As we head into the summer months, we find ourselves craving refreshing, bright, and fruity cocktails to help us cool down at the end of a long day. It’s a beautiful time of year that brings a whole lot of sunshine and a whole lot of delicious fruit, and we like to make the most of both of those things! So, while browsing the fruit aisle at our local grocer, inspiration struck, and we decided to get our hands on some produce and get to infusing neutral spirit with our favourite flavours.
Making a variety of cocktails at home can get a little pricey when it comes to collecting all the required spirits and liqueurs, but it doesn't have to be. Infusing neutral spirit or vodka with different flavours is an easy, rewarding, and inexpensive way to add a variety of flavoured spirits to your liquor cabinet and spruce up your cocktails. This is easy to do at home - all you need is some neutral spirit or vodka, and some of your favourite fruits, herbs, or spices.
First, we thoroughly washed the fruit, then cleaned some jars with hot soapy water and sterilized them with boiling water. We used 1 L jars to make it easier to strain out the fruit, but you can use any size.
Once your fruit is washed and your jars are clean, peel (if necessary), and chop it into small pieces. If using blueberries or other small berries, we suggest crushing these lightly to increase surface area and extract more flavour and colour from the fruit.
Drop the fruit/spices into the jars, then top up with neutral spirit or vodka at 40% ABV. Leave the jars in a cool place, out of direct sunlight and wait for the magic to begin.
Be sure to taste them daily (what a chore!) to see how the flavour is developing. Once you’re happy with the result, strain the spirit through a sieve, then through a coffee filter to catch any small solids before bottling it. Serve with your favourite mixer or in a cocktail recipe of your choice and enjoy!
Here’s what we made:
Strawberry, Mint & Cucumber
- 2 handfuls of strawberries, quartered
- Half a cucumber, sliced
- About 10 mint leaves, torn into pieces
Left to infuse for 5 days.
The flavours in this infusion pair perfectly, with the sweetness of the strawberry being balanced by the cucumber and just the right amount of mint, creating a refreshingly tasty spirit. Delicious served with soda water, lemonade, or blended with ice and simple syrup to make a slushy.
Blueberry, Kiwifruit & Lemon
- 1 handful blueberries, crushed lightly in the jar
- 4 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
- 2 x 2-inch pieces of lemon rind, minimal pith
Left to infuse for 5 days.
Perfect for summer, the balance between the flavours in this infusion is just right with the sweetness and sourness of the fruits coming together to create a wonderfully crisp spirit. Perfect served with soda water, tonic water, lemonade, or in a vodka martini.
Rhubarb & Honeydew Melon
- 3 sticks of rhubarb, sliced
- 1 quarter of a honeydew melon, peeled, cored, and chopped
Left to infuse for 5 days.
This infusion is very tart thanks to the rhubarb however, it is softened by light notes of honeydew. We’d suggest pairing this with something sweet to balance out the tartness – try shaken with simple syrup, lemon juice, and egg white, topped up with soda water to create a rhubarb fizz, or simply pair with lemonade.
Cacao, Cinanmon & Vanilla
- Half a cup of cacao nibs, lightly toasted
- 1 Vanilla bean, sliced lengthways
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
Left to infuse for 5 days.
Delicious chocolatey notes from the cacao are the focal point of this infusion. The vanilla shines through, balanced by a touch of spice from the cinnamon. Try this in a spiked hot chocolate or frappe, or sub the vodka in an espresso martini recipe for a little bit of extra indulgence.
Cinnamon, Ginger, Clove, Star Anise, Cardamom & Vanilla
- 1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthways
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves, whole
- 1 segment of star anise
- 1 cardamom pod
- 2 inches of ginger, peeled and sliced
Left to infuse for 7 days.
The spices in this infusion complement one another beautifully, with the vanilla adding a touch of softness to the spicy flavours of the cinnamon, clove, ginger, star anise, and cardamom. Perfect for the holiday season or those warmer months. Serve with apple juice and soda water, or in a Moscow Mule.
So there you have it - making your own flavour infusions is easy and it delivers some delicious results! You can purchase vodka or neutral spirit, but you can also make your own at home using our equipment. The Air Still is a great option for small volumes or when space is a concern, and the T500 Reflux Distillation System is perfect for larger quantities.
Don't forget to share your creations with us on our Facebook page or tag us on Instagram. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via social media, leave a comment below, or send us a message directly here.
