Chocolate vodka

[Lior]

I did not know whether this should go under drinks or here. Perhaps here people have done this experiment with nibs. Anyway, has anyone infused vodka with nibs? Does it taste like chocolate vodka sort of?

Thanks!

[Tri2Cook]

I did that one. I think I mentioned it in the "make your own vanilla extract" thread. I don't remember the time and quantity specifics (I've got notes somewhere) but it worked pretty well. For my purposes (as a non-cocktail person who only uses it for flavoring desserts, etc.) it's easier to just buy a bottle but it's worth playing around with for the do-it-yourselfer.

[Lior]

I thought it could be interesting as well as useful. I looked for it on the vanilla thread but could not find it. I was tired so maybe I missed it. I will look again! Thanks.

[Tri2Cook]

It's not worth digging for. I didn't go into any specifics or followups, I just mentioned in the thread that I was giving it a try.

[Lior]

aah, okay. I guess I will just read up about it on google and do some experiments. I don't think I can find it here in stores but who knows...

Thanks!

[Tri2Cook]

Just give it a try. I don't remember there being anything scientific about the way I did it. I just dumped ~1/2 lb. of cocoa nibs in a quart jar, filled it with vodka and tucked it away in a dark cupboard for a couple months or so then filtered it through cheesecloth and then a coffee filter. After a taste, I added 50 brix simple syrup to taste and gave most of it to a friend who is a cocktail maniac. She seemed to be happy with it.

I've read about a technique where you suspend chopped chocolate in a cheesecloth pouch just above the surface of the booze in a closed container and leave it alone for 6 months or so and, supposedly, the volatile aromatics are leeched into the alcohol but I've never tried it so I have no idea if it actually works all that well. I keep meaning to get back to that because I can picture some interesting things to do with that technique if it works.

[Lisa Shock]

I did it with chocolate and cocoa, no nibs. I found that what you started with really affected the result. Cheap cocoa gave a flat one-dimensional taste, whereas a good chocolate bar gave a more complex set of flavors.

I also use grain alcohol (brand name is Everclear in the US) instead of vodka because it works a lot better and faster. Most infusions can be done in under a week with grain alcohol. You can then dilute with water or syrup to make a liqueur. I make all of my liqueurs from scratch now.

My guess is that nibs will take a bit of time to infuse, and crushing them a bit will speed things up. The variety bean and type of roast will affect your result, so use nibs you like.

Check out the thread entitled Homemade Liqueurs, Tips and Tricks; Successes and Failures in Beverages & Libations.

Good luck!

[Lior]

Well thank you both so much! Lisa do you just put the chocolate and cacao in? Or in a cheese cloth like Tri2cook mentioned?Is grain alcohol 100 proof?! Is there a thread on this or instructions over in egullet Homemade Liqueurs, Tips and Tricks; Successes and Failures? I don't mind looking butif you know where....

I have been looking for ages to make a good chocolate liqueur. I made a creamy one (I think Kerry also did it), it was nice but not balanced enough according to a friend/more expert on liquors of all sorts than me!

Thanks!

[Lisa Shock]

Well thank you both so much! Lisa do you just put the chocolate and cacao in? Or in a cheese cloth like Tri2cook mentioned?Is grain alcohol 100 proof?! Is there a thread on this or instructions over in egullet Homemade Liqueurs, Tips and Tricks; Successes and Failures? I don't mind looking but if you know where....

I have been looking for ages to make a good chocolate liqueur. I made a creamy one (I think Kerry also did it), it was nice but not balanced enough according to a friend/more expert on liquors of all sorts than me!

Thanks!

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I chilled and grated the chocolate bar with a fine Microplane and just put it into a canning jar with the grain alcohol. The downside was that while most of the solids remained at the bottom of my jar, a weird fluffy cloud developed in it -even though I used a good chocolate bar that did not have added lecithin. Maybe cheesecloth is a good idea....

Grain alcohol (Everclear and a few generics) usually 190 proof, 95% alcohol. It looks like it isn't sold everywhere, and in some areas a watered down version is sold -Wikipedia Article. Even the watered-down version is higher proof than most vodka, so, I would definitely recommend it, if you cannot get the full strength stuff.

Bevmo (owned by Tesco) carries a less expensive 'house brand' of it. It's neutral in flavor, and I cannot tell the difference between the name brand and house brand in this case.

Good luck! You should have a drinkable product in about ten days, if you can find something over 150 proof.

Edited May 5, 2009 by Lisa Shock (log)

[Lior]

Thank you! I will look for it and do it with a cheesecloth! If you get an uncomprehensible message here on this thread from me, you will know it worked.

[Lisa Shock]

Thank you! I will look for it and do it with a cheesecloth! If you get an uncomprehensible message here on this thread from me, you will know it worked.

←

Maybe you could help me try to invent drinks to make with the final product. It's good mixed with cream. I just haven't done much else with it.

It's also good for cooking in situations where you might not want to use actual chocolate.

[Lior]

I will be happy to brainstorm. Maybe something like a liqueur version of some bonbon-chocolate, ceam and something else like passion fruit....