I tried a black pepper infused vodka after watching Alton Brown on Good Eats create on. I use it for Bloody Marys. It turned out really good and was simple.

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For citrus, at least I would not recommend using the method described by Wired. Just including the zest imparts a much more pure flavor than something that would be sweetened from the meat of the fruit (and potentially bittered from the pith). This will make it take much longer but it's worth it. The best batch of limoncello I ever made took 6 weeks to infuse.

But it will probably turn out fine anyway with the whole fruit. It will just be different.

The favorites I've made has been a Strawberry-Vanilla but my friends love the ginger one. That one's fairly easy to make and does not take long. In any case, don't skimp on the quality of the added ingredient.

The worst won by far was the Pear batch. I dont know if I left it too long or what but it was just not drinkable. I definitely want to try lavender next.

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I use Blueberries in the summer - awesome just putting them in whole.

I also make my own Bloody Mary blend with peppercorns, garlic (go easy on it - very strong), chili peppers, so on and so forth.

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Isn't this how vanilla extract is created? Using a vanilla bean and higher quality vodka?

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http://8bit-me.com/theworks/2007/06/17/episode-19-infusion/

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Hi everyone!

Actually, it is pretty similar to making vanilla extract, which you can do with rum or other alcohols, too. Here's an awesome link to a blog post that shows you how...
http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2007/10/9/project-vanilla.html

Best,
Alanna

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I think one of the most fun sites around this idea is http://www.infusionsofgrandeur.net/

Lots of good experiments there, including jalepeno, coffee, and pear.

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Pepper infused vodka in a bloody marry sounds awesome! Does anyone know if certain kinds of peppercorns are better than others for infusion?

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I have used fresh cut up strawberries and turned the throat burning vodka into a yummy strawberry lemonade martini.

But have yet to try the bacon infused martini... http://groceryeats.com/2008/02/24/jalapenobacon-infused-vodka/

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I've got some vanilla beans infusing vodka now! But to make extract, eventually. In the meantime, I may make a cocktail or two.

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Just buy it-
http://www.hangarone.com/howwemake1.html

Also, check out their Alchemist series. I went there to taste their Absinthe, but they sold out :(

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I discovered home-made rose petal vodka when traveling through Kazakstan. It's amazing - delicate and floral, but still with that vodka kick.

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about half a dozen Kaffir Lime leaves infuse well, and taste stunning in a sweet Martini

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I've made:

1. Earl Grey tea liqueur. This was a big hit. I've also made chai liqueur, using the same recipe.
2. Grapefruit liqueur, like limoncello with grapefruit. I added too much cinnamon, so the flavor was overwhelming.
3. Amaretto. The less said about this attempt, the better.
4. Cranberry liqueur. It was a lot of trouble, but I really liked it.
5. Orange-honey liqueur. It was a little too thick and sweet.
6. Lemon-lime citrus liqueur. It ended up drinkable, but not very good.
7. Black pepper vodka, following Alton Brown's recipe. Incredibly awful.
8. Coffee vodka. It came out decent.

I've had more failures than successes, so I haven't tried making anything lately. Maybe I'll try some fruit this summer.

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Haven't tried vodka yet, but I've got two infusions going right now: vanilla rum and spiced brandy (vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and orange peel).

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I made ginger vodka when I was a student, took "gah cheap vodka" edge right out of the vodka. No one but me would drink it, I didn't bother sieving the ginger out before drinking it.
One of my favourite pubs made sweet flavoured vodka by putting sweets in the bottle and then leaving it in the dishwasher, shaking it after every cycle. Pear drop was my favourite but sherbert lemon was awesome too.

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I infuse a lot of vodkas -- my favorites being strawberry, pineapple, watermelon and ginger. I basically just add the fruit or spice to vodka in a Mason jar and let it sit for about 5 days. I use a mid-range vodka like Finlandia (Finlandia is esp. good since it doesn't have an overly strong flavor, allowing the fruit flavor to shine).

Ginger makes a great almost-ginger ale drink when combined with some seltzer (or seltzer and cranberry juice for a cran-ginger ale). Cherry-vanilla is a nice flavor using frozen cherries (thoroughly thawed) and half a vanilla bean. Raspberry turns out only OK, since the berries are often tart giving a very tart vodka. I've done chocolate with cacao nibs, but be careful not to use too many in one Mason jar.

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That coconut infused vodka from the Thai place sounds amazing. I would love a recipe for it. I wonder if you can add a sweetener directly to the vodka or should you wait until you are ready to drink it?

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What about a steak-infused vodka or fried chicken infused vodka. Broccoli? Romaine Lettuce? Dill? Pickle? Sauerkraut?

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Didn't make it myself but one of my favorites is a coconut infused vodka served at a Thai place on Delancey St in NY (don't remember the name) My personal creation is the use of those little hot green peppers in vinegar (Texas Pete is the brand I see in stores here) Put about three peppers in a bottel for a couple weeks in the freezer. Don't get carried away with more peppers, you'll be sorry!

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