Cherry coke was one of my all-time favorite drinks as a kid, so it only seemed fitting to try and re-create this as an adult with some homemade cherry-infused vodka. The process was quite simple, and opened the floodgates to a variety of new vodka infusions to attempt (and mostly succeed in). Here's the steps & ingredients:
- 1.5 Bottles of Vodka (I used Stoli)
- 1lb Fresh Cherries (pitted)
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- Glass Container for Brewing (with a wide neck so you can stir daily) with strong seal
- Cheese Cloth
- Coke
- Ice
All I did was pit the cherries (I attempted to find a cherry pitter with no luck, so resorted to a chopstick with pointed end, and was pleasantly surprised at the ease of removing the pit). Add the cherries to the glass brewing bottle (Ikea), pour in the vodka. Store in a cool, dark place for 7-10days. Stir daily, adding the vanilla bean (you can find it at the Avocado Lady on Wulumuqi lu, or City Shop) only 2 days before you the brewing is finished - careful to taste it daily after adding the vanilla as it can easily over power the cherry flavor. After the first 4 days, the pigment from the cherry skins will start to add color to the vodka making it look like red wine. At the completion of the brewing process, remove the cherries & vanilla bean, and then strain your vodka using a cheese cloth (to grab any pulp or particles left from the fruit). You can store the vodka in the fridge or freezer.
Bottling:
- I used this bottle from Ikea to present it (about 1.5 bottles of vodka will fill it)- Make your own label using spray adhesive to stick it on to your bottle to customize
*This makes a great gift
To serve, pour a shot of your homemade vodka over ice, and mix with coke. I like these mini Japanese coke cans (bottles would be even more of a throw back to the vintage feel of cherry coke). The vodka is so sweet and delicious (you won't even taste the alcohol), you can even enjoy it simply over ice.
Other Infusion Flavors (tried and tested):
- Pear-Mint
- Mango-Orange
- Lemongrass-Coconut-Ginger
- Skittles Candy
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| Round 2: Pear Infusion |
< Cover pic Richard Leon Liston >
