Boozed + Infused

Infusing liqueurs at home with inspiring and seasonal ingredients

Tag Archives: infusion


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Update: Strawberry Booze Infusion, Day 17

I didn’t forget about the strawberries, I promise! I took a little mini-vacation, hiking and beer-tasting my way through Central Oregon. (Both were amazing!) Now I’m back and have just sampled the gorgeous red strawberry infusion.

Our last post on the Strawberry Booze infusion was at Day 5, and it still had a fairly weak flavor.

At Day 17, the strawberry flavor is starting to get a bit stronger as is the color. I am hoping that the flavors will continue to enhance with more time, so I am still waiting… (fairly) patiently.

One thing that I did notice after looking back at the photos from Day 5, is that the strawberries have now sunk to the bottom of the jar. I’m no chemist, so I don’t really know what that means. I’m guessing there is more rum in the berries, and more of the fruit sugars in the rum at this point.

So, with the first day of summer almost upon us, we are not quite ready for those strawberry mojitos over here at Boozed + Infused. Maybe by the 4th of July? That would be quite festive! We can hope…

Cheers!

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Heather Flower Vodka

We like to try lots of new flavors over here at Boozed + Infused. When out shopping for groceries, I often scour the shelves looking for ideas of things to infuse. I go to certain stores looking specifically for interesting flavors. One of my favorite stores to find different ingredients is the local Home Brewing supply store. You may be surprised to find that there are a lot of home brew stores out there, and many of them sell online.

At a recent trip to the Homebrew Exchange, I picked up bunch of fun bottles, ingredients, and some inspiration! One of these ingredients was dried heather flowers.

While I didn’t really know what heather flowers would taste like, I was excited to try a new infusion.

Heather Flower Vodka

2 TB Dried Heather flowers

1 c. Vodka

Infuse for about 7-9 days, strain and filter. Enjoy in cocktails!

The result is a lovely golden color. The flavor is only slightly floral. It has a nice taste to it, but is hard to describe. I can tell you that it makes a great cocktail… recipes will be forthcoming. In the meantime, try a heather flower infusion, or better yet let us know about something new and interesting that you have infused.

Cheers!


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Cocoa Nib Brandy, and the battle of the booze

Remember a few months ago when we made a Chocolate Bourbon? Well, it was fabulous! But some people tell me that they don’t like bourbon. And since one of them is my mother, and she happens to be a chocolate lover, I decided to test out a Chocolate Brandy.

The recipe we made was nearly identical to the Chocolate Bourbon.

Chocolate Brandy

2 c. Brandy

1/2 c. Cocoa Nibs

2-inch piece of vanilla bean, split

(if desired, add simple syrup)

Infuse for 4-5 weeks. Strain through cheesecloth or jelly bag, and coffee filters.  We did not add any simple syrup. I think it would be delicious with it, but we wanted to be able to use this in cocktails, and thought it would be more versatile this way.

If you have trouble locating Cocoa Nibs, please reference the post on Chocolate Bourbon.

Bourbon v. Brandy… what’s your pick?

I have written before that I have a much improved appreciation for bourbon now that I infuse with it. There had long been a few bourbon cocktails that I really enjoyed, but it was never at the top of my list. But when infusing, bourbon is often my favorite spirit to use. It brings so much flavor and nuance to the end result.

We did a Prune liqueur show down a few months ago where we taste tested Prune Brandy v. Prune Bourbon, and although they were both delicious, the bourbon was the clear winner.

In the case of Chocolate Brandy v. Chocolate Bourbon… I declare the winner to be… Brandy!

I’m sorry bourbon lovers. Both of these are really amazing, and I would encourage ALL of you to start infusing with Cocoa Nibs. As much as I really enjoyed the Chocolate Bourbon, the Chocolate flavor shines through better in the brandy.

But, that is just my humble opinion… have any of you infused with Cocoa Nibs? How about a Chocolate Vodka? I think it would be delicious!

Cheers!


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Update: Strawberry Booze Infusion, Day 5

It is beautiful…

We started a Strawberry Rum infusion over the weekend. Today is day 5, and so far the color is gorgeous.

As you can see, the rum has very quickly taken on the beautiful red color of the strawberries, and the strawberries are mysteriously lacking color. I always love when this happens.

Right now the infusion smells like a lovely strawberry jam. The flavor tastes like strawberry, but not nearly as strong of a strawberry flavor as I would like. But I can see how some people would be perfectly happy with an infusion that is strictly rum and berries infusing for five days.

For me… I’m still infusing. I’m not caving this quickly.

How about you?


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Banana Bourbon

When I first started doing infusions, a banana liqueur wasn’t really at the top of my list. It simply didn’t appeal to me. But the longer I do this, I hear more and more people talking about banana liqueurs they have had and how tasty they are. At some point, I would like to do a banana rum. But since I have more experience infusing bourbon, and I really think of bourbon as a fool-proof spirit base for infusions (ok, I’m sure someone will tell me otherwise). So, with a small leap of faith, we embarked on banana bourbon.

This is really easy and delicious.

We let the bananas get really ripe and tasty…

They may not look pretty, but they were perfect.

We took these two perfectly ripe bananas, added two cups of bourbon, and infused for just over two weeks. I guess two was the magic number because this is another keeper. It tastes like sweet bananas and a mellow bourbon. I think this will make for some great cocktails, but it is also great on its own.

Be sure to filter, then strain through cheesecloth and coffee filters.

Cheers!

Related Posts:

Apple Pie Bourbon

Bourbon, Bourbon, Infused Bourbon!

Coffee Bourbon

Cherry Bourbon


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Starting a Strawberry Booze Infusion

I have dreams of strawberry mojitos… So with Oregon strawberries finally ripening, I purchased a flat at my local farm stand. Most of them will be turned into Strawberry-Balsamic jam and Strawberry Sauce. Some will even become my first shrub. (I’m very excited about that.)

But before I did any canning, macerating, or otherwise, I pulled out a few pints for a Strawberry Rum.

I have never done a strawberry infusion before. Typically, I wait to post a recipe until after I have completed the infusion and tasted it to make sure it is something I would recommend to others. The problem with that method is timing. Any of you who have been following for a while know that I tend to wait for long infusion times. For seasonal ingredients, it may be too late for you to make the infusion by the time I post the recipe.

Strawberries have a fairly short season (at least around here). So I have decided to post this recipe a bit differently. I am making a Strawberry Rum, and starting the infusion right now. If you are interested in making this, you can follow along with me. I’ll post updates every so often (but I doubt I will be straining for at least a month).

Strawberry Rum

3 c. Sliced Strawberries

3 c. light Rum

Place berries and rum in a jar or glass vessel. Seal and set aside to infuse…

You will want to shake or stir your berries every few days. I’m planning on infusing this for at least a month, but will start tasting it in a few weeks. At some point, I may also add some sugar or simple syrup.

For those of you who want to do a strawberry infusion, but aren’t crazy about the idea of a strawberry rum, below are a few other ideas I have for Strawberry booze. I haven’t made any of these, but at some point in the next few years, I’m guessing most of them will have a spot in my infusion closet.

Other Strawberry Infusion Ideas

Strawberry Vodka

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Vodka (I’d use the same proportions as above, but add 1-2 split vanilla beans)

Strawberry-Lime Gin (using lime zest)

Strawberry Cachaça (our raspberry cachaça turned out so good, I think this would be great as well)

Strawberry Brandy (either plain or with a bit of orange and lemon zest)

Really, your choices are limitless. If you have done some strawberry infusions and want to share successes or ideas (or failures) please feel free.

Happy infusing!

Related Posts:

Update: Strawberry Booze Infusion, Day 5

Update: Strawberry Booze Infusion, Day 17

Strawberry Mojitos

Strawberry-Basil Lemonade


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A Tale of Two Rhubarbs… and some gin

I have a jealousy problem… I hate to admit it, but I’m often jealous of other people’s produce. Yes, you read that correctly. Produce.

So in the spring, when everyone was singing the praises of their beautiful pink rhubarb cocktails, rhubarb syrup, rhubarb jam… and oh yes, rhubarb liqueur… I sat around and sulked. Where was MY rhubarb? Still growing…

But wait, I had some rhubarb in the freezer from last year. But that posed another problem. It was rhubarb alright, but not the pretty pink stuff. It was the green with a hint of red stuff… not exactly the “glamorous” variety.

So let’s get this straight, I’m now jealous of the *color* of the rhubarb. Oh brother, right?

Well, I finally got over it and pulled the green rhubarb out of the freezer and started an infusion. And because of my insecurities about the color and variety, I spiced it up with some orange zest, orange liqueur, and brown sugar.

A few days later, I ventured up to my parents farm (my favorite source for organic produce). To my surprise, the beautiful red rhubarb was flourishing. So I came home with a bunch of it and started another infusion.

They are both delicious. I think so far most people prefer the Rhubarb-Orange, but they are both tasty, and will be perfect drinking alone and in cocktails.

Variety 1: Rhubarb-Orange Gin

2 c. chopped Rhubarb (I used frozen, but fresh would be fine)

2 TB Orange Liqueur (triple sec, Cointreau, etc.)

Zest of One Orange

2 c. Gin

1/4 c. Packed Dark Brown Sugar

In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb and Orange Liqueur. Heat until it starts to simmer. Allow to simmer on low for about 2 minutes.

Set rhubarb aside and allow to cool. Once this has cooled, add all ingredients to a quart jar (or larger). Close the jar, shake, and place in a dark, cool location for about 4-5 weeks.

Strain with a mesh strainer, press through cheesecloth, then a jelly bag and finally coffee filters. Perfect!

Variety 2: Rhubarb Gin

2 1/2 c. chopped fresh rhubarb

2 TB Sugar

2 1/2 c. Gin

3 TB Simple syrup (thick 2-1 sugar to water ratio) or more/less to taste

Toss rhubarb and sugar in a bowl and allow to macerate for at least an hour. (I followed the advice of Country Girl Brooklyn on this step) This brings out a lot of the beautiful pink juices from the rhubarb.

Place the macerated rhubarb and juices in a canning jar with the gin and allow to infuse for about a month.

Strain and filter with a mesh strainer, jelly bag if desired, and coffee filters. Once it is filtered, add simple syrup to your desired taste.

While these were infusing, the Rhubarb-Orange definitely looked pretty undesirable. The red rhubarb almost immediately became such a beautiful pink. But now that they are filtered, I realize that I should not have judged a rhubarb by its color. I was discriminating. I’m sorry rhubarb. Please forgive me.

If you haven’t already made a rhubarb infusion this year, you should try this! I understand that some areas may not have fresh rhubarb any longer. But in my area we can usually keep harvesting through August. If it’s too late, then please try this next year. They are both very tangy and tasty.

They actually both look quite beautiful now too, don’t they?

Cheers!


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Mint Bourbon and an amazing cocktail!

We started infusing a mint bourbon shortly before the Kentucky Derby. For those of you who are Mint Julep fans, you may have too!

For our Mint-Infused Bourbon, we used Chocolate Mint, instead of the typical Spearmint. We picked some mint, rinsed it (and allowed to dry), then packed it into a pint jar and covered with bourbon. Infuse until it reaches your desired taste.

So, armed with mint-infused bourbon, we couldn’t help but want to try it in the Shady Porch Cocktail from A Taste of Morning. A Taste of Morning is written by Laurie, proprietor of the Morning Star B&B in Manhattan, Kansas. And by the looks of her posts, this would not be a place to miss if you are in the area.

Laurie’s Shady Porch Cocktail called for Mint-Infused Vodka, and we decided to test it out with our mint-infused bourbon instead. The drink was absolutely spectacular! I’m sure it is also fabulous with the original, vodka infusion.

Bourbon Shady Porch (adapted from A Taste of Morning)

1 1/2 oz. mint-infused Bourbon

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

1/2 oz. mint simple syrup

4 oz. Ginger Ale

Garnish with lime zest and sprig of mint

Combine first 3 ingredients, and stir well to combine. Pour over ice, and add ginger ale. Garnish with lime and mint.

We used Spearmint for our mint simple syrup, but also enjoyed the chocolate-mint flavor in the bourbon infusion. The flavor seemed to be a bit more gentle than the spearmint.

Thank you again to Laurie from Morning Star B&B and A Taste of Morning. We will definitely make this cocktail again. It was really tasty, and will make for great summer gatherings.


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Mushroom Vodka… I’m not kidding

I don’t know if you will believe me, but Mushroom Vodka is actually delicious!

I struggled with what kind of mushrooms to infuse, and what spirit to put them in. Many of you who are not vodka fans, but our intent was to try to leave the mushroom flavor to stand on its own. We didn’t want to mask the mushroom or interfere with the flavors it was infusing into the booze. Vodka seemed the best way to do that.

As for the mushrooms, I have heard a few accounts of infusing candy cap mushrooms, which apparently give a slightly sweet, maple-like flavor to the alcohol. I also found one reference to using porcini mushrooms. I have never had candy cap mushrooms, and truthfully, I was too lazy to go looking for them. I happen to love chanterelles, so that was what we infused.

Mushroom Vodka

1/4 cup Dried Chanterelle Mushrooms (a bit overflowing)

1 cup Vodka

Combine ingredients in a jar, seal and infuse for about 3 days. Strain.

Now we need to figure out what kind of cocktail we would like to use this in. We will probably do something simple, to appreciate the mushroom flavor. It is slightly sweet, and has subtly mellowed the vodka a bit.

Please let us know if you infuse any mushrooms and feel free to send us your cocktail suggestions.

Cheers!

Related Post:

Maple Mushroom Martini


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Carrot Vodka

I’m convinced that adding booze makes anything delicious! That kind of makes it sound like I have a problem…

I love carrots, especially raw carrots. Infusing cucumbers in vodka worked so well, we thought we’d give carrots a try!

Carrot Vodka

2-3 medium carrots, peeled

1 1/4 c. vodka (or enough to cover your carrots)

After discarding the outer peel of the carrots, continue to peel them until the whole carrot has turned into thin strips. Place in jar, and lightly press into place. Cover with vodka (or your choice of spirit) and infuse until it reaches your desired taste. We infused for about 9-10 days.

Strain and filter the liquid and enjoy! The result is a little cloudy, just a hint of pale orange, but deliciously tastes like sweet carrots. It is not over powering. This will be great in a number of cocktails… Bloody Mary?

We had been wanting to do a carrot infusion for a while, then really got some inspiration from Good Booze with their Carrot Top. They infused carrots in rye, which I’m sure is fabulous.

Happy spring and happy sipping!

Carrot Vodka on Punk Domestics