How to Infuse Vodka With Figs

By: A.J. Andrews

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Infusing vodka is so easy, you could accidentally spill some figs into a jar of vodka and have fig-flavored vodka in a couple weeks -- well, almost. That's the basic idea, but there are other factors to consider if you want quality fig-infused vodka. Infusing vodka is a simple solvent extraction: the solvent, alcohol, extracts the volatile oils, those responsible for flavor, color and aroma, from the figs. You don't need to spring for top-shelf vodka, but for a clean solvent extraction, you need pure vodka -- distilled-at-least-four-times pure. Fresh figs, taken at the height of ripeness, completes the equation.

Step 1

Rinse the figs under cold running water. Twist off the stems, and peel away the skins.

Step 2

Scrape away any clinging skin using a paring knife. Chop the figs into quarters, and place them in glass jars. Leave enough headspace in the jars to cover the figs by a few inches.

Step 3

Pour room temperature vodka over the figs. Use 1 to 1 1/2 cups of vodka for every cup of figs.

Step 4

Seal the jar and place it out of direct sunlight. You can infuse the vodka in the refrigerator, but it usually takes a day or two longer than vodka infused at room temperature.

Step 5

Shake the jar vigorously each day. Taste the fig vodka after a week. Infuse the vodka up to a week or two longer, tasting every couple days, until it reaches the desired flavor.