Make Your Own Flavoured Vodkas

Flavoured Vodkas are the latest craze on the shelves these day. Today we get creative and show you exactly what it takes to make your very own homemade flavoured vodka.

Flavored vodkas are incredibly simple to make, even if you have no skills in the kitchen.

Planning

It’s important to plan ahead. The key here is to remember that stronger-flavored ingredients take less time to infuse, and milder flavors take longer. It’s always a good idea to taste the infusions every couple of days to see how they’re coming along. Here are some general guidelines:

3-4 days: Fresh herbs, vanilla beans, citrus

1 week: Tree fruit (apples, pears, peaches), berries, and other conventional fruits with mild flavors

2 weeks: Whole chili peppers (halve the time if you cut them in half), cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger and similar ingredients

What do you need?

  • Canning jars or glass bottles – any size but adjust the amount of alcohol you use according to the size of your bottle or jar.
  • Vodka – choose a good, neutral-flavored vodka. Choose a vodka that have been distilled more than three times for best results
  • Infusion ingredients – You can use almost anything you want. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices. Fill infusion jar or bottle approximately half-full with your infusion ingredients, and then to fill the rest with vodka. For strong or spicy ingredients, such as jalapenos you need to tone it down a bit. Use your own discretion.

Read, set, go!

  • Make sure your containers are thoroughly washed and dried.
  • Wash all produce you intend to infuse
  • Insert infusion ingredients in your container. For milder ingredients, fill the container halfway full. For stronger ingredients, use your discretion. Small fruits like berries may be left whole, while bigger fruits (citrus, pears, etc.) can be sliced thinly.
  • Fill the rest of the container with vodka, and seal the lid.
  • Let the containers rest in a dark, cool place (closets and basements work well) for the desired time. Check on them every few days and shake up the bottles.
  • Strain the ingredients out and re-bottle the vodka. If the ingredients sit for too long, they can turn bitter or unpalatable.
  • Make sure to label your flavored vodkas, and enjoy!
  • Bottles can be kept for up to two months in the refrigerator.