alcohol infusions

[big__phil]

Question for you experienced infusers - we've got a couple on the go from Parma Violets and Strawberry Bon Bon. They both taste great, but have quite thick heads on them (much like myself). What is this (is it just the sugar?), do I need to strain it, and if so how should I do it? As I say, it's pretty thick so I'm not sure it'll pass through a coffee filter. Should I just drink the lot?

Also my banana bourbon had three weeks, and I was very worried. It went a very grim brown/black colour after only a few days, but after a filter it looks much better. A teaspoon tasted OK, will have a proper test tonight. Blueberry gin also coming on pretty well.

[Skoo]

1 hour ago, big__phil said:

Question for you experienced infusers - we've got a couple on the go from Parma Violets and Strawberry Bon Bon. They both taste great, but have quite thick heads on them (much like myself). What is this (is it just the sugar?), do I need to strain it, and if so how should I do it? As I say, it's pretty thick so I'm not sure it'll pass through a coffee filter. Should I just drink the lot?

 

I think it could be the sugar or possibly gelatin if your sweets contained it. If it's gelatin I'd definitely want to filter that out - animal bones, not so yummy.

I'm a bit disappointed with my infusions. I tasted my strawberry (fruit) vodka, and it tastes very strongly of vodka - I had visions of it being very delicious.

I think I'm going to throw a load of sugar in and hope for the best!

 

[Crazyfool01]

1 hour ago, big__phil said:

Question for you experienced infusers - we've got a couple on the go from Parma Violets and Strawberry Bon Bon. They both taste great, but have quite thick heads on them (much like myself). What is this (is it just the sugar?), do I need to strain it, and if so how should I do it? As I say, it's pretty thick so I'm not sure it'll pass through a coffee filter. Should I just drink the lot?

Also my banana bourbon had three weeks, and I was very worried. It went a very grim brown/black colour after only a few days, but after a filter it looks much better. A teaspoon tasted OK, will have a proper test tonight. Blueberry gin also coming on pretty well.

let me know if you can taste the banana , because I did one with jd and banana and can't taste them at all !! don't know if this was due to infusion time , banana quantity or ripeness , thought this would be lovely but  didn't work out .. still have some jd spare though !!

[Greenelk]

2 hours ago, big__phil said:

Question for you experienced infusers - we've got a couple on the go from Parma Violets and Strawberry Bon Bon. They both taste great, but have quite thick heads on them (much like myself). What is this (is it just the sugar?), do I need to strain it, and if so how should I do it? As I say, it's pretty thick so I'm not sure it'll pass through a coffee filter. Should I just drink the lot?

Also my banana bourbon had three weeks, and I was very worried. It went a very grim brown/black colour after only a few days, but after a filter it looks much better. A teaspoon tasted OK, will have a proper test tonight. Blueberry gin also coming on pretty well.

I would suggest giving them a strain through a muslin filter bag if they are thicker ones.   Though just giving them a shake with something like that, and then drinking the whole lot certainly not a bad thing.

My banana infusion a few years back was a disgusting colour also, but tasted fantastic. 

[Greenelk]

1 hour ago, Skoo said:

I'm a bit disappointed with my infusions. I tasted my strawberry (fruit) vodka, and it tastes very strongly of vodka - I had visions of it being very delicious.

I think I'm going to throw a load of sugar in and hope for the best!

 

I must admit, I usually start fruit based ones off with a quick heat up in a sugar syrup base before adding the alcohol, as it seems to help take the edge off the alcohol taste, and in my mind, brings out the flavour of the fruit a bit more.  Chucking in a load of sugar half way though has worked in the past as well though!

 

1 hour ago, crazyfool1 said:

let me know if you can taste the banana , because I did one with jd and banana and can't taste them at all !! don't know if this was due to infusion time , banana quantity or ripeness , thought this would be lovely but  didn't work out .. still have some jd spare though !!

As I said above, our banana JD was very good - used quite ripe bananas, cooked them in a little sugar syrup, then left them for about 3/4 weeks  until the colour was vile.  How long did you leave it for?

Edited May 8, 2017 by Greenelk

[Crazyfool01]

i didn't do the sugar syrup bit  !! ok try number 2  thanks 

38 minutes ago, Greenelk said:

I must admit, I usually start fruit based ones off with a quick hear up in a sugar syrup base before adding the vodka, as it seems to help take the edge off the vodka taste, and in my mind, brings out the flavour of the fruit a bit more.  Chucking in a load of sugar half way though has worked in the past as well though!

 

As I said above, our banana JD was very good - used quite ripe bananas, cooked them in a little sugar syrup, then left them for about 3/4 weeks  until the colour was vile.  How long did you leave it for?

 

[hfuhruhurr]

1 hour ago, Skoo said:

I'm a bit disappointed with my infusions. I tasted my strawberry (fruit) vodka, and it tastes very strongly of vodka - I had visions of it being very delicious.

Not tried strawberry - but key to this malarkey is mashing up the fruit enough to get the flavour out, but not sooo much as it's impossible/tedious to strain.
Oh, and the sugar will help too.

Last year a strained it all through a muslin, who was reasonably upset since he doesn't drink. This year I'm using the wife's juicer... which might be a bad idea.

[payneruk]

Omg omg omg. I went to a BBQ last night and my mate pulled out some palma violet infused vodka. It was soooo good. Really smooth and velvety. And looked sorta silvery. Almost like a magical  mercury smoothy.

Deffinately gonna make loads for Glasto....and just general life. #ILovePalmaViolets (and the band. I hope they're there this year too).

[Stokesy10]

Hello, fellow infus-iasts! 

I'm starting my raspberry vodka today. However, quick query - I defrosted my frozen raspberries yesterday (packed ones), and a LOT of liquid has settled in the bottom of the package. Do I add this for flavour/colour, or just take out the raspberries themselves?

[Jules62]

So I made my first batch of Rhubarb  Gin.... bloody amazing! but it only really lasted for about 6 weeks then turned into some sort of rocket fuel!! The recipe I followed said it should last for about 6 months? so can anyone tell me what I may have done wrong?

The  recipe I used was

70cl Gin / 400g Rhubarb/ 50g Sugar/ juice from 1/2 Lemon 

Filtered through coffee filters

Thanks

[manxboba]

How many packs of Parma violets do you use for 1 litre of vodka???

[payneruk]

3 minutes ago, manxboba said:

How many packs of Parma violets do you use for 1 litre of vodka???

I think he said 7 packs.

[GAndy]

My infusions this year are traditional favourites and a newbie.  Always the start of my build up excitement 

Nutella Vodka, Werthers Vodka, Rhubarb & Custard Vodka and Apple Pie Bourbon. 

Other favourites I've done are Lemon Sherbets, Refresher, Strawberry & Lime, After Eight (very thick but deadly!) and Parma Violets (smelt lovely tasted like diesel) 

[deebeedoobee]

Damn the Hot cross bun rum appears to have evaporated....

Best make another batch

[OneLittleFish]

Just decanted my spirits into plastic bottles:

 

Parma violet gin looks unappetising no matter how much you really filter it but it tastes great.

My tropical fruit rum looks great and tastes even better.

The rhubarb and custard vodka is off the scale good.

 

A Polish colleague of mine recently brought be back a bottle of dark chocolate and cherry vodka from near where he lives - that's coming along too and is mighty fine

 

 

[deebeedoobee]

1 hour ago, OneLittleFish said:

Just decanted my spirits into plastic bottles:

 

Parma violet gin looks unappetising no matter how much you really filter it but it tastes great.

My tropical fruit rum looks great and tastes even better.

The rhubarb and custard vodka is off the scale good.

 

A Polish colleague of mine recently brought be back a bottle of dark chocolate and cherry vodka from near where he lives - that's coming along too and is mighty fine

 

 

Now that sounds like a great flavour. I don't drink vodka so how about chocolate and cherry rum? Or gin? How would you get the best cherry flavour? Fresh? Or tinned?

[Larraht]

Started Turkish Delight vodka infusion today - already looking a beautiful blush pink colour and smells gorgeous.

 

[OneLittleFish]

25 minutes ago, deebeedoobee said:

Now that sounds like a great flavour. I don't drink vodka so how about chocolate and cherry rum? Or gin? How would you get the best cherry flavour? Fresh? Or tinned?

It's not an infusion, was made like that by the distillers who made it. It's pretty lush and almost medicinal tasting.

[deebeedoobee]

21 minutes ago, OneLittleFish said:

It's not an infusion, was made like that by the distillers who made it. It's pretty lush and almost medicinal tasting.

Sounds good! Surely it could be replicated? I've never tried making chocolate alcohol. 

[OneLittleFish]

5 minutes ago, deebeedoobee said:

Sounds good! Surely it could be replicated? I've never tried making chocolate alcohol. 

I'd imagine so. Planning to keep it for the overnight queue to get in. Had decanted a bottle of whisky into plastic for the queue last year and it was more than welcome in the rain

[deebeedoobee]

2 minutes ago, OneLittleFish said:

I'd imagine so. Planning to keep it for the overnight queue to get in. Had decanted a bottle of whisky into plastic for the queue last year and it was more than welcome in the rain

Just looked on google and found a very tempting black cherry rum recipe.

 

youll need some refreshment in that queue...in the heat. I don't envy you having to do that.

[OneLittleFish]

Just now, deebeedoobee said:

Just looked on google and found a very tempting black cherry rum recipe.

 

youll need some refreshment in that queue...in the heat. I don't envy you having to do that.

FWIW my rum recipe worked a treat. Had it on the go for about a month and a half - two kiwis, two passionfruits, one and a half limes, a tablespoon of sugar and a bottle of white rum. Left it for a month and a half. Really, really drinkable.

[deebeedoobee]

1 minute ago, OneLittleFish said:

FWIW my rum recipe worked a treat. Had it on the go for about a month and a half - two kiwis, two passionfruits, one and a half limes, a tablespoon of sugar and a bottle of white rum. Left it for a month and a half. Really, really drinkable.

Sounds lovely..just right for a summers day in Somerset

[Dyceloon]

1 hour ago, Larraht said:

Started Turkish Delight vodka infusion today - already looking a beautiful blush pink colour and smells gorgeous.

 

Sounds great.Ive been looking for a flavour inspiration for doing an infusion this year.And this looks the very fellow to me . Cheers

[Fenaldo]

In the process of a Raspberry and Mint Gin infusion,  hopefully it will not be a disappointment!