Infuse spirits vodka how to#
Infuse spirits vodka skin#

Spices: try and use whole spices where you can as it makes straining and finishing your infusion much, much easier.Leafy herbs such as basil just need to be picked to size. Herbs: remove any stalks or woody elements of herbs such as thyme or rosemary.

Infuse spirits vodka skin#

Hard Fruits: for fruits such as mango or pineapples we need to peel the skin off and cut to size.

Berries with hard skins need to be pinpricked or scored. Cut larger soft fruits in half and leave smaller fruits whole.

Berries: remove any storks or inedible elements.

Infuse spirits vodka how to#

For more on this learn how to make Oleo Saccharum. Citrus Fruit: cut up into small pieces about thumb size and make sure you retain the skin as it imparts great flavour.With all ingredients you decide to use, you will need to ensure they are clean and cut to an appropriate size for the container you decide to use. Just make sure it’s big enough to fit the liquid and your ingredients to create the infusion. We think the absolute best option is a Kilner jar. You don’t want anything to affect the flavour of your infusion. First up make sure it’s clean and sterilized. Container Preparation and TypeĬhoosing a container or receptacle for your infusion is easy and common sense. Other combinations could be orange infused bourbon, pineapple and ginger rum or a jalapeno tequila. Here in the UK, our native sloe berry work’s much better with gin. However, other spirits complement different flavours. Vodka is the most popular base as its completely neutral and is perfect for infusions. Now in terms of the type of spirit – this is up to you and your flavour combination. Don’t choose a bargain bucket spirit for your base….infusion will not alter the fact that it’s thoroughly unpleasant to drink, so put that £9 vodka back on the shelf.Īt the same time don’t go too pricey – for a vodka something middle of the road at say £12-14 will do nicely. In essence, they become one and we get ourselves a tasty product. The flavour and water from the fruit, herb or vegetable will flow into the alcohol and visa versa.įor any dried flavourings such as peels, spices or roots, something called dissolution occurs.Īs there is no water present for osmosis, the solvent alcohol essential dissolves the flavour compounds which infuse into the spirit.

Now the very basic theory is that osmosis occurs during the infusion. Go straight to the Infusing Spirits Method. Skip this bit if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to know how things work. For instance, we have made an incredible 5 Spice Infused Rum before.

That’s not to say that darker spirits such as whiskies, dark rums or brandies won’t work, but we do need to choose a stronger flavoured infusion flavour to compete with the existing dark spirit flavour. This is down to the fact that these mildly flavoured distillates work best with infusions (they don’t overwhelm infused flavour) In general, we like to infuse base spirits that have fairly neutral flavour such as vodka, gin, white rum or tequila. Needless to say, a carrot and grapefruit vodka might not hit the mark for many but each to their own if it’s your bag. There are of course any number of flavour combinations but put your chefs’ hat on and makes sure flavours are complimentary. This flavour can come from any mix of fruits, herbs, spices or even vegetables. It’s about adding flavour to distilled spirit (such as vodka or gin) to change its flavour profile. Just follow our simple guide for bar quality infusions and take your cocktails to the next level.

The big kicker though, is it is really easy to do from home. Your creativity can go through the roof, as there are millions of flavour combos to play with. Infusing your own spirits at home is the bartending enthusiasts dream.