The Art of Infusions: A Balancing Act Between Art + Science

On the surface, cocktail infusions may seem simple: Take a fruit, spice, nut or other element and steep it in alcohol to create a layered flavor. Start experimenting and novice bartenders will soon discover infusions require a delicate balance between art and science. Get the inside scoop from some of D.C.’s cocktail pros.

It’s All About The Balance

What makes for a good infusion? As is the case for cocktails, when it comes to infusions balance is key. Classic cocktails follow a recipe, and ratios provide a good blueprint for infusions. Although that may seem restrictive to the creative process, for Hakim Hamid, beverage director of Georgetown’s L’Annexe, the anatomy of a classic cocktail actually allows for greater room to play with. 

“When you have a blueprint, it’s easy to figure out what you’re going to manipulate,” Hamid notes. 

Using a Manhattan as an example with two parts whiskey, one part sweet vermouth and bitters, Hamid points out there is a lot of creative opportunity. 

The formula is already balanced out for you, he says, so bartenders can ask themselves, “Do I infuse the whiskey or do I infuse the vermouth? Or do I omit the vermouth and do something that’s like a vermouth? Or do I split certain ratios down?” 

But don’t get too carried away, Hamid cautions. He compares infusion components to that of a concert — balancing out the star singers with backup vocals. When it comes to infusion ingredients that can pack a punch, such as jalapenos, chilis and other peppers, precision is key. 

“You want to make a [balanced] cocktail your whole audience will appreciate — but you also want to keep its natural profile if it’s meant to be a spicy cocktail,” says Daniel Omaña, bar manager at newly-opened Dolce Vita. 

“When you infuse something spicy, you want to bring on important supporting actors,” he adds. “Bringing some liqueurs into the game, some syrups and some acid to create your recipe [helps make it] more balanced.”

The amount of time peppers and chilis steep in the alcohol also plays a role in the spice potency. 

“Everything is on [a] schedule,” Omaña notes. “Every 24 hours, you just have to taste test. For something spicy, for instance, [it infuses for] maybe a max of 48 hours.”

Infusing a cocktail should enhance the drink, not overly complicate or overwhelm it. 

“With classic cocktails, you want to keep the integrity,” Omaña says, referencing a riff on a paloma he created with grapefruit-infused reposado. “I’m not taking away from the classic cocktail. I’m actually enhancing the tequila with the existing qualities of the cocktail. If you want to throw parsley or some herb into the tequila and you’re making a paloma, then it’s not really a paloma.” 

Neutral spirits like vodka and gin seem like a natural choice as an infusion base, but sometimes a heavier, complex spirit is required. The balance between practicality and taste at Tiger Fork beckons beverage director Ian Fletcher to lean on darker spirits for some infusions. 

“Lighter spirits work better with lighter flavors (being infused) and ‘heavier’ spirits tend to hide or overpower some flavors,” he notes. “At Tiger Fork, we work with a lot of medicinal ingredients, some of which are not the most palatable on their own. We often use dark spirits to mask some of the less than desirable flavors from infusing. We also use mixers and fresh juices to round out flavor profiles.”

Carlos Boada, bar manager at Seven Reasons, is also drawn to more sophisticated spirits.

“I like to work with a reposado tequila, a bourbon, a mezcal,” he says. “They’ve got a little more complex body. If you know how to balance it, they bring that experience to a different level.”  

Currently, five of his eight cocktails on the menu feature an infusion. Boada’s favorite? Bourbon Street — a mashup of an old fashioned and a Sazerac that gets a boost of absinthe flavor from an infusion of caraway seeds. 

“I’ve been treating the bar as a kitchen,” Boada adds. “I believe making infusions just builds a different layer, a different perspective of a cocktail. You add more of an experience than a regular drink.”

Infusion Inspiration

Maïz64. Photo by Rey Lopez.

When creating infusions, Omaña works with a theme. Whether it’s seasonal ingredients or a specific type of spirit he’s working with, the theme serves as a guide. 

At Dolce Vita, he follows the lead of the coastal Mediterranean restaurant’s menu and overall aesthetic, playing up the crisp citrus notes in cocktails when he can. A recent New Year’s Eve special dubbed “Thyme’s Up, 2021” featured fresh lemon juice and mandarin, Omaña’s Italian play on a French 75 inspired by the cuisines of Italy, Morocco, Greece and Spain.

“I infused thyme and lemon peel with a gin for about 24 hours,” Omaña says of the process. “Mandarin is very prevalent all over the Mediterranean and I made a mandarin peel and thyme syrup to go along with that.” 

Similarly, the cocktail program at Maïz64 looks to complement influences from the menu.

“We always find inspiration in the kitchen thanks to the variety of Mexican products such as dry chiles, herbs and spices,” notes Roberto Andraka, lead bartender at the upscale Mexican restaurant. “Working with talented chefs helps us to better understand and incorporate these flavors into our syrups and infusions.” 

On the current cocktail list, you’ll find infusions working in the flavors of green tea, bougainvillea flower and spices such as cloves and pepper. With the colder weather, Andraka looks to fresh fruits like apples, guavas and oranges to complement sugar cane and spices that will play well with Maïz64’s lineup of modern Mexican fare. 

At Tiger Fork, cocktails pull from traditional Chinese medicine to target various ailments.

“We infuse medicinal herbs into our cocktails, designed to have specific wellness properties,” Fletcher says. “We target pain, anxiety, fatigue or even providing an immune system boost, an aphrodisiac or detox.”

For Boada, guest experience is at the forefront when creating infusions.

“I believe infusions create different layers — a new palate,” he says. “It stays with you to bring your memory from something.” 

At Seven Reasons, he hopes to spark a sense of nostalgia with different infusions and ingredients to create dialogue.

“I want to create that dynamic with the hospitality industry in the sense servers and bartenders are taking ownership and talking to those guests.” 

Tips for the Home Bartenders

What do the cocktail professionals recommend for at-home bartenders looking to level up their infusion skills? “Make a tea,” Hamid says, noting sugars or any sweeteners should come after the base of the infusion has developed. “Let something steep in water so you can figure out what that true flavor is.”

Omaña recommends taking a scientific approach. That includes emptying all contents into a separate container so the flavor can properly build, weighing any herbs or additives instead of haphazardly adding unmeasured amounts and refrigerating mixtures that contain fermentable items such as fresh peppers. After that?

“Always date and label,” he advises. “And then check on your infusion in 24 hour intervals. The world is your oyster with infusions. There’s so many endless possibilities with it.”

Usher in 2022 with a tasty infusion cocktail from one of five D.C. bars. 

L’Annexe: 2917 M St. NW, DC; lannexe-bar.com // @lannexedc

Dolce Vita: 1610 14th St. NW, DC; dolcevitadc.com // @dolcevitadc

Maïz64: 1324 14th St. NW #64; maiz64.com // @maïz64

Seven Reasons: 2208 14th St. NW, DC; sevenreasonsdc.com // @sevenreasonsdc

Tiger Fork: 922 Blagden Alley NW, DC; tigerforkdc.com // @tigerforkdc

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