You're A Blender Away From Making Better Cocktails

There's a science to cocktail creation. Even the most basic tinctures combine flavors in a purposeful way, balancing the bite of alcohol with syrups, juices, and more. One of the more popular ways of imbuing that extra flavor into drinks is infusion, a sometimes days- or weeks-long process of letting fruits, herbs, spices, or other flavorings sit in alcohol to leach out their flavors.

Evolving technology has made it easier than ever to infuse brighter, more creative flavors into each beverage. But sometimes, a home bartender simply doesn't have days or weeks to let herbs and fruits soak into their spirits. And the process isn't as simple as throwing ingredients in a bottle and calling it a day. There are plenty of mistakes amateur mixologists might make that can affect the final product.

Luckily, there's a faster, easier way to fuse alcohol with flavor: using a blender. A high-powered blender is a bartender's best friend, and it's not just useful for whipping up frozen margaritas or piña colada recipes. It can also combine spirits and flavorings with the touch of a button.

You'll need a powerful blender for this method to work. Select your liquor of choice and your preferred flavoring. Herbs, such as basil or cilantro, or even leafy greens, such as kale, work well here. Gin and tequila hold up nicely against strong herbal flavors, or let the greens shine even brighter with a more neutral base of vodka. Mix them to create your preferred taste. (Tip: make small batches to start so you know which combinations work best together.)

Worried about bruising the greens? With a strong enough blender, they'll be shredded fast enough that no bruising or wilting should occur. Avoid using immersion blenders this time around, or you may find the greens turning to mush before fully blending. To prevent the mix from browning, add a touch of citrus juice (or food grade citric acid), which slows the enzymatic process that makes this color change happen.

Wondering what to do with your new quick-infused liquor? Experiment with flavor combinations and get creative. A good place to start is with flavors that often pair well with herbaceous drinks, such as cucumber, lemon, watermelon, or strawberry. Referring to classic cocktail recipes can also be helpful — start with the basics and build on those standard flavors.

Note that this method will thicken the texture of the alcohol, but you may find that the smoother mouthfeel pairs well with certain drinks, such as margaritas.

Need some ideas? Try a basil-infused gin to make a refreshing gimlet, or pour cilantro-spiked vodka into a spicy Bloody Mary recipe. Mint-infused tequila can make for a refreshing, mojito-like twist on a margarita. Feeling adventurous? Try a cilantro martini, a minty Moscow mule, or even a kale-infused margarita. The beauty of fast infusion is that you don't have to wait weeks to see if what you made turned out. Simply switch on the blender and let the experimentation begin.