This cucumber vodka is a great little item to have in your fridge for quick and refreshing cocktails on hot summer days. It couldn’t be easier to make and can be mixed with a variety of mixers.
If you’re a fan of infused liquors, this cucumber vodka should be on your list!
Basics of Infusing Vodka
Infusing vodka is great because vodka generally is a pretty neutral spirit and so it can pick up flavors, even subtle flavors like cucumber.
Generally, you need to infuse vodka for a few days, but obviously the longer you let it infuse the stronger the flavor will be. The only caution is to be careful with fruits because they can actually go bad even in vodka so if you are using fruits or vegetables (like cucumber) the vodka keeps for weeks and weeks but you should remove or replace the fruit every week or two.
Here’s a quick list of a few other infusing ideas if cucumber isn’t your thing.
- Coffee. This can be very delicious and the vodka picks up wonderful coffee notes.
- Chilis. For a spicy kick, try adding some spicy peppers to vodka.
- Fruit. While you do have to be careful with fruit, larger fruits like strawberries can infuse nicely and give good flavor. Stay away from fruits that just fall apart easily like raspberry.
Cucumber Infused Vodka
To make my version of cucumber vodka, I start with a fresh cucumber and slice it thinly. It goes in a jar with about a 3-1 ratio of vodka so one cup of cucumbers should be added to three cups of vodka.
This needs to sit for at least two days to start getting some good cucumber flavor, but you can let it go for 10-14 days without issue. At some point the cucumbers will start to get off and turn slimy. They should be either removed or replaced when they start to decompose.
BIG NOTE ON CUCUMBERS: I thought the cucumbers that are infused would be nice to add to the cocktail, but they are not edible. Something about cucumbers means they soak up a lot of off flavors in the vodka and they are NOT delicious to eat. Just discard them and thank me later.
How long does cucumber vodka last?
The vodka itself will last for a long time, maybe three months if you keep if in the fridge. But, the worry is the cucumbers as I mentioned earlier. They should replaced regularly or removed and just store the vodka.
The truth is though that if you make a jar of this for a backyard BBQ or something, it will go fast and having it in your fridge for more than a few weeks is probably not going to happen.
What to mix with cucumber vodka
Cucumber vodka is a very subtle flavor so I wouldn’t recommend anything too strong (like soda) to mix with.
It mixes really well with a huge number of sparkling waters from plain club soda to even ginger beer.
I made a great cocktail with my cucumber vodka one day that included a splash of simple syrup, tonic water, and fresh lime. It was bright and refreshing and the sweetness brought out some of the cucumber flavors.
Cucumber Vodka
Ingredients
- 3 cups vodka
- 1 cup sliced cucumber
Cucumber Vodka Spritzer:
- 1 ½ ounces cucumber vodka
- 5-6 ounces sparkling water
- Fresh lime, garnish
- Fresh cucumber slices, garnish
Instructions
- Slice cucumber thinly and place in a large jar with vodka. Seal tightly and store in fridge.
- Store for at least two days to infuse the vodka.
- Vodka will keep for two weeks and then you can remove cucumber or replace them with fresh.
- To make a spritzer, add vodka to ice with sparkling water and fresh lime and fresh cucumber slices. Discard infused cucumbers.