Should my vodka infusion be made with sterile equipment?

September 19, 2011 7:23 AM

I made blackberry vodka. Should I be worried that my equipment isn't sterile?

I made blackberry vodka about 2 weeks ago by filling a 2 litre Kilner jar up to two thirds with wild blackberries, the same weight in sugar, and topping up with vodka. I plan to keep them all in there for 3 months and strain the mixture for Christmas presents. I thought that the jar was sealed, but when I shook it for the first time I realised the seal was gone and the jar leaks. I decided to just stir the mixture every so often with a metal spoon to dissolve the sugar, and assumed that the alcohol content in the vodka would kill any bacteria. I'm having second thoughts. Is there a possibility that Something Bad could happen to this, and if so, what can I do to save my Christmas presents?

posted by hannahlambda to Food & Drink (11 answers total)

I have drunk a variety of home-infused alcohols. None were ever made in sterile equipment and I never got sick from it, not did anyone else who consumed any of them.

Also, homemade umeshu, which is similar to what you're making, is a common thing in Japan, and I'm pretty sure not many people sterilize their umeshu-making equipment there (in fact, according to this how-to guide, the vessels normally used for it cannot be sterilized because the walls are too thin).
posted by adamrice at 7:30 AM on September 19, 2011

I'm pretty sure that your vodka will have sterilized the equipment
for you, since alcohol is one of the best sterilizers.
posted by jb at 7:31 AM on September 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

to be more specific:

I have infused berries in vodka for 3-6 months, did not sterilized the containers, and it was fine. It's not like jam; the alcohol keeps anything from growing.
posted by jb at 7:34 AM on September 19, 2011

Alcohol is quite volatile and will easily pop the safety seals intended to detect botulism and cause leaks. This is OK. Particularly if the mixture is still alcoholic, just give it a taste, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Enjoy the infusion!
posted by Blasdelb at 7:50 AM on September 19, 2011

I think you're safe, but I suggest trying to keep air leakage to a minimum (maybe some plastic wrap around the lids?). I don't know what the alcohol tolerance of Acetobacter is, but they can turn alcohol into vinegar (acetic acid) in the presence of oxygen.
posted by exogenous at 7:53 AM on September 19, 2011

Response by poster: Super, I'm glad there's a consensus along the lines of what my intuition tells me. I'd be devastated if you all told me to dump it! I'll be more careful when making jam :)
posted by hannahlambda at 8:00 AM on September 19, 2011

Er, did you sterilise the blackberries? Just think: dust, bird poop, bits of insects, god knows what else ... Enjoy your infused vodka. It will be fine. I've made sloe gin in exactly the same way and never even thought about sterilising anything.
posted by Logophiliac at 8:35 AM on September 19, 2011

Response by poster: Eh, I've been eating blackberries fresh from the hedges since I can remember. I'm not so worried about the berries, just about the possibility of keeping a jar of sweet bacteria culture.
posted by hannahlambda at 9:02 AM on September 19, 2011

if you were submerged in a vat of vodka for any length of time you would be dead. so would anything else.
posted by lester at 10:03 AM on September 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

Best answer: As someone who ferments many things for fun, I can assure you that you really have nothing to worry about. It's highly probably that the alcohol has killed off anything detrimental. But if something nasty does grow in your liqueur, the worst that will happen is you'll wind up with foul tasting liquid. The main source of contamination would likely come from the berries (namely in the form of wild yeasts) and not your vessel. If anything bacteria did grab hold, it would likely be an acetobacter, which would turn your solution into vinegar. Sample it before you put it into its final packaging, and if it tastes good, you'll be fine.
posted by slogger at 10:36 AM on September 19, 2011

There is a big difference between things that need to be sanitary and those that need to be sterile. Foods that are hospitable to bacterial growth need to be sterile (and sometimes even that doesn't work, such as garlic in olive oil, which can give you botulism). It is difficult to conceive of a solution that is less hospitable to growth than one with a high concentration of alcohol and sugar. There are only a few organisms that can grow in plain alcoholic solutions, and none of them is harmful to health. Normal sanitary precautions are fine.
posted by wnissen at 8:01 PM on September 19, 2011