How can I make my own flavored vodka?

- Intrigued

Posted on Jul 8, 2011 in Find things, Food & drink

alcohol recipe vodka

I see this stuff in the stores and I’ve tried some now and then, but I think it would be fun to make my own flavors. Can you suggest some ideas?

Drink the rainbow

Tired of drinking the same old fermented potatoes? Got that DIY spirit (pun intended)? Wondering what to do with that 5lb bag of Skittles/fruit/chilis/bacon/flowers/etc? We can help.

First of all, a little background. Flavors were often introduced to mask the harsh taste of early, crudely distilled vodkas. Over time, flavor infusions were an indication of the skill of the distiller (say that five times fast). Today, well, they’re just tasty straight and a fun addition to mixed drinks and they make great gifts. People love homemade things, especially if they’re not crap and they can get drunk off of them. Just sayin’.

Stuff you will need

Each recipe varies as far as quantities and such, but here are some basic supplies you’ll want to have on hand for any infusing project:

Vodka: Duh. Don’t cheap out on this. The $6 bottle of store brand stuff that comes in a plastic bottle and smells of engine degreaser is a poor choice. On the other hand, a $60 bottle is overkill for this purpose. Middle of the road is fine.

Glass jars: Glass, plastic, or any other non-reactive material, really. Not metal. As long as you can seal it reasonably airtight, this you can use it to combine your vodka with your infusing ingredient and sit for a while. No, plastic wrap alone is not a seal.

Coffee filters or cheesecloth: For straining your vodka after it has been sufficiently infused. I guess you could use an old t-shirt if you really wanted, but I’d at least wash it first.

Bottles: You need something to keep it in when you’re done, unless you plan on guzzling it straight out of the jar. I’m not judging if you do. If you plan on giving it as a gift, order some nice bottles and consider printing some labels for them. For an added classy presentation, wrap it in a brown paper bag.

Recipes

There are probably as many recipes for making your own infused vodka as there are… politically incorrect references to drunkenness in Russian culture. Ahem. For your convenience, I shall direct you to a couple handpicked examples I have found.

Fruits: Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, or combinations thereof are extremely popular. This is most likely because they are extremely tasty. Berries, melons, and apples are all applicable here too.

Skittles: Yeah, you heard me. Everyone’s favorite rainbow of flavor can be used to make an… interesting vodka taste sensation. They generally tend to be rather cloying in their sweetness and my personal favorite is orange… then again, the last time I had Skittle vodka was out of the back of a race car in Buttonwillow, California. And I woke up the next day missing half my clothes and the guys one pit over kept winking at me.

Bacon, Creamsicle, and others: Bacon. Vodka. ‘Nuff said.

Chili pepper: Another one of my favorites.

The list could go on and on. You can use peppercorns, garlic, ginger, and so on. Don’t see a recipe for something? Experiment! Invent your own, combine flavors. In fact, I think I need a bottle of Stoli, a pound of bacon, and some black peppercorns. I’ll see you guys out at the store.

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