Homemade Sour Apple Vodka

im to the point of being obsessed with infused spirits, last year it was foraged blackberries and a spiced quince vodka. this year im trying out my own sour apple vodka for Sour Apple Martini's, click here for the recipe. homemade infused spirits are simple to make, time and aggitation (a good shake) are the key - my quince vodka from last year hasn't stopped improving since it was ready for consumption. 6 weeks seems to be the consensus for good flavour when infusing spirits, but a month is perfectly alright.
this year's theme is 'apples,' our cupboards are filled with a mass of infusing spirits. we've got damsons stewing away alongside, apple and cinnamon, plain apples, apple and clove and of course this Sour Apple Vodka.

 

a few more ideas on my infusing to-do list are: black pepper vodka for bloody mary's, cucumber gin for gin and tonics, pear brandy for well - pear brandy, rosemary vodka for a winter martini, mint whiskey for mint juleps.... its endless: ginger, pineapple, elderflower, horseradish, pumpkin, spices, herbs, fruit, leaves, brownbread (?), cardboard (?) - why not? ok, maybe those last two were a bit adventurous.

the idea is: any spirit can be infused and anything can be used to infuse it. homemade spirits are a great gift too, and are sure to be consumed and disappear. solving that age old dilema, what can i get that person that won't just sit on a shelf collecting dust? infused homemade booze is as good as it gets.

this recipe is one i made up after making that quince vodka last year. the apples for this recipe as well as the quince vodka last year we're a pilfired gift, from our goods friend's Caroline and Gill at Glebe Country House, in Ballinadee. Caroline and Gill have been fundamental in this year's growing season at my house, they've lent us beds in their polytunnel, given us use of their double axle trailer, massive quantities of sheep manure from caroline's sheep farming days, as well as excess fruits and herbs from their gardens. they have been running the Country House and B & B for upwards of 20 years, as well as producing salads and veg before the words 'mizuna' and 'mibuna' were a part of the irish gardener's vocabulary. Gill planted the apple trees for these apples herself beside a hedged-in herb garden.

the grounds at Glebe Country House include a wonderful formal garden with creeping wisteria as a canopy, there's also a rose garden and extensive lawn for parties, events, and weddings. they also specialise in wood fired pizza in their hand made pizza oven. the catering doesn't stop there either, dinner parties are a frequent event, which can be booked with your party or stay at Glebe Country House. gill's breakfasts are a perfect way to start the day in west cork, try the waffles with bacon and cheddar folded into the batter! also, stay tuned for the much anticipated pool house, now under construction. Glebe Country House is a great escape in the countryside, where your illusions of grandeur can run wild.

and to help those illusions along, here's the recipe for Sour Apple Vodka:

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Sour Apple Vodka
700ml

1 bottle good vodka, use whatever quality you are comfortable buying
500g green cooking apple, or any tart apple, grated with the large holes of a box grater, cores discarded
100g sliced lemon
100g sliced lime
400g sugar

• place all ingredients in a large container with airtight lid, stir vigorously.
• cover and label with date and ingredients (so you don't forget!)
• place in a dark place and shake or stir every couple of days, or everyday.
• wait 4-6 weeks to use, but taste a little as you go. its a great learning experince in flavour infusion, you might even get a bit tipsy!
• once you are happy with the flavour, strain off the liquid and store in a sealed sterlized bottle and keep till you fancy a nice beverage. alternatively, keep stored with macerated fruit and pour off booze as needed, the flavours keep intensifying with age!