Indian Flavor. Russian Interpretation.
Chai is a traditional Indian drink consisting of black tea along with various herbs and spices. It’s typically a warm, milky beverage that grows in popularity as colder weather begins to roll in. With this recipe, we use the flavor of chai to warm in a different, more vodka-y way.
PREPARATION:
To start, you’ll need ¼ cup of dried chai leaves (or about 6 tea bags), 10 oz. Everclear®, 10 oz. filtered water and 4 oz. white simple syrup. If you don’t have any simple syrup on hand and want to make your own, check out our Simple syrup instructions.
Combine Everclear® and water in a large, sealable container. Add the chai leaves and let steep in a cool, dry place for 1-2 hours. This infusion happens rapidly, so it’s a good idea to taste every half hour to test its strength.
Once infused, strain off the chai leaves using a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter. Then combine the chai infusion with simple syrup to further dilute. After it’s thoroughly mixed, it’s ready for bottling and of course, enjoying.
Be sure to check out our Chai Milk Punch and Chai Spiced Wine recipes to try out your latest batch.
CHAI VODKA
Ingredients:
¼ cup Chai leaves (Or 6 bags)
10 oz. EVERCLEAR® Grain Alcohol
10 oz. Filtered water
4 oz. 1:1 White simple syrup
Instructions:
- Combine Everclear and water.
- Add chai and let steep for 1-2 hours to taste.
- Strain out chai leaves.
- Add simple syrup.
- Bottle and enjoy.
Tips:
Steep time will vary depending on the strength of chai you’re using. It’s always good to check your infusion throughout its steep. You can always let it steep longer for more flavor, but not the other way around.