Getting Started

Infusing is pretty simple process and has been used by distillers for centuries. It is the simple practice of steeping or macerating a flavor into a neutral spirit and letting it sit for a period of time. The time it takes for the spirit to absorb the that flavors is all determined on the product and the environmental factors.A good rule to go by when infusing is to start with your oil based flavors such as citrus, chillies and similar fruits and vegetables. Using more succulent fruits such as strawberries could result in a mushy mess without careful supervision.

Article provide by www.cocktailsandwines.com Phase One Ingredients:

While vodka is the popular base to infusions, you can add flavor to any spirit. Stronger oil based ingredients can infuse in a shorter amount of time, sometinemes under a week, whereas softer more fibrous ingredients can take more than a week.

Infusion jare:

Tall or round glasss jars with tightly fitting lids, preferable complete with pouring spouts are the only initial outlay required for your new in house vodka infusion center.

Choosing your flavor The choice of flavors is all based on your imagination, why not try orange infused tequila or maybe a fig and cinnamon infused bourbon. Mellow flavors include cantaloupe, peach, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, pineapple, mango, and vanilla beans. Lemon, lime or grapefruit flavors offer a sharper bite to the palate. Time to Infuse Everything should be washed thoroughly including fruit vegetables to ensure they are free of pesticides and any impurities that might contaminate the final product. Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries should be left whole while more fibrous fruitsl such as mango and pineapple should be chopped into small chunks. Citrus fruits and strawberries should be sliced thin. More obscure flavors such as vanilla beans and chillies should be sliced lengthways and herbs left on their stem.

When slicing up your ingredients keep in mind the vessel you will be placing them in . Is it a glass jar that will be on display on the back bar or will it be hidden away. Presentation is everything when infusing your latest creation in public.

The glass jar should be filled with the infusion ingredients and the remaining with your base spirit. Tighten the lid securely over the jar and place in the refrigerator or at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

Infusion times will vary. Taste every few days to obtain the flavors that you are aiming. for. If you want to deepen the flavor and start foraying into liqueurs, add a little sugar and stir it in to dissolve.

How to infuse vodka with cherry

Purchase your vodka. This recipe calls for a 750-ml bottle of vodka, so if you use a larger bottle, be sure to add more cherries during the infusion process.

Choose 4 pints of cherries. The best cherry-infused vodka is made with real, in-season cherries. In the United States, cherries are typically picked from May until August, with the peak season in June. If you are unable to buy your cherries from a farm, you can buy them in the grocery store at the same time for similarly delicious results.

Find a reusealable glass container in which to infuse your vodka. A wide-mouthed container, such as a jar for canning fruit, will work well. Whichever container you choose, make sure you have enough room to stir the mixture thoroughly.

Prepare your mixture. First, remove the stems and pits from the cherries. Pour the bottle of vodka and cherries into the container and mix. Allow the mixture to sit in a warm, dry place for several days. Stir the mixture three times a day.

Test your vodka after 2 days in the jar to get a feel for how much longer it needs to completely infuse. The best way to test the vodka is straight, without any mixers.

Pour the mixture through a coffee strainer to remove the cherries and serve your vodka. If you want to serve your cherry vodka in a mixed drink, visit Drinks Mixer for a few recipe ideas (see Resources below). If the cherries you used to infuse the vodka with still taste good, use them as drink garnishes.

Tips & Warnings Make sure to choose a quality vodka like Skyy or Belvedere so you create the smoothest infused vodka possible. If you only have a cheaper vodka available, run it through a Brita water filter first to remove some of the impurities. Some of the best cherries to make infused vodka with are Rainiers, Bings and yellow-red Royal Anns. Don’t let air into your cherry vodka infusion except for when you’re testing it. Extra air will hamper the infusion process.

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