DIY: How To Make Berry Infused Vodka

In preparation of all the summer picnics, bbqs and get togethers over the next few months, we decided to make our very own Berry Infused Vodka!

Perfect with lemonade, tonic, apple juice and ideal for cocktails, we predict that this will be a staple in our liquor cabinet. With branded flavoured vodka you can spend an easy fortune and be disappointed with the taste, so we thought we'd show you this quick diy so you can make your own as and when you need it. We don't promote heavy drinking, but a treat now and again is worth making the effort over :)

Many vodka infusion recipes involve a mason jar, a dark cupboard and about a week fermenting time, which sucks if you need it in a hurry. Our recipe can be made in a matter of minutes, only needs to be left a few hours and you are good to go :) 

Take that fermentation process!

So, all you need for our berry infused vodka is:

20cl vodka, 150g sugar and 150g frozen forrest fruit berries.

You can use cheap vodka (it doesn't make a huge difference if you ask us), and you can switch the fruit and sugar measurements if you like. We used a 50/50 ratio and got a lovely berry infusion which was deliciously sweet and has a strong berry flavour. You can add more or less depending on your taste, but we've found a stronger flavour is better than a hint if you are mixing it. A great way to alter this recipe is to start with our quantities then add in more vodka to 'thin it down'. 

To make, simply put the fruit, sugar and a splash of water into a pan and heat it up for a couple of minutes until the fruit starts to soften. Then add in the vodka and keep over the heat until it starts to simmer. Put a lid on the pan and turn the heat off. Let it cool and settle for up to 3 hours. Pour the cool liquid through a sieve to separate the fruit from the vodka, then pop the vodka into a sterile bottle for storage. You can always put this back into the bottle the booze came from, but remember you will have a little more than when you started as you've got all that lovely fruity goodness in there too!

As for the remaining berries, you can pop them into an ice tray with a splash of cold water and stick them in the freezer for some amazingly good ice cubes to add back into your drinks later on! 

Pretty and practical :D

*Ta*Da*

See that? You just made your own infused vodka! That's pretty awesome if you ask us.

If you add a pretty label, this makes a great gift for bringing along to parties too ... as long as the host is old enough of course! We hope you have fun making your own infusions.

Enjoy wisely!