Get Into The Spirit

Serving gin cocktails at your next party? Jane Griffiths reveals how to grow your own ingredients.

- Jane Griffiths

Gone are the days of the plain old G&T. Today flavoured and garnished gins are all the rage. It’s surprisingly simple to make delicious infused gins, so serve some at your next cocktail party.

HOW TO DO IT

Prepare the ingredients and place them in an airtight bottle, cover with an inexpensive gin, seal and leave to steep for anything from a few hours to a couple of weeks (depending on the ingredients). Taste until it’s just right, strain through fine cheesecloth and seal in a sterilised bottle.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS 

Keep implements sterilised. 

When experimenting with new flavours, start by infusing a small amount. If you love it, make a whole bottle. If it’s ghastly, you haven’t wasted too much.

Taste often – some flavours are extracted by alcohol very quickly, others take longer. By tasting regularly, they won’t become overwhelming.

Keep records – next year you’ll wonder what you put into that delicious gin, and if you don’t write it down, you won’t remember.

GROWING THE INGREDIENTS

LEMON BALM