National Homebrew Club Ireland

General Discussions => The Food Board => Topic started by: lampie on March 06, 2014, 08:54:01 AM

Title: vodka infusion
Post by: lampie on March 06, 2014, 08:54:01 AM
I read some topics on other boards about flavoring wodka and drink it strong or make liqueur by adding sugar water.

Bought 1 liter smooth wodka and medium quality.. €13 per liter. Bought some wallnuts in the shell.

Was looking at home for a jar to infuse it in and found some vanilla but no jars :(.. I have some empty grolsch bottles and they will do the job :)

Cracked open about 100 grams of wallnuts and thrown in a bottle and filled the bottle with wodka.
cut open the vanilla and put that in an other clean bottle and filled this wodka.

(http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx52/duvellover/brewing/2014-03-05174655.jpg)

the grolsch bottles are 0.45 Liter i had some wodka left so found a small bottle and filled that with a teaspoon of elderflower and poured over the wodka.

(http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx52/duvellover/brewing/2014-03-05175012.jpg)
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Eoin on March 06, 2014, 09:10:50 AM
Quote from: lampie on March 06, 2014, 08:54:01 AM
I read some topics on other boards about flavoring wodka and drink it strong or make liqueur by adding sugar water.

Bought 1 liter smooth wodka and medium quality.. €13 per liter. Bought some wallnuts in the shell.

Was looking at home for a jar to infuse it in and found some vanilla but no jars :(.. I have some empty grolsch bottles and they will do the job :)

Cracked open about 100 grams of wallnuts and thrown in a bottle and filled the bottle with wodka.
cut open the vanilla and put that in an other clean bottle and filled this wodka.

(http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx52/duvellover/brewing/2014-03-05174655.jpg)

the grolsch bottles are 0.45 Liter i had some wodka left so found a small bottle and filled that with a teaspoon of elderflower and poured over the wodka.

(http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx52/duvellover/brewing/2014-03-05175012.jpg)

I'll be doing that with the vanilla soon, but I want to create a vanilla extract rather than a vanilla flavoured vodka.
Interesting experiment anyway, let us know how it turns out, thanks.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: lampie on March 06, 2014, 09:15:22 AM
ofcourse will share the outcome and some taste tests :)..

Its going to be dificult to find out how much sugar and water to use.. to make the liqueur but will have some fun tasting ;)
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Eoin on March 06, 2014, 09:33:36 AM
Quote from: lampie on March 06, 2014, 09:15:22 AM
ofcourse will share the outcome and some taste tests :)..

Its going to be dificult to find out how much sugar and water to use.. to make the liqueur but will have some fun tasting ;)

Being Dutch, you probably speak German right? If so then look online for some Schnapps recipes, the Germans do this all the time.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: LordEoin on March 06, 2014, 10:20:07 AM
Sloe Gin is made in a similar way, and limoncello :)
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: lampie on March 06, 2014, 10:40:45 AM
Yes I have seen different versions on english and dutch and german sites. I know some people that use skittles to flavor their vodka.. just sort out 1 colour and put it in the wodka..

Here in holland people mix in licorice and leave that for a few weeks.. But i wanted to try something else for a change :).
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Eoin on March 06, 2014, 12:25:03 PM
Quote from: lampie on March 06, 2014, 10:40:45 AM
Yes I have seen different versions on english and dutch and german sites. I know some people that use skittles to flavor their vodka.. just sort out 1 colour and put it in the wodka..

Here in holland people mix in licorice and leave that for a few weeks.. But i wanted to try something else for a change :).

One we used to make in Germany was to blend Salmiak in with cheap vodka and sell it in the pub, I can't stand the stuff, but if you like the salmiak (you're Dutch, so you probably do like that sick stuff) you'll love it.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: lampie on March 06, 2014, 02:13:22 PM
oh yes love salmiak :) and in germany and holland they use the like the licorice with salmiak.. but i want to try something else and experiment with flavors..

I have some vanilla left and want to make vanilla sugar by adding the pods in sugar and leave it to infuse the vanilla into the sugar.. With this vanillasugar want to brew some beer or make some wine to see what effect it has on the brew.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Eoin on March 06, 2014, 02:44:28 PM
Quote from: lampie on March 06, 2014, 02:13:22 PM
oh yes love salmiak :) and in germany and holland they use the like the licorice with salmiak.. but i want to try something else and experiment with flavors..

I have some vanilla left and want to make vanilla sugar by adding the pods in sugar and leave it to infuse the vanilla into the sugar.. With this vanillasugar want to brew some beer or make some wine to see what effect it has on the brew.

Vanilla sugar is easy enough alright, in fact I use spent (already used) vanilla pods for vanilla sugar. I use them once for making a custard for example then wash the pod and let it dry, then add it to castor sugar. There is still enough flavour in them at this point to work with sugar left for a while.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: lampie on March 06, 2014, 03:45:18 PM
I bought some vanilla from madagaskar very fresh and large pods.. but I hardly use it in cooking at home so its a shame not to use them.. I think i used it a few times before making icecream.. so will use the 5 pods that I have left to make vanilla sugar and use it in a brew :)
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: alealex on March 09, 2014, 08:42:50 PM
Keep in mind that infusion works best in alcohol at around 70% abv.
Vodka at +/- 40% abv won't give you best results.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Will_D on March 09, 2014, 09:09:38 PM
Quote from: alealex on March 09, 2014, 08:42:50 PM
Keep in mind that infusion works best in alcohol at around 70% abv.
Vodka at +/- 40% abv won't give you best results.
Simples:

Get thee to a Polish food shop!

They may just have a drop of the "baby Polish" (70%) spirit for sale!
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: irish_goat on March 09, 2014, 09:11:33 PM
Quote from: Will_D on March 09, 2014, 09:09:38 PM
They may just have a drop of the "baby Polish" (70%) spirit for sale!

There was a fella on boards.ie looking for that stuff but he was having a lot of trouble finding it in Ireland. Might be one to ask any Polish friends you have to bring back with them next time they're home.
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Jacob on March 09, 2014, 09:44:09 PM
Quote from: irish_goat on March 09, 2014, 09:11:33 PM
Quote from: Will_D on March 09, 2014, 09:09:38 PM
They may just have a drop of the "baby Polish" (70%) spirit for sale!

There was a fella on boards.ie looking for that stuff but he was having a lot of trouble finding it in Ireland. Might be one to ask any Polish friends you have to bring back with them next time they're home.
It may be even hard to get it in Poland :P
No problem in getting 40% vodka or 95% spiritus.
Never seen 70%, legally sold stuff ...
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: Samael on March 10, 2014, 02:04:51 AM
That's probably polish "poteen" :) Better to bring destilation equipment :D My father in law destiling a wine and is 70-80%...I drunk once 4-5 shots and  I "went to sleep" :D
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: rAdve on March 10, 2014, 11:18:46 AM
Try Fishermans Friends and Vodka. Salmiakki and vodka is also very popular in Finland. They even mix tar and vodka..
Title: Re: vodka infusion
Post by: lampie on March 10, 2014, 02:09:29 PM
My goal is to try and make some sort of liqueur based on wodka.. So first let something give taste to the wodka and then mix it with some sugar water to get the alcohol down to 20/25% and make it sweeter..

for making a tincture you need more alcohol.. I dont know if you can buy alcohol above the 70% in holland to be honest.. I know that absinth is sold up to 70%

I also want to experiment a bit with kilju that is basicly a brew with sugar, water and yeast that is also very populair in norway. First i have to find a empty fermenter and some research on what is the best way to flavor this.

If the liqeuer goes well then will and experiment a bit more with some different flavors and fishermans friends is going onto the list :).. also thinking of making a hot chili vodka.. Want to add the chili vodka to some tomato juice to make a bloody hot mary ;)