Boozed + Infused

Infusing liqueurs at home with inspiring and seasonal ingredients

Tag Archives: infusion


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Kiwi Liqueur

I wanted to do a kiwi liqueur for St. Patrick’s Day. I thought that the green fruit would produce a green liqueur.

I was wrong. It’s not green. Not even remotely. The good news is that it’s delicious.

Kiwi Liqueur

9 kiwi (peeled and sliced)

3 c. vodka

3-4 TB Simple Syrup (or to taste)

Place the kiwi and vodka in a large jar and keep in a dark place for about 4 weeks. Strain and filter the kiwi out, and add 3 to 4 Tablespoons of simple syrup, or until it reaches your desired taste.

At this point, I got a little frustrated. I thought that I had filtered the liquid well enough, but there was a thick sludge in the bottom of the jar. So I let this sit around for another month while I stewed about it…

Finally, I decided to filter it again. I doubled the coffee filters and changed them several times during the process. I even had to just toss out about a half cup of the liquid that was just too thick to even try to put through the coffee filters.

The result is a pale yellow, and surprisingly clear liquid!

The additional month since the first filtration gave the liqueur some time to mellow, and it tastes pretty good. I think it will continue to get even smoother.

So far we have only tried this on its own. Any cocktail suggestions?

Cheers!

Kiwi Liqueur on Punk Domestics


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Chocolate Bourbon

I knew this would be a big hit in my household. My husband is both a chocolate lover and bourbon lover, so the combination seemed perfect.

How do you infuse alcohol with chocolate? You need to get your hands on some cocoa nibs. Cocoa nibs are easier to find than you might think. In Portland, we are fortunate to have some amazing chocolate shops. I picked up these organic, Madagascar cocoa nibs at Cacao. Their website says that they accept orders by phone or email, but they do not currently have online shopping. Also in Portland (and NYC), cocoa nibs can be found at The Meadow. The Meadow carries Valhrona cocoa nibs, and does have online shopping. Try some of the finer chocolate shops in your town to see if they carry them. (If all else fails, they can be found on Amazon.)

Chocolate Bourbon

2 c. bourbon

1/2 c. cocoa nibs

One-inch piece of vanilla bean, split

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar or vessel. Infuse for approximately 3 weeks, or until it reaches your desired taste. Strain & filter. Enjoy, sip, and savor…

The final product is very a rich chocolate color. After three weeks of infusing, this tasted strongly of chocolate, but did not overpower the bourbon.

This is delicious!

If you are not a bourbon fan, try substituting brandy for the bourbon. In the coming months, I’m sure we will feature several more cocoa nib infusions and cocktails.

If you love chocolate, give this a try!


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Tropics in the Winter – Pineapple Liqueur

This photo is thanks to my sister Anne, who lives in Minnesota and just happens to be making one of the same infusions as I am.

Are you craving the warmth and sunshine of the tropics? I am… and truth be told, I will be in Mexico in a few days. In the meantime, I am infusing several tropical flavors. First on the list is Pineapple.

We did a pineapple taste test; one with Rum, another with Vodka. They both turned out delicious. It was a hard decision to come up with a winner. Both my husband and I both chose the Pineapple Rum.

Cut up a pineapple, place it in a jar, and cover with your choice of spirit. We infused for 3 weeks. After waiting (and tasting) for 3 weeks, we strained and filtered. The pineapple holds onto a lot of liquid, so you will want to press and squeeze the fruit through cheesecloth. This added a lot more liquid.

After filtering, we added 1 TB thick simple syrup to each cup of liquid for just a hint of sweetness.

Cheers!

Pineapple Liqueur on Punk Domestics


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Walnut Liqueur

Typical walnut liqueur, Nocino, is made with green walnuts. Unfortunately I didn’t have access to green walnuts. It is winter, after all. So I improvised and made a walnut liqueur with standard walnuts.

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. brandy

1 c. vodka

1/4 vanilla bean, split

6 whole cloves (or less – these can overpower)

2 tablespoons thick simple syrup (or to taste)

Infuse all of the ingredients (except the simple syrup) for at least 2 weeks, or longer if you wish. We let this infuse for about a month. Strain and filter the liquid well, and add the simple syrup. It was surprising how little sweetener this needed.

It is delicious on its own… and will likely be quite tasty in cocktails… any suggestions?

Enjoy!


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Cranberry Orange Cordial

1 1/3 c. Chopped Cranberries

Zest of 2 Large Oranges

2 c. Vodka

3/4 c. Sugar or simple syrup to taste

I infused this for about 3 weeks. This liqueur is perfect for cocktails! The flavor  is a bit strong for sipping on its own, but substitute it in a Cosmo or craft a new favorite. I’ve already tried several combinations… and will be sharing them with you soon.

Related Posts

Cranberry Crush! Our new favorite champagne cocktail

Pear and Cranberry Liqueur

Holiday Fun Time! – Holiday Inspired Infusions and Liqueurs


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Cucumber Vodka

This is a very simple infusion. Peel and slice a cucumber, add vodka to cover. Let infuse for a week, remove the cucumber slices, and enjoy! I let this infuse for about 2 weeks, but I don’t think the extra week did too much for the flavor.

The end result is refreshing and clean. It will be perfect for cocktails!

Cucumber also makes a great addition to lots of other liquors. Try it in gin or rum…

Related Posts:

Cucumber Basil Martini

El Pepino Cocktail