How To: Vodka Infusions

How To: Vodka Infusions

Vodka infusions are a mixture between vodka and fruit. Most fruit vodka you can purchase or find are flavored and not infused. Flavored vodka's are typically createdby adding their taste altering inexpedience at the distillation process and are typically artificial. Infusions however combine real fruit with vodka typically after the process of creating the vodka is finished. This how to will explain how I make my award winning infusions.

Step 1: Find a vodka that is easy on the palate, has little to no impurities, and is as close to oderless as possible. For my infusions I use Fris vodka.

Step 2: Figure out the flavor you want for the end result of your infusion. For those of you starting out, I would recommend a citrus fruit such as grapefruit or oranges because it is very hard to mess up a citrus infusion. Other ideas include, but are not limited to, strawberries, blue berries, pineapple, apple, peach, and honestly anything that you like the taste of. Make sure that your ingredients are fresh and juicy. If the fruit you choose has a good ripe smell to it that's a good sign.

Step 3: The container. What you choose to house your infusion is very important. Use a clean glass case of some kind, one that has a lid. For large infusions you will likely have to buy a housing specifically for it and there are some great ones you can buy online. For medium sized infusions you are in luck as the Fris bottle as a nice wide mouth that you can put the fruit into, and has a lid. I typically do them in small batches and make many different kinds. I use those POM tea glass's with the lids on them, you can find them at any Safeway. I do this because they are portable, resealable, shakeable (do not shake while fruit is inside!), and best of all reusable.

Step 4: Preparation. There is the slow way and the fast way. The slow way makes for an infusion that has little to no fruit pulp remnants after being strained. The fast way will save you a few days or more off the process but also makes for a vodka that usually has stuff floating in it (but if you don't care about appearance, go nuts).

I will use oranges as an example for both methods. Depending on how much you plan on making you will obviously need more than one. A good ratio is about 4 to1, try and have at least 4 times the amount of vodka as you have fruit.

The slow method: For the slow method slice the orange into at least 6 parts, put them into your container, add the vodka, and let it sit. The alcohol will extract the essence of the fruit by itself, though I personally use a fork and puncture each piece about 3 times to speed things up. Allow the vodka to sit for at least 6 days in a cold place like a whine cellar or a refrigerator. DO NOT put in the freezer as this will only freeze the fruit and allow for virtually no extraction. After about 6 days time bring the infusion to your nose and smell. If it smells like fruit, mix a little in a drink of your choice (preferable something without to many different flavors) and see how it tastes. If it is to your liking strain the vodka out into another glass container. That's it.

The fast method: For those less patient who want it within a few days this one is for you. Cut the orange into many small slices then stab at it mercilessly with a fork. This not only allows for better bleeding of the fruit but can be very therapeutic (“What do you mean I have to come into work on my day off?! Take this and this and...). Then put your ingredients into the container and add the vodka and stir. You can even mash the fruit with whatever you are stirring it with to help extract the juices quickly (try not to obliterate the fruit in the process). Then leave at room temperature for about 2 or 3 days with the lid on. Each day open the container and stir and mash just a little. After about 3 days strain the mixture into another glass container and put in the fridge (unless you did a really goo job straining there will be lots of fruit bits left. That being said, putting it in the freeze will likely make it freeze).

I personally do a slight mix between both methods. The more you experiment the more you find what's right for you.

The final step: Enjoy. You likely put a decent amount of work into this, why not sit back and enjoy the fruits to your labor? (pun intended). Well I hope you have learned something useful from all this, as for me this has been Chris with a “How To” on Infusions.

For more information on vodka infusions visit www.vodkainfusions.com