Brought to you by Tito’s Handmade Vodka
In case you missed this year’s Tito’s Handmade Vodka Infusion class with Theo Hall, here’s a crash course in mastering the art of do-it-yourself vodka infusions at home…
At Tito’s Handmade Vodka we make just 1 flavor of vodka – vodka flavored vodka. In the early 90s, Tito made flavored vodka as holiday gifts for friends and family, which earned him the nickname “The Vodka Guy.” When he decided to start distilling his own vodka (even though everyone thought he was nuts), liquor stores told him to forget flavors and make something so smooth you could drink it straight. So he did. And he’s never looked back.
Today, Tito still creates his own vodka infusions at home – he just has a better base from which to start! Infusions are a great way to add a summery twist to some basic cocktails. They are fun to make, easier to master than you might think, and yield some impressive results. Start out with something simple, maybe with ingredients you already have on hand, or dive right in and experiment with wild flavor combinations.
Any glass or non-reactive vessel will work to mix your infusion, but we prefer our Tito’s infusion jar for larger batches and mason jars when we’re experimenting with flavor combinations. Did you know you can also make an infusion directly in a bottle of Tito’s Handmade Vodka? Just pour yourself a cocktail first (or take a couple sips) in order to make room for the ingredients.
Blueberry, Cinnamon, and Lime
Ingredients:
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole lime peel*
25 blueberries
12-16 oz of Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Method:
Add cinnamon stick, lime peel, and blueberries to a glass mason jar, cover with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and seal. Let the infusion sit for about 24 hours, and remove the cinnamon and lime peel. Allow the blueberries to infuse for 3 more days before removing.
According to Theo, “It’s delicious.”
*Pro tip for citrus infusions: Remove as much of the white pith from the peel as possible or your infusion will turn out bitter.
Smoked Tea and Clementine
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of smoked black tea, called “lapsang souchong”
2 clementines, peeled
1 liter of Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Method:
Tea infusions are as easy as one, two, tea. Simply add the tea and peel from 2 clementines to a 1 liter bottle of Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Don’t forget to remove the white pith! After about 24 hours, you’ve got yourself a smokey, citrusy vodka infusion.
Try this infusion in a Citrus Smokehouse cocktail, mixed with lemon ginger simple syrup, bitters, and a smoked bourbon sugar rim.
Lemon, Ginger, and Star Anise
Ingredients:
1 medium sized lemon, thinly sliced
1 small piece of ginger, peeled
1 whole star anise
12-16 oz of Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Method:
Add the lemon slices and ginger to a mason jar along with a star anise, and cover with Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Taste test the infusion after about 48 hours. Be wary of leaving the star anise in for too long or you may end up with a licorice flavored infusion.
Your all natural Tito’s Handmade Vodka summer infusions taste delicious as a sipper over a few rocks, or mix with lemonade, iced tea, or sparkling mineral water!
The post Do-It-Yourself Tito’s Infusions appeared first on Atlanta Food & Wine Festival.
