Have you considered hosting parties for your friends at home to save money at bars and restaurants? Are you interested in mixology but feeling a little overwhelmed because you are filled to the brim with questions, like what does vodka taste like
after you infuse it? Keep reading everything you need to know about infusing vodka, including how long it should be infused, and what the liquor tastes like.
How Long Should You Infuse Vodka?
How long you should infuse vodka depends on several factors, including your personal preference and what you are infusing your vodka with. As a good general rule, you should infuse your liquor for three to five days prior to serving it. However, there are exceptions. For example, if you are infusing your vodka with fruit, it is perfectly fine to let it sit in the fridge for a full week prior to serving. Your guests may even comment on how it tastes more like syrup than liquor.
However, you don’t want to infuse your vodka for longer than 24 hours if you are using a spicy ingredient, like jalapeno peppers. In fact, if you are infusing something spicy into your liquor, you may want to smell it after just 10 to 12 hours.
How Do You Infuse Vodka?
Infusing vodka requires just three quick and easy steps. First, you’ll need to decide what flavors you are adding to your liquor of choice. Second, you’ll need to get the infusion process started. Finally, you’ll need to strain and store the liquor you infused. Here’s a closer look at the steps you’ll need to take to make infused vodka.
Pick Your Flavors
You know vodka is your liquor of choice for infusions, but what do you want to infuse your vodka with? Figuring that out is the first step to infusing vodka. If you’re not sure where to start, make a list of some of your favorite infused liquors, even if they’re not vodka-based. For example, you may want to close your eyes and imagine the fragrant aroma of your favorite rum infusion. Has it been sweetened with diced mango or guava?
Do you ever long for a smooth, sweet whiskey with a hint of cinnamon and strong orange and cranberry flavors? Write down some of your favorite flavor profiles regardless of the liquor that was infused. Then, look to see if there are some recipes to give you proportions of ingredients you might enjoy.
Start the Infusion Process
Once you know what you want to infuse your vodka with, assuming you have all of the necessary ingredients already, it is time to start the infusion process. Pull out your favorite quart-sized mason jar and make sure the lid is easy to seal. If it’s not, hop on your favorite online store’s website and order some mason jars with easy-to-seal lids.
Once you have your mason jar, add your dry ingredients, like herbs or spices. Then, add any other non-alcoholic ingredients you may have, like washed and dried strawberries, vanilla beans, and washed and dried lime peels. Finally, add your vodka, seal the jar, and store in a cool, dark place. Once it has been infused for three to seven days, smell it. If it smells fragrant, taste it. If it’s ready, it’s time to strain.
Strain and Store Your Infused Liquor
The third and final step of infusing vodka is to strain and store your completed beverage. First, you’ll need to pick out a measuring cup, jar with a wide mouth, or glass bowl. Once you’ve made up your mind on that, you’ll need to pour your liquor through a fine mesh sieve into your clean vessel. Make sure you also have a cheesecloth to line the sieve with if you have a fruit with pulp or seeds in your infusion. This minimizes sediment.
Now, you’re almost done! It’s time to clean up. Wash the mason jar you used to infuse your vodka, and compost or throw away the ingredients you used for the infusion. Once your mason jar is clean, pour the infused liquor back in the jar. Now, you just have to seal it again and store it in a cool, dark place until you’re ready for your next party.
What Does Vodka Taste Like?
If you’re like many people, you’ve caught yourself wondering at least once what does vodka taste like. Fortunately for people interested in creating vodka infusions, vodka tastes pretty much like whatever you add to it. Vodka, more than any other liquor, is like a blank canvas waiting to be painted with herbs, spices, or fruit. In fact, vodka should be free from color, odor, and flavor.
However, it is worth noting that some notes can be picked up while tasting vodka. For example, you may pick up hints of black pepper or lemon. You also may get a tiny bit of brininess. The best way to answer the question what does vodka taste like, though, is to try it yourself.
Some Infused Vodka Recipes to Get You Started
Berry-Infused Vodka
Berry-infused vodka is a great idea if you are new to making infused liquors because of its versatility. Do you love the perfect balance between tart and sweet that explodes in your mouth when you bite into an in-season raspberry? If so, you just need to combine a pint of organic raspberries with 750 mL of vodka.
If you usually snack on strawberries dusted with sugar, you may not find a berry infusion to be sweet enough for you. If so, you can add a quarter of a cup of sugar to your infusion. Just make sure that you shake your infusion daily to ensure the flavors blend together smoothly. This is particularly important if you are using two half-pint portions of different organic berries.
Lemon Pomegranate-Infused Vodka
Do you ever feel like your lemonade is missing something, like liquor? If so, you may thoroughly enjoy adding lemon pomegranate-infused vodka to your lemonade. To make this infused liquor, you just need three easy-to-find ingredients. First, you’ll need an organic lemon cut into wedges. Second, you’ll need 750 mL of vodka. Third, you’ll need a cup of pomegranate seeds.
There’s no need to buy a pomegranate and take the time to get all of the seeds out of it and clean and dry them. Rather, you can buy dried, unsweetened pomegranate seeds online for a very reasonable price. You can also purchase cranberry seeds at Walmart and other local stores. Once you have all of your ingredients, combine them in a large, clean sealable jar. Infuse for five days in the pantry, shaking daily. Then, strain and store your beverage.
Blackberry Orange-Infused Vodka
Have you ever had a deliciously tart cocktail that you haven’t been able to replicate at home yet? If so, the secret to recreating your favorite cocktail may lie in the flavor of your vodka. You may have better luck if you make a blackberry orange infused vodka to add to your tart cocktail recipe.
To make this beverage, you’ll need 750 mL of quality vodka, an organic orange cut into wedges, and a cup of organic blackberries. Generally, this beverage will be infused after just three days. Like all of the other multi-ingredient infusions, make sure you shake daily to blend the flavors together nicely.
Lemon Thyme Infused Vodka
Lemon thyme infused vodka is another infused liquor that just begs to be paired with your favorite lemonade recipe. To make this beverage, you’ll need to infuse three sprigs of fresh organic thyme and an organic lemon cut into wedges in 750 mL of quality vodka. After shaking the infusion once per day for three days and keeping it in the pantry, it will be ready for straining and enjoyment.
Cucumber Mint Infused Vodka
The last morsel of food for thought we’ll leave you with is a cucumber mint infused vodka recipe. This recipe requires 750 mL of vodka, a sliced cucumber, and three sprigs of mint. If you’re not planning on adding this to your favorite lemonade recipe, you may also want to add five basil leaves. We recommend letting this infusion sit in the pantry for three days, and shaking it vigorously and thoroughly once per day.
To add your infused vodka to lemonade for a refreshing cocktail, combine 2 ounces of your infused vodka with 6 ounces of lemonade. This can be garnished with fresh mint and lemon slices.
As a general rule of thumb, vodka should be infused for three to five days prior to serving. However, you may only want to infuse your vodka for 10 to 24 hours if you are using jalapenos or other spicy ingredients. If you are using fruit to infuse your liquor, it is perfectly fine to infuse your beverage for a full week. If you’re in the Apple Valley area and want inspiration for infused liquors, reserve a table at Town’s End Stillhouse & Grill now or visit our distillery.