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Boozed + Infused 
February 19, 2012 at 10:32 pm
You are my new favourite person. Love this blog!!!!!
March 2, 2012 at 10:15 am
Great blog! Lots of inspiration here. CHEERS!
March 9, 2012 at 6:47 am
I love your blog! I found after you liked one of my posts. I will definitely try out some of your recipes. Have you tried a nut infusion (like a pecan infused bourbon)? Winter is behind us so it’s not as seasonal now but it’s something I have been meaning to try but not sure how to do it. Would be interested in your take.
March 9, 2012 at 7:23 am
Thanks! I have done several nut infusions, but have not tried pecan bourbon yet. So far everything I have tried in bourbon has been great, so I think you should go for it!
March 9, 2012 at 7:31 am
I just read the walnut liqueur recipe you posted earlier. I might try that as well. Thanks!
March 13, 2012 at 5:30 am
Make a Honey-pepper Vodka…mmm sweat heat
March 13, 2012 at 8:06 am
I was just thinking we needed to do something like that… Haven’t quite figured out the recipe but I think that will be in our future. Thanks for the idea!
April 21, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Hello Alicia, I am a fellow cordial maker from New Mexico. I must say I love your recipes. As a member of the Society for Creative Anachronists I have swapped and tried many recipes over the years and yours are a great find.
For an Irish cream that doesn’t need refrigeration try taking good quality caramels and dissolving them in a mild Irish whiskey such as Bushmills. Then thin out with a thin (more water than usual) simple sugar. I have also used Riesen candies dissolved the same way to create a chocolate version.
My wife wanted an Irish cream but when we go to events it’s not practical to use something that has to be kept cold. She looked at the usual recipes and realized that it was the same things she used for homemade caramel sauce.
April 22, 2012 at 9:13 am
Thanks for the compliments. And thank you very much for the advice on an Irish Cream that doesn’t need refrigeration. I think having one that doesn’t need to be kept cold is perfect for gifting as well. Would love to hear about other tips you may have!
October 16, 2013 at 8:48 am
I love the idea of non refrigerated Irish cream!What exactly would be the measurement for the ingredients? Would loveto try this out.
June 3, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Hi Alicia,
A quick question, have you infused your own basic gin? Vodka or everclear + juniper and herbs, etc?
If so, do you have a recipe? We may want to try to make some.
Thanks!
Stewart @ Putney Farm
June 3, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Hi Stewart,
I have not made this myself. I looked around through a few different recipes, and this is the one I would follow if I were to make it myself:
http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2007/how-to-make-your-own-gin-without-a-still/
The recipe is from Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and he is known to be an excellent mixologist (I believe best known for his barrel-aged cocktails).
Good luck – and let me know how it works out!
June 3, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Thanks, much appreciated. We will be doing this soon (not sure why, just want to do it…)
June 3, 2012 at 3:51 pm
See my most recent post on atasteofmorning.com Because I enjoy your blog so much, I have just nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award and the One Lovely Blog Award.
June 3, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Wow! Laurie, thank you so much. The feeling is mutual!
June 14, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Hello,
Love the blog. Lots of intriguing ideas and recipes. I just spotted the oatmeal and honey recipe and can’t wait to try it.
One quick question though: When you infuse do you leave the jar on a windowsill to let the sun help steep it? In the frig? pantry?
Thanks
June 14, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Hi Charlie,
I leave all of my infusions in the pantry, or similar dark/fairly cool location. I think the Chow recipe may say to put it in the refrigerator, but with the percentage of alcohol in the recipe I listed, you will be fine to leave it out.
September 19, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Hi, I was wondering if you had any good apple or pumpkin drinks
September 26, 2012 at 6:18 am
Although straining through a coffee filter will clear the drink and make it less cloudy don’t you loose a lot of the flavor?
September 26, 2012 at 7:23 am
Hi Karll, In general, I do not think straining through a coffee filter takes away the flavor. In fact, often times you may want to make sure you strain it well to make sure the flavors remain and don’t get further tainted by the solids.
I would say that the only time I noticed much of a difference was with the oatmeal and brown sugar. The infusion had a much different mouthfeel after the final straining, and perhaps a slightly different flavor. I still really liked the liqueur, and I am not sure how it would have tasted over time if I had not strained it as well as I did.
The alcohol itself takes the flavor from the solids, so you don’t need the solids in there to get the flavor. Hope that helps!
September 27, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Refrigerate or not to refrigerate?
After I infuse the fruits in bourbon and strain, is it best to refrigerate the final product? I’ve seen on some sites, “yes.” But I think I saw on yours, “no.” And if there is some sediment after straining, is that a reason to keep cold because it is organic material?
Thanks.
October 7, 2012 at 9:46 am
I love your blog and have been inspired to try my own crazy infused booze, thank you. Raspberry brandy my next adventure. I tagged you in a silly game of blog tag if you have a free moment and it is your thing http://wp.me/p22T8F-7b
October 14, 2012 at 11:15 am
Hi! I’m enthused by Boozed and Infused, and I’m writing in from Central Europe, home of fruit brandies. We harvest a metric ton or more of apples every year from our orchard that we take to a distillery, so we get LOTS of Calvados. One of my favorite liqueurs is a simple hawthorn berry infusion (tastes great, benefits the heart and circulatory system, lifts one’s mood during winter doldroms, and works like “anti-coffee”), but the reason I’m writing is to ask if you have any experience working with slivovice, Calvados, palinka or other fruit spirits. They have their own specific flavors, but I’m sure they could be even more interesting with additions.
Take care and “Na zdraví”!
October 14, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Hi Melinda, well I’m quite jealous of all your Calvados. No, I have not tried making any infusions with fruit spirits like Calvados, slivovice, or palinka. Where I am, the varieties of those alcohols that we have available tend to be fairly expensive and very nice quality. I imagine they would be amazing in an infusion, but I have not tried any of them. I tend to keep those liquors for enjoying on their own. I would love to her what you infuse in them (in addition to the hawthorn berry). I think they would all be great and would absolutely add their own interesting flavors as you mentioned. Thanks for writing to us!
October 21, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Well, I’m more of an herbalist than a mixologist, but your page inspires me! I will try some things and get back to you with the results. My husband does some traditional stuff with walnuts (have to harvest by St. Catherine’s Day while they are still squishy inside) and elderberries, and I could post recipes for those. If you’re curious about the hawthorn liqueur, give it a try with your own favorite base alcohol. Jack Daniels might make an interesting choice.
October 21, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Thanks Melinda! I would love to get some green walnuts and try a real Nocino. I bet that is really tasty. I am not where I could find hawthorn berries around here… But I am glad to hear we may have inspired you to try a few new things too. Can’t wait to hear what you make.
October 24, 2012 at 7:57 am
Hey there, love ur work and I got a couple of questions… I’m preparing a white rum infused with lemongrass and vanilla.. I read ur post about lemongrass vodka and I see you suggest two weeks if infusion.. Do u think it would work the same with rum? Also.. Is it better to prepare one batch with vanilla and one with lemongrass and combine the two or infuse them altogether? I would like to obtain a faint vanilla note.. Would it work if I left the vanilla bean in the liquid for a short time? Thanx in advance and sorry to bother you but I am not big on infusions.. I’m going to change this though
November 1, 2012 at 1:53 pm
As a non-bourbon drinker, it was suggested by the salesman in the liquor store to use Rebel Yell. Are you familiar with this brand? Thank You.
November 4, 2012 at 9:37 am
Hi Debby, Sorry, I have not tasted Rebel Yell. I asked my husband, and he has not either. For the price, it may be very good for infusions. I often use Jim Beam for infusions, it is a good price and works very well with infusing. But I will be interested to hear if you did get the Rebel Yell and how you think it works out.
November 5, 2012 at 8:15 am
I am wondering for your coffee infused Brandy if you can use a chocolate flavored coffee?
November 5, 2012 at 9:09 pm
I think chocolate flavored coffee would be excellent in this! Let me know ow it turns out!
December 7, 2012 at 10:16 pm
I have questions! I would like to try infusing with Anise, your blog says Gin, can I use grain alchol? Simple syrup, some require only a couple of tablespoonfull, can you make a cup and store? I have been all over net and you seem to be the only people that really might know what your doing. E-how is a joke.
December 8, 2012 at 8:29 am
Hi Nancy, welcome to Boozed + Infused! We are glad that you found us, it seems you have had some trouble finding the info you need and that is exactly why we started this blog!
For an Anise infusion, we chose to use gin, but you can certainly use any alcohol that would go well with that flavor. While grain alcohol is flavorless, it is 95% alcohol (190 proof) so infusions with grain alcohol would tend to have a much greater need to be watered down, and/or a larger amount of simple syrup. (Most of the alcohol I infuse with is 80 proof / 40% alcohol.) Keep in mind that the high percentage of alcohol may also make this infuse a bit faster. (Might I suggest using vodka, and following the recipe with that substitution?)
You will notice that most of the liqueurs on our blog tend to have a bit less sugar/simple syrup than other recipes. I don’t care for them to be super sweet. Some people who make infusions like to keep all sugars out of their drink. And depending on which kind of alcohol we are infusing with, we sometimes do too (an alcohol like brandy or bourbon will tend to have a lot more of its own sweeteners coming out when you infuse something in it than vodka or gin).
Grain alcohol is often used in making bitters. And many people do use it to make liqueurs. For bitters, it does not need to be watered down because you would only use a small amount of them at a time. If you are using grain alcohol to make an anise liqueur then I would water it down. The amount of simple syrup or sugar you use is entirely up to your own tastes and how sweet you would like this. The anise recipe that I made, I gave to my mother and she thought it was a bit strong. So for her, she would like a bit more sweetener (which really just means you can also use it in cocktails). I have not tried using grain alcohol to make any liqueurs.
You can make up a big batch of simple syrup and keep it stored in the refrigerator. You will often need to throw it out if you don’t use it before it starts to crystalize. But I usually have a small jar of simple syrup in my refrigerator.
You can always add more sugar/sweetener, but you can’t take it away so just add a little at a time.
Hope that helps! Feel free to send us an email if you need more help. Cheers~
December 14, 2012 at 7:49 pm
What is your go-to bourbon for infusing? Jim beam, makers, jack?
December 15, 2012 at 11:32 am
Hi Eric, my go-to bourbon for infusing is usually Jim Beam. I think Makers would be even better,but Beam does quite well in infusions, for a lower price. I am not a big fan of Jack, so I haven’t infused with it. But if you normally enjoy Jack, then that would probably be a good choice for you.
Cheers~
February 18, 2013 at 10:32 pm
Hi Alicia, I am new to your site. I have already made Lavendar, Lime/Jalepano, Lime, and Blackberry Vodka infusions and one your have probably never heard about. As a member of a local mushroom club, we began finding a mushroom called “Candy Cap” or Lactarius rubidus. When this mushroom is dried, the whole house smells like maple syrup. We have used them in creme brulees, cookies and frosting. Then a few of us made a liqueur (if that is the right name for it) using Candy Caps and vodka. After the infusing, we added simple syrup to taste. You do get a little of the mushroom flavor on the first sip, but I think the maple flavor takes over. Wonderful around the campfire on our weekend mushroom hunts.
February 23, 2013 at 11:08 am
Hi Lynne, thanks for your comment! Sounds like you have made some wonderful infusions! I have heard about using candy cap mushrooms, but have never tasted them and would not even know where to find them (since I do not forage) but that sounds really intriguing. Perhaps similar to the mushroom cocktail I made since I added maple syrup to the cocktail? Thanks for the great ideas! Cheers~
February 27, 2013 at 10:22 am
Alicia, I live north of you in Olympia and the Candy Caps are done here for the season. We are finding some of the Oregon Black Truffles, but it’s another poor season for them. I have infused them in a good vodka and it’s fun for us foragers to pass that around. I have not mixed the Truffle infusion with anything, afraid of losing the delicate aroma. You have fantastic truffle finds around Eugene, more of the Oregon White Truffles. Now to thaw out some blackberries and get something started with that. I have a friend who distills for his own use and he is going to perfect vodka for me to try in infusions. I used his brandy for the Gingerbread Liqueur. Very nice.
April 18, 2013 at 8:25 am
Your infusions look delicious. How long to do they last for once they are bottled? And do you buy really good, expensive base spirits, or can you get away with more economical products given they are infused? Thanks
April 19, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Hi Kaye, I would say most of the infusions that do not contain dairy products last at least a year or longer. I have some that are 2 years that are still good. I usually use a mid-level spirit for my base. Some people use top shelf, but I don’t find it necessary to spend that kind of money when you are infusing it with so much other flavor. Cheers~
August 3, 2013 at 9:30 am
Nice blog……did you ever try infusing in an isi whipper with the chargers? Seems a few weeks is a long time to wait for a drink!!
August 3, 2013 at 10:12 am
Thanks Danny, I have not personally infused with an isi whipper, but yes I have seen how fast they can produce results! Amazing! They are genius… Do you use one to infuse?
August 3, 2013 at 11:59 am
Yes, I have one which I use often to infuse oils, waters, sodas, juices and purees. I don’t do the alcohol as much as I don’t drink alcohol…..
August 18, 2013 at 11:44 am
Regarding mushroom flavored vodka,based on info from my mushroom mentor I’m infusing black trumpet mushrooms (about 3 mushrooms per pint) . I’ve sampled some of his and was impressed with the flavor.
August 24, 2013 at 8:40 am
Rich, thanks for the tips on infusing mushrooms! Cheers~
August 27, 2013 at 5:45 am
Thought I had died and gone to heaven when I came across this website 🙂
Now stocking up on alcohol ready to try some recipes and my local shop thinks I am a alcoholic!
Not sure if its on your list but Strawberry Gin is lush! Just be careful when you get up from your chair after drinking one or five as for some reason your legs give way 🙂
Thank you for making my day.
Lori
August 30, 2013 at 7:27 am
Hi Lori, thanks so much for the comment. I’m so glad you found us! The strawberry gin sounds fabulous! I absolutely love fresh, local strawberries in the summer time when the flavor is so sweet! We made a strawberry rum last year and it was wonderful (it made for some relly tasty mojitos)!
Cheers~
October 29, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Hi Alicia, I live in a place where Tamarind trees line the public parks, and I collect some to use in lots of recipes. But I never thought about making alcoholic drinks! My bourbon wins lots of prizes at my local fair, and I make liqueurs, including cranberry and mango. If you would like my bourbon recipe, send me an email. You have given me some inspiration and I am off to pick some fresh tamarind!
November 2, 2013 at 9:34 am
Hi Gay, I’m so glad you found our blog! I think the tamarind would be delicious in bourbon! (I’ve had tamarind-whiskey sours that were fabulous!) What do you typically put in your bourbon?
November 8, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Hi Alicia,
I am so happy to have found your blog! Do you have an recommendations or recipes for a cinnamon bourbon/whiskey? I have read you prefer Jim Beam, I have Jack, Woodford, and Maker’s on hand..which do you think would be best for your dried cherry bourbon and also for the cinnamon infusion?
Thanks!
November 14, 2013 at 7:35 am
Hi Erin,
Thank you for your message! I often use Jim Beam in my recipes just because it is inexpensive and tends to work well in infusions. I am positive that the Woodford and Makers will be wonderful! I personally have less of a preference for Jack, but that is just my personal taste. If you enjoy Jack, then you will enjoy it infused as well. I think any of these alcohols would be fine for the dried cherry bourbon or cinnamon infusion.
As to a recommendation for the recipe for cinnamon bourbon, I would recommend 1 cinnamon stick, with 2-3 cups of bourbon. How strong do you want the cinnamon flavor? Leave the cinnamon stick in until it reaches your desired flavor (probably two weeks would be good, but you can certainly do anything from a few days to a month). If you are short on time, feel free to place a few cinnamon sticks in the whiskey and just infuse for a shorter amount of time.
Hope that helps. Infusions are really quite easy, just taste often and enjoy!
cheers~
November 15, 2013 at 9:26 am
Hi! Love your blog! One question? Do you have any suggestions on infusing with cake?
As a wedding gift, I’m trying to infuse my friends actual wedding cake. I’ve seen a couple of cake infusions online but was wondering if you had any suggestions? Thanks!
November 17, 2013 at 7:03 pm
Hi there, what a fun idea to infuse their wedding cake! I have not tried infusing actual cake. I would suggest infusing it in vodka (or a vodka/brandy combination). Just place the cake in a jar, add alcohol, and cover. Sample it every few days until you like the flavor. At that point, you’ll want to strain it really well. Let me know how it tastes. If you don’t like the flavor at that point, you can assess if you need to try adding anything else.
Cheers~
November 17, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Hi,
Was wondering where you got your flip top bottles from? We are infusing and bottling for holiday gifts and these are perfect.
Thanks,
Jess
December 6, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Hi Jess, thanks for your comment. The flip top bottles are from the Container Store. I think Cost Plus World Market may carry some as well. Good luck with your gift-making! Cheers~
December 15, 2013 at 4:30 pm
Hey! I’m going to infuse some liquors for my sister for Christmas (which I’ve never done before) and as I’m sitting here drinking my coconut mojito I’m thinking… Can I infuse rum with coconut shavings?! What are your thoughts? Not only am I an infusing virgin, I’m a terrible cook. I’m afraid I’ll mess this all up if I don’t ask for advice!
December 15, 2013 at 9:30 pm
Yes, you can absolutely infuse with coconut shavings! We have a coconut infusion recipe (go to our booze infusion index) just sub rum instead of vodka and omit the sugar. Don’t be so worried, infusing is actually quite easy! You can do this!!! Cheers~
February 2, 2014 at 6:12 am
Just wanted to let you know this is the best blog ever. I use a lot of rum in my infusions, as well as a locally made moonshine (The Apple Pie Moonshine I made was just sick!). I looked around the site, but didn’t see anything about a homemade Spiced Rum. I see lots of recipes online but was curious if you ever tried it yourself?
February 11, 2014 at 8:00 pm
Hi Tod,
Thank you for the flattery! Much appreciated! You are right, I don’t have a Spiced Rum recipe… perhaps I should do one this year! I looked around online at some of the recipes out there. They all sound really good, but also a little overwhelming with a lot of ingredients. Did you have a flavor profile for what you were looking to infuse in your rum? What kind of spices do you like? Keep in mind that many spices have a tendency to overwhelm, so more is not better with most of them.
I like that you use rum in a lot of your infusions. I think I should use it more… it has been a while since I infused a nice rum. We have a local distiller that makes a nice basic rum that would be great for infusions.
Cheers~
February 12, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Well, being new to the art of infusions, I really hadn’t put much thought into what flavor profile I would like a spiced rum to have. I would think things like ginger, vanilla, honey, clove, a citrus (orange peel?), peppercorns… all possible ingredients.
I love using rum and changed up a couple things you’ve done.. I did a blueberry-mint mojito that came out really good and a pineapple-coconut-lime that I love. Looking forward to seeing what else you come up with!
May 18, 2014 at 6:54 am
Hi Alicia
I love the idea of your infusions. At the moment for me though….i am not allowed to drink alcohol for the next 3 months. Can you suggest any recipe’s/infusions that can or should be infused for that period of time. Also….can you elaborate for me on your measurements. for example 3 c. bourbon is that 3 cups? and Tb – is that tablespoon and is T a teaspoon.
Cheers
Steffan
November 16, 2014 at 4:59 pm
Wow – I realize I really missed the mark on this one, and you can likely drink alcohol by now. If you are even need to know this again, there are lots of berry infusions that do great infusing over a 3-month period (raspberry being one of my favorites). Most other infusions will also do great by infusing for a few weeks or a month, straining the ingredients and then allowed to just mellow/age for the next few months. It really enhances the flavor. As for the ingredients, yes, “c” is for Cup (which is 240 mL) and the Tb is a Tablespoon (equivalent to 3 teaspoons).
June 24, 2014 at 5:08 pm
Hi! I am trying your strawberry rum infusion and was hoping for it to be ready by the Fourth of July. Started it on June 7th, just tasted it and it tastes like a very nasty cough syrup. Do you think sugar would help or is it a lost cause? Maybe my strawberries were not ripe enough to make the infusion sweet? Thanks for the help!
August 19, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Hi!
Really love your infusions, been doing a few and think they are amazing!!
Iv been trying to get a buttered gin going but finding it a little difficult for amounts and measures, do you know a good recipe for one?
Fin
September 16, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Hi Fin, thank you for your comment. I am afraid I do not have any ideas for a buttered gin… I never thought to try that. Did you come up with anything yet?
Cheers~
November 16, 2014 at 10:01 am
I used your recipes and have several vodka’s fermenting now. The chili pepper vodka was great, I followed everything, except I actually fermented it for 5 days with the peppers and other stuff in the vodka. WOW, all who tried it loved it. Will let you know how everything else turns out after Thanksgiving.
November 16, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Awesome! Thanks!
December 28, 2014 at 7:19 pm
Hi Alicia, Veronica here. Your blog is beautiful and makes me miss taste testing more than ever. I have cherry trees and wild blackberries now, so I have been experimenting. Thanks for all of your inspiration! Veronica
February 16, 2015 at 3:51 pm
Hi Alicia
We run a blog that show’s people how to make moonshine. I’ve been working on posting recipes for infusing moonshine when I found your site. I’d like to use some of your recipes and photo’s on our blog but would like to ask if that’s okay first. I’ll credit you for the content.
September 29, 2015 at 9:22 pm
Hi Anna, sorry for the delay (of many months…) yes, that would be great. I’ll check out your blog. Cheers~
April 9, 2015 at 9:51 am
I’m super inspired and excited to start jumping into the infused world to take my craft cocktails to another level. I am loving your site and your recipes. What I didn see was a FAQ section. Could you tell me if the infusions need to be refrigerated afterward and or what the shelf life is after straining out and using?
Again thank you so much for your passion I this area. I love it!
April 18, 2015 at 12:40 am
Sooo….. I’ve been planning on infusing some Żubrówka bison grass vodka with chamomile tea (was thinking of using it in a vodka martini with a dash of elderflower liqueur instead of vermouth). But then I got to thinking it might be nice with some apple infused in it as well. Do you have any suggestions on what type of apple to use? I love to infuse but haven’t done anything with apple before. my instinct would be a granny smith or local green apple to stick with the green flavours, but I’m just not sure, so I thought I would pick your brain. Thoughts?
July 26, 2015 at 10:48 am
Hi, as I am from the uk,does TB in your recipes mean tablespoons.
September 26, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Yes, TB means Tablespoon. Cheers~
April 23, 2017 at 9:47 am
how did you store the jar while it infused w/the bourbon? in the fridge or on a shelf w/no refrigeration?///the fruit
November 5, 2017 at 9:19 pm
Most of our bourbon infusions are shelf stable. Which one specifically were you interested in?
May 5, 2017 at 6:54 am
I stumbled across your site while looking for a recipe to make a maple birch infused vodka. Do you have any ideas? Thanks!
November 5, 2017 at 9:17 pm
Did you ever make this? Honestly I would try just adding some maple syrup to vodka and letting it sit for a week or two and see how it tastes. You may want to add a bit of vanilla bean and/or hint of cinnamon.
June 23, 2020 at 1:54 am
Hi Folks, quick recipe for special infusion: 1 cup of cacao beans (raw); 1 cup white spirit. Mix, stand in sealed bottle to infuse for 4 weeks. Strain and use the cacao in cooking. Add the chocolate essence to bourbon or a few drops to coffee or use in cooking. Do the same with black wattle seeds – wattle seed essence costs around $10 to $20 for a couple ounces here in Aus. Also, 75mls white spirit per vanilla bean sliced lengthwise into a bottle – shake when you think of it and leave 4 weeks to infuse: tada! vanilla essence that did not cost and arm and a leg. Leave the beans in and it gets stronger and nicer, take em out and put 50mls white spirit per bean into a bottle and shake for 6 weeks – more vanilla. To improve rum (any rum). Open new bottle, pop in a sliced vanilla bean and seal the bottle. Try to leave it for at least 3 months.