How To Infuse Cocktails

If you’re looking for something different to try this season, we suggest giving cocktail infusions a go. Homemade infusions provide spirits with a fresh, natural taste. They’ll also add a personal touch to your gifts this Christmas.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for creating your own cocktail infusions this festive season:

First, pick a base spirit.
Choosing a decent spirit that is smooth and clean will allow the added flavours to shine. The most common spirit for infusion is vodka but you can use whiskey as well. 

For best results, use fresh ingredients only.
Herbs, spices and fruits commonly used in infusions. Vodka doesn’t have much of a flavour of its own, so it goes well with most ingredients. Whiskey, on the other hand, is strong and complex and would need to be paired bolder flavours such as apple and vanilla. Do a taste test of your spirit and ingredients before infusing to see if they work well together. 

You’ll need a clean, air-tight jar.
Wash your ingredients and put them in a clean, air-tight jar. Pour your base liquor on top and let the flavours mix. Share the jar a few times then cover tightly with a lid.

Now, all you need to do is wait (and shake). Store your infusion in a cool, dry place and shake it 3-5 times a day. Most infusions should be ready to drink any time from three days to a week, depending on your ingredients. Homemade infusions are all about preference, so do a taste test every few days to see if the flavours are sufficient.

It tastes great, what’s next? Once your infusion has peaked in flavour, be sure to take the ingredients out of the jar. Use a fine strainer or coffee filter to strain the infused spirit into another clean jar or bowl. You can then transfer it into a bottle and store it just like how you’d store any other liquor of its type.

Whether you’re drinking it at dinner or giving it to a friend, cocktail infusions are a fun way to add flavour to your drinks!