Huckleberry Infused Vodka

Overview

Many trendy upscale clubs now offer cocktails made with unusual fruit infusions. These drinks mix clear liquor, fruit, seasonings and sugar. Put together in the correct way, the liqueurs create welcome gifts and add a different twist to your own cocktail repertoire. Infuse huckleberries to create your own huckleberry liqueur.

Step 1

Pour 1 1/2 cups vodka through a filtering water pitcher 3 or 4 times to remove as many impurities as possible. Use a good quality vodka to make a drink worth creating.

Step 2

Chop 1 cup huckleberries with a sharp knife. The berries only need to be roughly chopped to help the alcohol to extract the flavor from inside the berries.

Step 3

Place the huckleberries and 1 1/2 cups filtered vodka into a glass jar. Put the lid on tightly and place it in a cool, dry place where it won’t be disturbed. Let the mixture infuse for two to three weeks.

Step 4

Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy pot. Heat on the stove, stirring regularly, until all the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear. Remove the pot from the stove.

Step 5

Allow the sugar syrup to cool to room temperature. When the liquid is cool, add it to the jar containing the huckleberry infusion. Taste to see if it is too sweet or too strong in alcohol. Adjust if necessary, adding more vodka if too sweet and more sugar syrup if too strong. Replace the lid and let it sit for another 10 days.

Step 6

Pour the mixture through coffee filters four times to strain out all the organic matter. When the liquid is clear and free of any specks, pour it into an attractive bottle for addition to your bar or for gift giving.