Blueberry Infused Gin

This gin is very smooth with a nice sweetness of blueberry.  The combination of blueberry and juniper from the gin just might make a gin "drinker" out of me yet!  

I made this for a few BIWB recipes, including this loaf cake recipe that was in the Sacramento Bee last month.  I learned about infusing booze from a very cool website Post Prohibition.  The recipe for Blueberry Infused Gin is from KitchenKonfidence.   Post Prohibition not only tells you how to infuse all kinds of booze, the website even has amazing cocktail recipes for all that wonderful infused booze. 

As we all know by now, I am not a gin drinker.  Well, to be honest, I'm not a drinker of any alcohol, straight that is.  If it can be mixed and doesn't taste like booze, I'm in!  The only exception though, and for some strange reason unbeknownst to yours truly...seems to be a Manhattan.

I don't even like maraschino cherries!

We all know by now that I'm a cocktail kinda gal or why else would I be baking with booze?  Booze combined with sugary or savory baked goods?  Well, now you've peel back just a bit more of the BIWB girl onion. 

So, on to the blueberry gin infusion!

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Step-by-Step

** Disclaimer: this is a non-baking post**

Part 1: Infusion

I found this idea on a web site called Post Prohibition (see links above). He focuses on bringing back the traditional cocktails and creating a few new ones. He's really into infused booze. I like it...It's easy...I can do this...Start with these basics and it seems that organic blueberries are the way to go. On sale at Nugget this time...Love The Nug! 

So, that's 1 pint blueberries for 750 ml gin (all are approximations).

Okay, so this is a bad shot, but for some reason my camera doesn't like steam. These little babies are warming in a pan. Just to get a few to release and weaken their skins.

Place them in your super clean jar. I had planned to let them cool and didn't realize how quickly they got hot. My AllClad stuff surprises me...So, you get the idea.

That's an empty bottle of gin that's been here for, what, 8 yrs! There was a good half a bottle. All gone.

This is the large jar of blueberries and gin. It will sit on the counter for a few weeks. I'm hopeful...

In a very geriatric move, I wrote the start date.  Yes, including the year...I have, frankly, enough things to put on my calendar. This makes it almost idiot-proof. :)  In a few weeks, I'll have amazing blueberry gin for an amazing blueberry cocktail and cupcakes! Yay for me!

Part 2: Staining and Bottling
Finished blueberry gin after 2 weeks in the sealed jar on the counter. I'm ready to pop the lid and strain. Cross fingers!

First tertiary strain is the blueberries. Then the second strain I used coffee filters. I read about using them for limoncello. Next time, I'll strain into a batter bowl which has a pouring lip.

These blueberries are FULL of gin! Almost pickled really and hard. I used some mashed up in a great cocktail that I threw together.

The coffee filter method was S L O W...I'm not that patient...

So, I started squeezing a bit. Faster toward the end of the strain. :)

The glass on the left is post-coffee filter. You can see a slightly more turbid pre-coffee filter version on the right (with just the blueberries removed). But, look at the legs on that gin!

The very big bottle and funnel. No other way, my friends. I didn't think I had enough to fill the bottle.

Thankfully, I was wrong! I store this in the fridge. I don't know, just seems safer that way. Cheers!

Blueberry Gin Martini
2 oz blueberry infused gin
1 oz triple sec
5 dash bitters
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp  sugar
1 tbsp mashed blueberries (or use the gin infused blueberries)

Add to a cocktail shaker that is filled with ice.  Shake vigorously for one minute.  Strain into a martini glass.  {Rim with sugar if desired.}

Bottoms up!  Ellen