How to Make Kahlua and Other Flavored Vodkas...

For the last couple of years I have experimented with making luscious flavored vodkas. Each spring, summer and fall I am looking for ways to use all of the fresh and local fruits I am blessed with. There always seems to be a bit of something left after making jams or shrubs or pies. Our very lucky chickens enjoy a lot of the leftovers and it's fun and rewarding to see them scramble for ripe berries and apple skins. Still...it can't all go to the chickens. 

I realized it is incredibly easy to make flavored vodkas with some of this fresh, ripe fruit. I also realized that it becomes the perfect Holiday gift. I am a huge fan of consumable gifting and so far I get a lot of oohs and aahs over flavored vodka! 

You really can make a flavored vodka out of most anything. Use your imagination and don't be afraid to experiment. One of my most successful flavors to date was the dandelion vodka I made about 18 months ago. It has morphed into the most decadent flavor ever! It tastes like sunshine and honey. What I learned from the dandelion vodka was not to be in a hurry. It most definitely changed and mellowed over time and became something quite wonderful.

One of the best investments I ever made was to purchase bale jars in several sizes. These jars are always filled with something in some stage of development. Bonus...they look pretty sitting atop the counter or shelves with the lovely colored concoctions.

I don't have a recipe for these fruit or herbal vodkas. I do have some tips, though! Purchase the cheapest vodka you can find. No need for anything top shelf. The add ins make the magic happen and you don't need a high dollar alcohol. I usually start with a 1/2 cup of white pure cane sugar. If I have a lot of fruit and I'm using more vodka I will add up to 1 cup of the sugar. Don't over use the sugar. Give the fruit time to break down and infuse with the vodka. After several weeks you can add more sugar if you think it necessary. 

Plop your leftover fruit into a large bale jar. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and pour in the vodka. Stir it up to start dissolving the sugar. Close the lid and put the jar on a shelf or counter that doesn't get much sunshine. Agitate the jar from time to time. Start tasting it after about a month and decide if you want a bit more sugar. Rarely do I end up adding more. Let it infuse for as long as possible. At least 5 or 6 weeks. 

I had a few leftover pears. I decided to give them a try! Obviously this isn't a bale jar. It is possibly the coolest vintage canning jar ever! It's huge and I got it for 1$ at a yard sale! Booyah...it takes a normal sized canning lid and ring!

Getting ready to strain the pear vodka. I start with a large fine mesh sieve. Then I use a smaller fine mesh sieve. There was a lot of sediment in the pear vodka.

I think the pear vodka is a beautiful color. I was slightly surprised at how much fruit sediment was left after the initial straining. 

I decided to try running it through some cheese cloth and see if I could get it really clear. Again, it amazed me how much sediment filled up the cheesecloth!

Wow! You can see how much clearer it is after the cheesecloth drip. Still...I can't lie...it still has some sediment. I decided not to stress about it...After all, it's just booze infused fruit sediment! I don't think it will detract from the final product.

Of course I did the same process on the raspberry vodka. This flavor is amazing! The fresh ripe raspberry taste really comes through!

Not bad! Pretty much the extent of my holiday gift giving is right here in these jars! I will pour it into smaller jars and make them cutesy for gift giving. Oh...see the blackberry vanilla vodka? I just added a vanilla bean to the jar! It added a really nice smooth flavor to the vodka. Use your imagination. There are soooo many possibilities! (I already have some ideas for next year!)

Okay...if you missed your window of opportunity with the fruit vodkas, don't panic. If you get started this weekend you can WOW your gift recipients with homemade Kahlua just in time for the Holidays.

These ingredients and some brown sugar is all it takes to make a spectacular consumable gift! (Note the super cheap vodka???)

Make 8 ounces of good instant coffee...

Basically you will be making a simple syrup. I used:

4 cups of water

4 1/2 cups of brown sugar

8 ounces of instant brewed coffee

Dissolve and bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken into a syrup.

Take off the heat and let it cool down.

When it is cool add 2 TBSP of liquid vanilla. 

In a large bale jar or similar glass jar add a vanilla bean and 1 litre of vodka. Add the syrup mixture.

Let this sit and become spectacular for as long as possible! I like to bottle this in brown or green bottles. I'm planning to sterilize used brown beer bottles and recycle for gift giving. WARNING...your kitchen will smell amazing while you are making this!!!

Go ahead! Have some fun...the combinations are endless!