Infusions - Why and When?

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                         INFUSIONS- WHY AND WHEN?

Historically it’s hard to say how far back alcohol infusions go, but we do know that in the 1800’s bartenders in saloons were making something called “Rock and Rye”, which was an infusion of high proof, or “hot”, rye whiskey.  They would add orange peels, rock candy, and bitter herbs like horehound into the whiskey to mellow it out and make it more palatable. Today it is not uncommon to see glass vessels of fruit infusions behind a bar, which is not only functional but also decorative.  Vodka is the most common spirit to infuse, because it is mostly neutral and whatever you are using in it becomes the prevalent flavor. I have seen just about everything you can imagine added to alcohol…...pineapples, berries, herbs, spices, teas, bacon and even candy.  The real fun begins, though, when you use a spirit that already has intense flavors, such as whiskey, gin, or of course RUM.  

There are no standard rules when it comes to infusing spirits so you will want to think of it as an experiment, and I highly encourage you to document everything. Choose a spirit, and choose the ingredient you want to infuse into it.  Be creative - and think about what ingredients will complement each other.  Rum and figs.   Bourbon and cinnamon.   Gin and fresh herbs.  Think about how “greedy” the item is you are adding into the alcohol and that will help you determine how much to add in.  Example:  Hot peppers or an herb, like cilantro, can over power food, so less is more.   However, a fruit, like apple, tends to have subtle flavors so adding a couple of chopped up apples to a liter of rum won’t ruin your batch.  Again, experiment and play with these things and write down everything you do and you will find what works perfectly.  Keep in mind that the higher the proof of the spirit, the quicker it will extract flavors.  Some fruits/herbs/spices take days, some take hours. I did an infusion once with espresso beans and vodka and it reached the perfect flavor at 6 hours, but after 8 it became too bitter.  I have also infused tequila with jalapeños and after 24 hours it was so spicy it was undrinkable.    This is where culinary creativity and patience comes in, and I recommend tasting your infusion every 8 hours or so.   One of my favorite fall-winter infusions to make is Spiced Rum.  Buy your favorite mid-range priced aged rum (no need to purchase the most expensive or the oldest rum) and add the following.    This is a fabulous base for a winter rum punch, hot buttered rum or eggnog.   I have also purchased small mason jars and given them as Christmas gifts with a fun personalized label. 

                Spiced Rum Infusion 

Ingredients:

  • 750mL Aged Rum
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 3 Whole Cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon Allspice
  • ½ teaspoon Fresh Ginger
  • Peel of one Orange

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in a sealed jar and store in a cool dark place.    
  2. Turn the jar over twice per day for 5 days.  
  3. At the end of the 5th day, use a fine mesh strainer to pour into a clean jar and remove all of the spices.  
  4. You can leave your newly spiced rum in the mason jar or funnel it back into its original bottle.  
  5. The shelf life is indefinite.

Cris