One of the most common questions we're asked by customers interested in our wine & cocktail infusions is, "what type of wine (or liquor) should I use for my infusion?", so we thought we'd elaborate on the guidance we typically give.
First, Sweet Kee's offers a range of wine & cocktail infusion kits - from red & white wine sangrias, to margaritas, punches, a martini, and a rotating assortment of seasonal flavors. All Sweet Kee's infusion kits contain a custom mix of dried fruits, and some include spices and/or added sugar, which is always an optional addition.
Each Sweet Kee's infusion kit is formulated to pair with either wine (red or white), or a spirit, based on our testing of each mix with various types of alcohol, however all of our infusion kits can be infused to make non-alcoholic options as well. For a non-alcoholic sangria alternative, we recommend red or white grape juice, or your favorite alcohol-removed wine, and for a non-alcoholic liquor alternative (to replace vodka, light rum, or gin for example), we recommend beverages such as lemon-lime soda, club soda, still water, tonic water, or your favorite alcohol-removed spirit.
During testing, we infuse each custom mix with a variety of spirits and/or wines to determine the pairing that we believe provides the best overall flavor profile and which enhances the spirit best. We also adjust the fruit/sugar/spice mix as needed to create an optimal flavor profile, resulting in the final infusion kit that we offer to you.
Our best advice when it comes to wine & cocktail infusions, is to start with a beverage that you typically drink. Your favorite wine, or your favorite spirit is a great starting point. You may even have a specific brand of wine or liquor that you like or love - start here. The custom fruit mix in your infusion kit will enhance the flavors and make it even better, so start with what you already know you like.
Additionally, if you have a wine or liquor on hand that you don't particularly care for (say that cabernet sauvignon hostess gift you received from the guest who didn't know that you don't like full bodied wines) - an infusion kit can enhance the flavor to potentially make it more palatable. It will add fruity (and potentially spicy) notes to the base, which can make your beverage more enjoyable. Just remember that the infusion kit will not completely alter a wine or spirit. For example, if you don't like bourbon, you probably still won't like it once infused, although you may find it a bit more drinkable!
If you are new to infusions - or wine & spirits generally - we also recommend starting with a moderate to accessible tier brand of wine or liquor. Why? Because you don't want to spend a lot of money to find out that you don't like the end (or even starting) product. Starting with a more affordable base lowers this risk. Also, more expensive options typically are priced higher due to more complexity, either in production process and/or ingredients, the benefits of which can potentially be negated by adding sweeteners. However, if you are a more seasoned drinker or experienced with infusions, or you only have more expensive options on hand, then by all means go for it!
Lastly, while we formulate each infusion kit for a particular wine or spirit, we encourage you to experiment by using the beverages that you like best with your infusion kit. For example, you may gravitate towards the fruit mix in a margarita infusion kit, but you're more of a rum drinker, or you realize all that you have at home is vodka. That's perfectly fine. There are few hard and fast rules when it comes to infusions, so use what you have, and above all, make sure to have fun!
Check out our full suite of Sweet Kee's wine & cocktail infusions online at www.sweetkees.com.