How to Infuse Alcohol with Chili Peppers

Chili peppers go great with any type of food and you can highlight them in so many ways. Recently, a trend is to infuse alcoholic drinks with chili peppers, which is a trend we greatly enjoy. You can do this at home. The process is very similar to infusing vinegar with chili pepper heat and flavor.

In general, always choose the freshest chili peppers for your infusions. Dried chili peppers also work great. Wash the peppers and slit them lengthwise so they do not float. You can also chop them into smaller pieces for a stronger infusion.

Habanero peppers are ideal for infusions as they pack a great deal of heat and flavor, but you can realistically use any type of chili pepper, like the fabulous jalapeno or the smoky chipotle.

Infusing Alcohol with Chili Peppers

Slice the chili peppers and drop them down the neck of the bottle you wish to infuse. You may need to make a bit of room. Your choices of alcohol are limitless, but popular choices are tequila, vodka, and even wine. The amount of chili peppers will depend on your preference, though you can use anywhere from 1 chili peppers for a milder infusion to a dozen for a flavor blast.

2 to 3 peppers are typical. The chili peppers will eventually sink and your infused alcohol will be ready for consumption in 3 to 4 weeks. Chili Pepper infused alcohol is great for mixed drinks like the famous Bloody Mary or the wonderful Margarita, though they also work great to incorporate into sauces and other meals.