This guide for how to make infused liquor at home will help you level up your homemade cocktails all year long. Infusions are also a great way to try new flavors in your cocktails without adding tons of liquors and liqueurs to your bar cart. That means they’re perfect for people who don’t have a ton of space to store a bunch of bottles you’ll only use once.
I first learned about making liquor infusions when I worked in the Central Florida restaurant industry. Thankfully, you don’t need to have a professional culinary kitchen to whip up your own custom alcohol flavors. All you need is a large jar, your liquor of choice, and a bit of time. This guide will break down the ins and outs of liquor infusions and how they are different than homemade liqueurs.
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💕 why you’ll love infusing alcohol at home…
🙌 easy. The hardest part about infusing liquors at home is planning in advance and waiting for them to be done!
👅 flavorful. You can infuse pretty much anything into your liquor of choice, making it the perfect way to use up extra ingredients you have. It’s also a fun way to add another layer of flavor to your favorite cocktails without buying a ton of different kinds of alcohol.
🥳 fun. Once you get the hang of making your own infusions, the only limit is your imagination! It can be a fun way to try new flavors and experiment with changing up your favorite cocktails, too.
📋 basic steps for infusing liquors at home
- choose your base: You can infuse any liquor you choose, so pick one based on the cocktails you’re planning to make and drink.
- pick your ingredients: Popular infusion ingredients include fruits, vegetables, spices, teas, and even candies.
- steep: Place your chosen ingredients in a clean, airtight jar with the liquor. I love using wide mouthed jars, like these jars from Weck. (affiliate link). On average, most infusions will steep for anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
- strain & store: Once you like the flavor of your infusion, strain out the solids and store the infusion in a clean airtight bottle.
🆚 infused liquors vs. homemade liqueurs
Infused liquors are made from one of the six main types of alcohol. They are made by steeping ingredients in the alcohol for anywhere from a few hours up to a week. Nothing else is added to infusions other than the ingredients you are steeping. Home infused liquors will range in ABV from 20 – 40% alcohol, or 40 – 80 proof, depending on how much sugar is contained in the ingredients you’re infusing.
On the other hand, homemade liqueurs are made by first infusing alcohol, then adding sugars or syrups to the infusion. This helps to round out the flavor of the infusions, so they can infuse for longer than liquors. They also have a lower alcohol by volume, averaging anywhere from 15 – 30% alcohol. Sometimes you will see liqueurs called cordials.
⏱️ how long to infuse liquor for
It can be tempting to infuse your liquors for longer with the idea that longer = stronger flavor. In actuality, this can lead to over-extraction, which can cause some really bad flavor imbalances. I’ve had over-extracted strawberry liquors that tasted like straight up perfume. 🤢
Certain ingredients like peppers and teas actually benefit from a shorter infusion time. This is especially important if you’re infusing anything that has significant spice to it, too. In general, you’ll want to infuse your liquors anwhere from 24 – 72 hours, though you can sometimes push it up to a week.
Make sure to taste-test your infusions each day until they reach the flavor you like, then make a note of the time you infused it for so you know how long to let the ingredients steep in the future!
🫙 how to store infused alcohols
For the best preservation of flavor, store your infused liquors in the fridge or freezer. If you are planning to use all of your liquor infusion for an event, you can certainly keep it at room temperature. I’ve also lived on the wild side and left home-infused alcohol out for months on end, but it’s better to play it safe.
Adding perishable ingredients like fruits and other produce to the alcohol lowers the ABV, so it may or may not stay preserved at room temperature. It’s also easier for the flavor to degrade when it’s left out on your bar cart, so storing it in the fridge is best. Always make sure to label your creations. Trust me, playing “What’s this liquor infusion” isn’t as fun as it sounds. 🥲
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💡top tips for a successful infusion
- quality matters. Use high-quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best results. It can be tempting to choose cheaper liquors, but in general, you want to choose something you’d actually use in a cocktail.
- taste as you go. Check the flavor each day as it infuses to ensure it doesn’t become too strong or bitter. It’s easy to over-extract your liquors, so tasting as you go is the best way to avoid any unpleasant flavors.
- store smart. Store your infused liquors in the refrigerator to maintain their flavor and freshness. This helps prevent them from spoiling, too.
🔴 infused vodka
Vodka is one of the most popular spirits for a reason: it’s versatile! It’s easy to mix into any drink and it doesn’t really have much of a flavor, so it’s the perfect blank canvas for infusions. In fact, most of my homemade liqueur recipes start with vodka for just that reason! If you want to learn more about vodka, check out this post!
what vodka to use
Stick with regular 80-proof vodka because you won’t be adding any syrups to dilute the ABV, and the extra proof doesn’t really do too much for the extraction process. It’s really easy to over-extract flavors when infusing, so that’s another reason I like to stick to 80-proof vodka. Plus, it’s easier to find in any liquor store!
lavender vodka
The floral flavor of lavender works so well in cocktails and this infusion is perfect for spring or summer parties. It’s also a great infusion to make for a signature drink during a bridal shower or wedding celebration!
candy corn vodka
Whether you like candy corn or not, this candy corn infusion is one of the more fun flavors you can try! The resulting liquor is much higher in sugar than a classic infusion, so it ends up being closer to a liqueur in ABV, but it’s perfect for creating Halloween cocktails that will leave your guests speechless!
🟡 infused gin
what gin to use
Gin already has a very notable flavor to it, so be sure to choose a gin that is lighter in taste. Read all about the different styles of gin here! Choose a lighter London style gin or an American style gin for the best infusion, unless of course you want to play with adding to the classic juniper taste of gin!
infused gin recipes
cranberry gin
This cranberry infused gin recipe is perfect for the holiday season when you’re entertaining! The taste of the berries perfectly complements the juniper, playing up fall and winter flavor profiles!
🟢 infused tequila
what tequila to use
Check out this post to learn about the different kinds of tequila! Silver or blanco tequila is best for cleaner tasting infusions because it has a lighter flavor profile. You can infuse aged tequilas, but the flavor will be impacted by the aging process.
infused tequila recipes
jalapeño tequila
This pepper infused tequila is great because you can make it as spicy as you want! It also has a shorter infusion time, meaning it’s easy to make it the day before you need it. Your spicy margaritas will never be the same!
watermelon tequila
The delicate flavor of melon adds a fresh flavor to classic tequila drinks. After all, it doesn’t get more summery than watermelon + tequila. Any pool party or barbecue would be lucky to have this infusion show up as a guest!
strawberry tequila
There is a good reason strawberry margaritas show up on every pool bar menu across the country! This strawberry infused tequila is so good you might not even need much else but a spritz of lime juice and ice cubes for a refreshing summer cocktail!
starfruit tequila
Starfruit has a light and tropical flavor that’s sort of like a mix of tart green apples, grapes, and citrus. The flavor of the fruit works perfectly in cocktails, so this tequila infusion should definitely be on your list when starfruit season rolls around!
🔵 infused rum
what rum to use
Read about the different kinds of rum you can use for infusions here! If you want the full focus of your infusion on the ingredients, use a clear rum or light rum. These rums have not been aged or had any other flavors added.
infused rum recipes
vanilla rum
Typically, flavored alcohols are made using artificial flavors, but this vanilla infused rum uses a real vanilla bean to impart the warm and comforting taste of vanilla. You can also leave the bean in the bottle, allowing the flavor to deepen over time.
💬 share your favorite!
So, which recipe are you planning to try first?! Be sure to let me know in the comments below, especially if you make one of the recipes listed above!
Again, if you are looking for something not listed, or want to use an ingredient that’s not in a drink above, let me know, and I’ll help to create something just for you! 🥰
