How to Infuse Liquor

Add hot peppers to vodka for use in spicy cocktails.

Infusing liquor imparts great flavor to alcohol and is simple to do. Within a matter of days, your infused liquor will be ready to be enjoyed as is or to be incorporated into cocktails. Any type of liquor will work and the sky's the limit when it comes to the items you can include. Just let your stovetop sensibilities be your guide to prepare pairings that make sense and promise to wow guests.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Glass bottle with stopper
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Peppers
• Herbs
• Spices
• Funnel
• Strainer

1. Choose your liquor and begin thinking of its intrinsic qualities. For example, gin is aromatic and floral while rum tends to be smoky or spicy. Understanding the flavorings of the liquor will help you decide what ingredients to infuse it with.

2. Select the flavorings you want to add to the infusion once you've decided which qualities you want to highlight. Remember that gin works well with lavender, citrus and cucumber while rum lends itself to tropical fruits and mint. Vodka pairs with everything from hot peppers to pears, basil or pumpkin and bourbon is a great match for peaches.

3. Clean and dry the bottle. Wash, dry and prepare the ingredients you plan to infuse. Depending on the amount of heat you want to impart, peppers can be left whole or cut. Likewise, the flavor of garlic will be more intense if it's sliced. Peel skin and/or pith from fruits and slice. Berries can be left whole.

4. Place ingredients in the prepared bottle. Pour the alcohol through a funnel, taking care to completely cover the ingredients in the bottle.

5. Seal the bottle. Allow liquor to steep in a cool place. Leave it untouched from three days to two weeks. As a general rule of thumb, potent ingredients like citrus fruit, garlic and hot peppers need to infuse for three to five days; fruits like pineapple, berries and honeydew benefit from a week or more. The same is true for herbs.

6. Test the flavor of the infused liquor every day. Add additional ingredients if necessary.

7. Strain your infused liquor before you serve it. Once your infusion is ready, let creativity be your guide. Whether you opt to serve your drink on ice or as an ingredient in a cocktail, strain the infused liquor before using it to make a beverage.

Tips & Warnings

• Vodka is the most neutral of spirits, so it lends itself well to sweet, savory or spicy ingredients.

• Recipes can be a great resource for understanding what flavor pairings work well.

• A prepared infusion will keep at room temperature for about two weeks.

• The longer your infusion sits, the more intense the flavor will become.

• Remove rind and pith from citrus fruits as they will make the infused liquor bitter.

References

• Imbibe Magazine: How to Infuse Your Favorite Spirits at Home With Fruits, Herbs & Veggies