Don’t Judge Me Mondays: Blackberry infused spirits

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You all know by now how much I love blackberries.  I was thinking of other ways (besides this and this) to use them in cocktails.  I’ve seen infused booze (or spirits if we want to be classy, he he) in restaurants and thought, why not make my own?  It’s a fun and exciting way to get a blackberry fix in all kinds of cocktails!

The first thing I had to do was decide on which kind of spirit I wanted to use.  I decided to try three, based on the kinds of cocktails I like: Bourbon, Gin, and Rum.  I felt like these three would give me a good range to experiment with.  You could certainly try this with another spirit you particularly like, the process will be the same.  When choosing a spirit, make sure you choose one whose flavor you already enjoy.  While the flavor will change with the addition of the blackberries, it’s not going to mask a bad taste.  On the flip side, I do not recommend buying the most expensive top shelf brand of whatever spirit you choose to use.  Lots of expensive spirits have complex flavor and it would be a shame to mask that too much.

First, we need to clean our berries and pick out any brambles or bad berries.  Now you can add the blackberries to a jar or other glass container. Make sure it’s clear so that you can observe what’s happening inside and also that it has a lid that seals. I used quart mason jars for mine.   I also added some lemon peel to the jar with the gin.  I thought citrus will work well with the gin’s herby quality.

Now we’ll pour the spirits over the berries in the jar.  Close the lid and shake the jar.  Sit the jar in a cool dark place for at least a week.  The hardest part about this process is the waiting!

I found that the gin I infused had picked up enough flavor after a week, the rum and bourbon weren’t quite there yet though.  You will just have to taste yours periodically to check.  Infuse the spirit for at least a week and then check on it every few days after that to see if it has picked up enough flavor.  This is really about personal preference.

Once you deem it ready, pour the jar contents out through a fine mesh strainer into another jar or glass container that has a lid.  This container doesn’t need to be clear.  I chose a clear pint jar so that I could see the lovely color the gin had become.  Store the covered jar in the fridge.

Once I’ve had a chance to play with my new creations, I will share a cocktail recipe with you in a few weeks so stay tuned!

How would you use a blackberry infused spirit?  Which spirit would you choose?