenty of the desired fruits, berries, peppers or herbs. Use the following guidelines for infusing about 1 liter of vodka:
   • If infusing fruit, use 1-3 pieces, depending on their size. Aim for about two large apples' worth; one is usually enough for larger fruits (i.e. grapefruit), but you'll need 3-4 for smaller fruits (apricots, plums, etc.)
   • If infusing fresh herbs, use 1-2 fists filled with the herb, depending on its potency. Use about half as much of dried herbs or spices.
   • If infusing berries, use 2-4 fists filled with the berries.
   • If infusing peppers, use as many as you want. The more you use and the longer you infuse, the spicier the end product will be.
2. Prepare the ingredients. Wash all fresh ingredients thoroughly. Slice fruits finely to increase their surface area and speed up the infusion, removing any pits, seeds, or stems. Leave berries whole, but bruise by very gently squeezing them and remove any stems. Crush herbs gently, as it will help to release their flavor. Place all of the ingredients together in a clean, airtight container (glass works best). The relative proportions of each ingredient, if you're using more than one, are a matter of personal preference.
3. Infuse! Fill the container with vodka, seal it, and put it some place safe and away from direct sunlight.
4. Wait. The timing isn't scientific but most recipes will infuse within two to five days. Generally, citrus fruits or strongly flavored ingredients will infuse more quickly, but softly flavored or fibrous ingredients (vanilla beans or fresh ginger) may need up to a week or more. Luckily, you need not do anything but ignore the jar. Some advice will recommend two weeks or more infusion time, but this is only necessary for a large restaurant-size batch. A week is plenty of time for a liter of vodka to infuse properly.
5. Sample and enjoy! The first few batches you make may not taste the best, but with practice you will get the hang of it. Drink, adjust, and try again!

Tips

• If you find your infusion too strong, dilute it with more vodka and allow it to infuse a little longer.
• Be creative! There's a wide range of fruits and herbs you can infuse, each with their own characteristics. Experiment and enjoy:
  • Generally well liked: Melon, cantaloupe, peach, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, pineapple, mango, vanilla
  • Sharp: Lemon, lime, grapefruit
  • Bold: Fresh ginger, lemon-grass, mint, garlic, chili peppers
   
• Use fresh fruits and ingredients and not canned or prepared items.
• Don't add sugar to your infusion unless it is necessary to offset an extremely bitter ingredient. The natural flavors usually don't need it and you can always add a mixer when serving if you prefer.
• Try two sticks of cinnamon and half a vanilla pod. After two weeks you will get a deep orange color and a full, rich spicy flavor. Try it with homemade ginger beer in the summer.
• Use a medium-grade vodka, one that could be served straight up. Bottom-shelf vodkas can add an unpleasant aftertaste and there's no reason to break the bank for premium vodkas when most of the flavor will be coming from your ingredients.
• In Sweden, herb-infused vodkas are known as schnapps, and are a customary part of the Christmas smorgasbord.
• Fruits will continue to ripen while infusing. Remove fruits before they get overripe or brown, as this will impact the flavor of your recipe. Replace them with fresh fruits for decorative purposes.
• Make a wonderful Christmas vodka using cranberries (which make the vodka turn pale pink) and a vanilla pod for flavor.
• Try using nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds. To enriched the flavor and release their natural oils, toast in the oven before adding to your vodka.
• Try using single-use coffee pods or herbal tea bags to get the flavor of your favorite coffee or tea.
• You can also infuse other spirits: gin, rum, whiskey, and even brandy all work well.
• You can also try using sweets like Redskins, Jolly Ranchers or any other kind of sweet that tickles your fancy.