I am going to go over the exact steps for infusing your favorite spirits for your Vaportini. First I will discuss the physical process, and then the flavors profiles to think about when you are infusing.
Physical Process
- The physical process can is fairly simple and you will follow the same process no matter what ingredients you are using, with the exception of 1 variation
- Begin with 3 ounces of the spirit of your choosing. This must be between a 70-100 proof spirit.
- Add in the ingredient(s) of your choosing. This can be herbs, spices, fruit (preferably dried), citrus peel, small amounts of bitters, or a drop or two of lower proof liqueurs.
- Let these steep for a certain amount of time. This is the variable step. The amount of time is determined by how much flavor you want to come through. I suggest trying for just an hour or two for your first try. If you would like the flavors to be more prominent you can steep overnight.
Fruit and Herb Infusions
Flavor Profiles and Pairing
This is where it gets a little trickier as it is just like mixing a cocktail. The first thing to keep in mind is picking your main spirit. Vodka is a great one to start with because it is like a blank page that you can manipulate easily. If you get into whiskeys, gins, rums, and tequilas they already have a strong flavor so you must find ingredients that compliment these complex flavors already. Too much of one ingredient can overpower the rest of the flavors. For example if you are making a Vaportini version of a Cosmo you will be using lime peel and dried cranberries. When you are making something like this keep in mind the textures of the ingredients involved because you will need to leave the lime in longer than the cranberries as it will take longer for the liquid to penetrate the lime, and hence longer to bring out the flavor.
You can also pair your Vaportini with dinner or desert. This works just like pairing a a steak with a nice cabernet or a desert with a port. The most interesting infusion for a pairing I have done is a horseradish root in vodka with 2 drops of lime with a fried shrimp main course. I t does take a little practice and here is an example of a recipe. Please go to our infusion page to see more examples. Infusions
Small Bottles Work Well for Vaportini Infusions
VaporThai
Great with Thai food,
but works with any Asian cuisine.
- 3 oz. Vodka or Gin
- 3-1/4″ slices of fresh ginger
- 1 stalk of lemongrass crushed
with the back of a knife - 3-4 leaves of Thai basil (optional)
For some more ideas on infusions for your Vaportini subscribe so what some our Instagram mixologists are doing.
