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Confused?
Get Infused Mike Robothom |
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I have been a bartender for nearly 10 years, and I am here to tell you that there is a problem among bar patrons all over the world: lots of people just do not know what they want to drink. For years I dismissed these folks as merely inexperienced. Then I began to notice that even my "regulars" would come into the bar feeling restless and looking for something different. When I arrived in San Francisco and began working for Robert Robinson at Infusion Bar and Restaurant, I realized he had found just that. |
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| Robinson named his establishment after the infusion, the process by which most of his drinks are made. On display behind the bar at Infusion, eight large glass jars are filled with vodka and their infusing elements: either fruits or vegetables or even herbs and spices. The jars and their respective ingredients sit for a minimum of two weeks before they are served. During this time, the vodka becomes infused with the flavor of the fruit. At the end of the two weeks, the fruit itself is merely a husk and usually tastes quite bitter. It can be removed without affecting the taste of the now-infused vodka. No sugars or mixers are added, making the process all natural. |
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What does this mean to the weary, thrill-seeking drinker? It's a whole new world, my friends. Infused drinks are incredibly versatile, and, more importantly, they taste good. The secret starts with the base: infused liquors engender delicate and pure flavors. A nice, clean liquor that doesn't mask the taste of the fruit is required. Higher quality vodkas such as Absolut, Skyy, and Ketel One are made with finer ingredients and filtered to a higher degree than most generic brands. The end result is a smoother liquor with less of a potential for a hangover. This is true over all premium liquors. (Of course, if you drink too much of any kind of alcohol, you will get a lovely hangover no matter what anyone says). Robinson uses Skyy vodka. He enjoys the clean taste and likes to support the local business; Skyy's headquarters are based in San Francisco. | |
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After selecting a vodka, it's time to pick a flavor. My only advice here is to be pick fresh produce in season. A strawberry infusion made with July berries tastes noticeably better than one made with those pale, wimpy berries you find in the stores in December. By contrast, an infusion made with vanilla beans can be made regardless of the season. How much fruit do you need? There is no exact answer: I add three pineapples to seven liters of vodka, but to make the same amount of a jalapeno vodka, I need around 15 chilies. So, there is no one standard volume of fruit that will give you perfect results. Amounts vary according to the quality of the fruit, the type of fruit, and your own taste. Whatever flavors you choose, here is a quick and relatively simple infusion method for the home brewer:
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Sure, with a smile, you say, but how? At Infusion vodkas are usually served chilled, straight-up. However, feel free to experiment. One of my regulars has come up with her own fantasy elixir of a pear vodka infusion with Frangelico and a splash of Chambourd on the rocks. This brings me back to my opening dilemma, the jaded customer. When you are drinking infused vodkas, you could have eight distinctly different drinks without adding any mixers and without even changing the brand, much less the type of liquor. At Infusion we constantly update flavors with the seasons, choosing from more than 40 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and spices throughout the year. Just don't go looking for the perfect parsimmon-infused martini come February. | |
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