Infused vodka
Many moons ago, Mom made this pomegranate vodka that was out-of-sight. Inspired by this, for Christmas 2008, I decided to make some infused vodkas as gifts. I bought some bottles from Cost Plus for packaging, and I used an old 1.5 liter rum bottle for doing the infusion.
Mom uses Stoli, so I used that as well. There have been many threads on Chowhound on the topic, and folks seem to be converging on Svedka as the vodka of choice.
Lime-Ginger Vodka
- 750 mL vodka (Stoli 80 proof)
- 2 limes
- ginger
I based this recipe on a blog post I found. Zest the limes. Slice the flesh and remove the pith. Place the zest, flesh, and ginger in a jar with the vodka. Keep in a dark place for a few weeks, stirring occasionally. Filter and bottle.
Filtering using cheesecloth doesn't get everything out. Jessica suggested using a coffee filter, which I'll try next time.
I tasted this vodka after six months, and it was really delicious! Tastes great with Coke!
Grapefruit Vodka
- 1 L vodka (Smirnoff)
- 1 grapefruit (about 200 mL of juice)
Given the surprisingly good taste of the lime-ginger vodka, I decided to try making grapefruit-infused vodka using grapefruits from Mom's garden. This time, I used cheap vodka (Smirnoff) instead of the good stuff. On June 15, 2009, I zested and juiced the grapefruit and mixed it with the vodka. We'll see how it turns out!
Rosemary Vodka
- 750 mL vodka
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Infuse for two days, then start tasting. Don't leave it longer than five days.
Tried making it with beautiful, fresh rosemary from Mom's garden on August 22, 2010.
Jalapeno Vodka
- 750 mL vodka
- 2 jalapenos, sliced
Infuse for two days, then start tasting. Don't leave it longer than five days.
Tried making it with jalapenos from Mom's garden on August 22, 2010.
Idea from Infusions of Grandeur.
Habanero Vodka
- 750 mL vodka
- 1 habanero sliced in half
Tried making it with habaneros from Mom's garden on August 30, 2010. Infused it for two days, then took the habanero out. It was fire water, but delicious! I'm now regretting taking the habaneros out, as the vodka could be fruitier, and it's manageably spicy. I'll try leaving it in next time.
To Try
References
- "Do-it-yourself flavored vodkas." San Francisco Chronicle
- "Bottle rockets." San Francisco Bay Guardian
- Chowhound thread
- The Tipsy Diaries: Frank Bruni investigates Infused Spirits
