4 Tips To Craft Strawberry-Infused Cocktails And Mocktails
Whether you prefer your beverages to be with alcohol or without, there is a whole host of fruits that can be turned into punches in the winter, from cherries and apples to nectarine and peaches.
Strawberry, with its juicy, sweet and tart flavour profile, is another go-to ingredient to infuse in cocktails and mocktails this season. Strawberry-infused drinks are also easy to make at home and adapt to various tastes.
Here are a few handy tips on preparing strawberries for infusion, creating balanced flavours, and crafting both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that highlight this delicious fruit.
Select and Prepare Fresh Strawberries
For any strawberry-forward drink, beginning with fresh but slightly ripe strawberries can make a world of difference. Marginally ripe strawberries have a sweeter edge over unripened strawberries, and hence will add a natural sweetness to your drink without the need to add any more simple syrup or honey.
Look for strawberries that are deep red, firm and fragrant for maximum flavour.
To prepare the strawberries, rinse them in running cold water and remove the hull and the stems. Then, you need to slice them to increase their surface area and also allow more of the flavour and colour to infuse into the liquid.
If you are preparing a single drink or in a small batch, muddling the berries gently in a glass or a shaker can release more of the juices and create an even more intense infusion.
Infusing Spirits for Strawberry Cocktails
Infusing spirits with the berries creates a multidimensional base for a plethora of cocktail beverages, and also allows the natural strawberry flavour to shine without added sugar or mixers.
Gin, rum and vodka are especially good choices for infusions, since they have a slightly more neutral flavour as opposed to other spirits.
How to Make Strawberry Infused Vodka Cocktail
Combine the primary ingredients: Place 60 gm of hulled and sliced strawberries in a glass jar with 60 ml of vodka.
Infuse: Now, seal the jar with an airtight lid and secure the neck with a cheesecloth and rubber bands, and place it in a cooler and dry corner of the house for around 5 days, gently shaking it once a day so that the strawberry does not settle to the bottom.
Strain and store: Use a sieve to strain out all the pieces of strawberries, and then transfer the infused vodka to a clean glass bottle.
Follow the same steps to make strawberry-infused gin or rum, as per your personal preference. You can use this infused spirit to jazz up classic cocktail drinks like martini cocktails, Moscow Mule cocktails and lemonade spritzers.
Adding Complementary Flavours
Strawberries also pair well with a variety of other flavours, which also adds complexity to the taste. Try combining with the following flavours to make the cocktails stand out:
Herbs: Basil, mint and rosemary add a fresh, aromatic note to any strawberry drink.
Citruses: Limes, lemons and oranges complement the acidity of the strawberries.
Spices: A hint of ginger, cinnamon or black pepper adds a spicy hit to the drink.
Tropical fruits: Pineapples, mangoes and coconuts bring out the sweetness of ripe strawberries.
You can make strawberry-infused mocktails the same as its alcoholic counterparts. Only, instead of using fresh strawberries, make it into a syrup and dissolve into a glass of plain soda and mint leaves.
Garnish your drinks with a skewer of fresh strawberries stacked one after the other, or crush dehydrated strawberries into powdered sugar and use this mix to line the rim of your glass.
Drink responsibly. This communication is intended for audiences aged 25 and above.
