The latest craze in the cocktail industry is called “infusion”. Simply speaking, infusion is imparting different flavors and colors into a base liquor by steeping items (like herbs, spices, or citrus) right in the bottle. It allows you to create your own custom spirits and really personalize your home bar. You can infuse just about anything. How about trying Skittle flavored Vodka? If that’s not your style, how about habenero infused vodka for the perfect Bloody Mary base? The best part about this is the experimentation trying new things. Think of it as arts and crafts for grown-ups. Here are some general steps and rules to following when infusing at home.

1. Choose your base liquor. You can technically use anything, but vodka is the most common. Light rums and gins are not out of the question, you just want to be sure that the flavors you choose compliment the natural flavors of the liquor. Also, don’t grab the cheapest bottle you can find. You’ll want something smooth and clean so the finished product will be drinkable.

2. Choose your flavors. Again, you can choose almost anything. Let your imagination and your palate be your guide. Herbs, spices and fruits are the most common but you can choose just about anything. Do be sure to use fresh ingredients for the best outcome.

3. Let the infusion begin! If the items you are using to infuse the liquor are small enough, you can sometimes just use the bottle the alcohol originally comes in. If not, a mason jar works perfectly. Experimenting with smaller amounts at first might be better until you get the proportions just right.

4. Infusion Time. This should take anywhere from 3 days to a full week to extract maximum flavor and color. Gently shaking the jar a few times a day may help in this process.

5. When it’s done. The last and very important step is straining the infused items out of the liquor. This can be done using a fine mesh strainer lines with a coffee filter. You can pour the liquor back into its original bottle or a new bottle for a custom look.

6. Enjoy your very own creations!