Grapefruit Infused Vodka

This grapefruit-infused vodka recipe is incredibly easy to make and serves as the perfect base for refreshing and fruity cocktails. Say goodbye to flavored vodka made with artificial ingredients and hello to DIY infused vodka!

Are you surprised that even though I used the ruby red version of the fruit, this grapefruit vodka is a yellowish color? I’ve always felt disappointed in the color when I’ve made this vodka BUT does it make it less delicious?

Absolutely not. There is a slightly sweet and tart taste to this fruit vodka.

If you haven’t infused your own vodka yet, you simply must. I make an infusion at least once a month. The first flavored vodka I encountered when I was younger was grapefruit. I was in love with it, and everyone around me knew it.

I may have said it more than a few times. 🙂

One of the grapefruit vodka cocktails I make a lot, is the grapefruit cosmo.

Here are other infused vodkas I make and love

• Cherry
• Raspberry
• Blackberry
• Strawberry
• Watermelon
• Cranberry
• Apple
• Orange

Do I have a favorite? Yes, and it came as a surprise: it’s the strawberry! I thought cherry would be #1 because it’s my favorite fruit, but the strawberry is simply out of this world.

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Why I don’t add sugar

I’m pretty vocal about this. I believe the place to add sweeteners like simple syrup is to your cocktails, NOT to infusions. Otherwise, between the infusion and the added sweetener, you’re going to have a really sweet drink. And while you can always add sweetness if you want it, you can’t subtract it.

I like my sweet cocktails, don’t get me wrong, and there are tons of them, not to mention most flavored shots. But I prefer to control how sweet they are myself, and too many recipes call for vodka that would not be improved by being sweeter.

I will add sweetener if I’m making a cordial, a liqueur, or something like curacao, all of which should be sweet. I just don’t use it for infusions.

Helpful tips

• I’m frequently asked to recommend a good, budget-friendly vodka people can use instead of my personal preference, Ketel One. Two solid choices are Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Absolut.
• For this recipe, I recommend a grapefruit with thin skin. It’s hard to gauge how juicy thick-skinned grapefruit is, and juicy fruit is better for infusions. Notice in the photos below how thin the peel is.
• I zest the grapefruit rind because I think it lends more flavor faster than waiting for it to leach out of the skin. I also prefer to peel the rind, so as much fruit juice as possible is soaking in the vodka. But if you prefer to keep things simple, putting sliced grapefruit with the skin attached into the vodka will still make a successful infusion.
• If you choose the zesting method, I find it less messy to zest over a large plate and then add the zest to the jar.
• Even though I prefer and recommend organic grapefruit, I do still wash it.
• Wash citrus before either zesting it or adding it to the vodka. Here’s how: squirt some unscented natural hand soap in your hand and take the grapefruit and rub the soap on the skin. Next, take a vegetable brush and scrub the skin. Run the fruit under cold water making sure all of the soap has washed off.
• I am mostly a purest, so I do not add sweetener like simple syrup to my infusions as I believe the time to add a sweetener is when you make the cocktail.
• While infusing, you need to store the vodka away from direct sunlight, on the counter or in a cool place. You can also infuse in the refrigerator if you don’t mind letting it taking a day or two longer.
• You will need to shake the infusion periodically, so use a jar large enough to leave you that extra room.
• When the infusion is done, you will need to strain the vodka through ultra fine cheesecloth. If you don’t have this cloth, use a large coffee filter.

How to make grapefruit infused vodka

Pre-step

Wash a glass container, like this jar, with warm soapy water, rinse well, and dry. Also get out a microplane.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – vodka and a ruby red grapefruit.

Step two

If you are going to zest the grapefruit, do so now. Get a large plate, pick up the grapefruit and rub the fruit over the microplane until the outer layer is off the rind. Try not to cut too far into the white pith. (A)

Step three

Add the zest to the jar. (B)

Step four

With a sharp knife, cut the zested grapefruit in half, then cut each half in half, and then each quarter in half. You will end up with 8 slices.

Either peel the skin off the fresh grapefruit slices or use a paring knife to pare the skin off. Remove any seeds you can get to easily. (C) (Notice how thin the grapefruit skin is in front.)

Step five

Cut each wedge of grapefruit in 3 pieces. You will end up with 24 pieces. (D)

Step six

Add the grapefruit into the jar.

Step seven

Pour as much vodka as you want in the jar, as long as you leave room to shake it later. Since I used a 32 ounce jar, I was able to fit 16 ounces (2 cups) of vodka. (I prefer to infuse in small batches for those flavors I use less often in my cocktails.)

Step seven

Cap the jar. (E) Shake the jar vigorously and set it where it won’t be exposed to direct sunlight, either on the counter (F), in a cool place, or in the fridge. For the next 5 days (add a day or two if you store it in the fridge), continue shaking two times a day.

Step eight

Once the 5 days are up, line a sieve with ultra fine cheesecloth and place in a big bowl to catch the vodka.

Step eight

Empty the contents into the sieve.

Step nine

Once the contents of the sieve drains completely, throw out the grapefruit and zest.

All that is left is to put the grapefruit vodka in a decorative bottle or into a clean smaller jar.

And the vertical view.

I hope you enjoyed this grapefruit infused vodka recipe.

And as always, may all your dishes be delish.

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!