Favorite Summertime Drink: Blackberry Infused Vodka

I’ve tried a couple different vodka infusions, but one of my all time fav’s is blackberry and this is for a few reasons: 1) you can’t buy it at the bottle shop 2) it has this cool purple color in the end and 3) it comes out REAL nice.

I’ve have tried raspberry, but there is something to it where you need to add sugar to bring out a ‘true’ raspberry flavor. With blackberry it’s just vodka & berries.

So now that we’re in the hot days of August (at least here in Boston!) and we’re planning end of summer activities, why not add a vodka infusion to your September bbq! Here’s how you make it:

You can use any size bottle of vodka and any brand you prefer (I have used Absolut in the past). For larger sized bottles I use two punnets of blackberries.

In a larger pot heat the vodka so it’s warm, but not boiling. While you’re doing that, wash out a lidded glass container with hot soap and water. Rinse well and dry.

Lightly crush the blackberries and add them to the clean, glass container.

Gently pour the vodka over the berries and swirl the mixture around a few times.

Cover the opening of the glass container with two layers of plastic cling wrap then put on the lid.

Put the container in a paper bag and store in a cool, dark place for one month. Swirl it every week to keep things moving a little.

After a month, pour the mixture through a sieve to separate the fruit from the vodka. Then, line the sieve with four layers of cheesecloth and pour the liquid through. Repeat this a couple of times rinsing the cheesecloth between each pour.

If you’re super neurotic (like myself) you can then line your sieve with coffee filters and pour the liquid through a few times (changing the filter each time).

Now you should have a clear vodka that’s ready to drink! Mix with tonic or soda water and a lime and you’d think you’re drinking summer…. :-) (Drink responsibly, of course!)