Spring is coming and something about the new season inspires fun, fruity cocktails. Making cocktails special for entertaining or gifts is easily done with flavored spirits. How do you craft your own flavored spirits? Keep reading for Raising the Bar Liquors’ favorite infused vodka recipes.
What is an infusion?
Infusion is when you extract the flavor of a plant, an herb, or a fruit, by soaking it in liquor. It sounds like something for professionals, but you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Think about what kind of flavors you would like to implement into your next delicious drinkable creation and add the creation to your list of infused vodka recipes.
Why infused vodka recipes?
While it is absolutely possible to infuse most spirits, Raising the Bar recommends vodka as the best candidate for this sort of flavoring. Vodka doesn’t have a strong natural flavor contending with your desired outcome. You can certainly experiment with other spirits such as adding a lime twist to tequila, or a bit of vanilla to your whiskey. Infusing your vodka is far superior to commercial syrups with artificial flavors.
Infused Vodka Recipes Guide
Here we have provided a basic outline to getting started in the world of DIY infused vodka recipes. Hopefully it will help make the process a little less intimidating for you. We’ve also supplied a few cocktail ideas to get your creative juices flowing for your spring festivities. You can serve them at your own party, or bring along a bottle of your amazing homemade flavor as a gift.
Tools
To start, you will need vodka, obviously. It doesn’t need to be super fancy, but you’ll probably want something middle of the row. Then you’ll have to obtain something to put it in – generally mason jars work nicely for this. A few extra small bottles could come in handy, but they aren’t required to complete your infusion. You’ll need a strainer, as well as some fine cheesecloth. A funnel is also a useful tool to have around for transferring your liquid with minimal accidents. Finally, you will need to choose your infusion flavor item, be it fruit or something else. These items can generally be found at your local grocery and retail stores.
Tips on Ratios and Timing
When you are just starting out, proceed with caution. Don’t start with too large an amount until you’re more certain of what you’re doing with ratios and timing. Each flavor ingredient you choose to infuse has a different strength and timing to how they steep into your vodka. Small batches ensure you tweak your recipe to your specific taste, and prevent having too much of a flavor that didn’t work out.
Another way to make sure you don’t end up with a flavor experiment failure is to simply taste your infusions. Check up on them once every day or two. You might regret letting something steep for too long as it could be too strong. It is best to keep checking in with your creation so you understand the life of each flavor choice.
Choosing the Infusion
The different infusions you choose will be the biggest factor in how long it takes for the flavor to be fully imparted into the spirit. Some ingredients only need a day or two, like coffee. Fruits and vegetables are going to take a bit longer and it can be harder to nail down an exact time frame. This is especially important to bear in mind when you are moving into double flavors as not everything needs to be infused simultaneously.
Final Step in the Infusion Process
Once you have achieved your desired flavor it’s time to remove the infusion material from your vodka. This is where the strainer and cheesecloth come into play. Place your strainer on top of a large measuring cup. Then line it with the cheesecloth. Pour your infused vodka through the layers so the liquid ends up in the measuring cup. Repeat this process as needed to remove all debris. Make sure to squeeze the cheesecloth to rid it of excess liquid. Be aware that this last squeeze will add a more potent flavor. Then simply pour into the mason jars or bottles you chose.
Now that you have your amazing new infused creation, what should you do with it? Besides simply enjoying it as is you could enjoy it in a cocktail meant to enhance its unique flavor. Here are a few recipes to create your infusions we thought you’d like to try out and be inspired by. After all, drinks are much easier to make when you have a muse!
Raising the Bar’s Favorite Infused Vodka Recipes
Coffee (Optional Vanilla)
- Use 1/2 cup whole coffee beans in the mason jar. At this point you can add cut vanilla beans if desired.
- Pour 12 oz of vodka into jar.
- Let steep for around 3 days, ensuring to agitate the jar every so often to aid in the infusion process.
- Strain with cheesecloth.
Strawberry Watermelon
- Place 1/2 cup cut strawberries into a mason jar.
- Add 10 oz of vodka to jar.
- Let steep for 3-5 days.
- Add 1/2 cup cut watermelon.
- Let steep for 1-2 days, to taste.
- Strain with cheesecloth.
Jalapeno Infused Vodka Recipes
- Place 1/2 cup sliced fresh jalapenos into a mason jar.
- Add 12 oz of vodka to the jar.
- Let steep for 1-2 days, keeping a close eye as the spice can be overwhelming if that isn’t the effect you’re going for.
- Strain with cheesecloth.
Blackberry
- Place 1/2 cup halved blackberries into a mason jar.
- Add 12 oz of vodka to jar.
- Let steep for 5 or more days, keep checking for flavor, try not to go more than a week.
- Strain with cheesecloth, this may take a few times.
Cucumber
- Place 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers into a mason jar.
- Add 12 oz of vodka to the jar.
- Add a tablespoon of a spice or herb such as dill if desired.
- Let steep for 5-7 days.
- Strain with cheesecloth.
We hope that this information makes the Spring season even better. Visit Raising the Bar to find the best spirits for the infusion. Gift your vodka infusions or serve them at your own home. If you discover the perfect flavor combination be sure to share it with your friends here at Raising the Bar Liquors. Cheers!
