Oat and Honey Vodka Recipe
Adapted from Blue Hill Stone Barns
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When we saw oat-and-honey-infused vodka on the menu at Blue Hill at Stone Barns just north of New York, we were a bit dubious. One taste, however, and we had to have the recipe. Turns out it’s simple: Just infuse plain vodka with rolled oats and raw honey. Of course, Blue Hill uses Spirit of the Hudson vodka, distilled from apples, and honey from the farm’s own bees. We improvised with good-quality items that were easier to get our hands on, and, well, the results speak for themselves.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 liter top-shelf vodka
- 3/4 cup raw honey
- 2 cups rolled oats, preferably organic (not instant)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients in a large glass jug with a screw-on cap or a nonreactive plastic container with a tightfitting lid. Seal the jug or container and shake well. Leave vodka in a cool place overnight.
- Refrigerate for 5 days, shaking the mixture vigorously about once a day.
- Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Keep refrigerated.
- Serve infused vodka on the rocks or blended with a little half-and-half to make a Quaker Shaker. Shake well before using.
I threw in a cinnamon stick and forgot about it for a couple weeks- but I would definitely do it that way again. I used Kirkland Vodka from Costco which was extremely potent, but after the long infusing I could drink it straight on the rocks. Also threw it in a white wine apple sangria, which was awesome.
This would be excellent with High West Distillery's oat vodka. I wonder what would happen if I did this with a good bottle of whiskey...maybe different grains, like amaranth or triticale...will keep you all posted.
just made this.
* bought a 1.75 liter of smirnoff for twenty bucks. drank it down to around the 1 liter mark. poured my generic rolled oats and honey right into the bottle. threw it in the fridge and shook it daily for about a week. lined a strainer w/ cheesecloth. poured it through. wrung it out to get all of the extra tasty liquid. put it in mason jars, and in my fridge.
results were awesome, really good on the rocks. haven't tried w/ cream.
Could you press the finished oats to extract more of the liquor out? Maybe place in a cloth bag and squeeze out the liquid?
I'm thinking oatmill muffins or some kind of quick bread might be good with the vodka infused oatmill. I hate to throw anything out.
Can't wait to try it!
Can't wait to try this.
I use a cloth coffee strainer for this sort of thing. You can get one at most Latin American grocers (ask for a colador de tela or manga). It strains even the finest particles in one fell swoop. Makes great cuban coffee, too.
Breakfast of champions!
Very good. Made it for a gift for a friend.
Very tasty. I used cheap vodka but good oats(steel cut irish) and gave it an extra day steeping.
Okay. Finished the vodka and had several people over to try it. While a number of people were very dubious about the name and the way it looked, everyone raved about it and wanted the recipe. So the vodka was a big success! Some comments though:
First, the oats soak up a fair amount of the vodka. You end up with only about 750 ml of flavored vodka. That was enough for about 8 drinks.
Second, we served the vodka on the rocks and with half-and-half. I prefered the half-and-half version but most preferred it straight. I could see it being good if substituted for the brandy in a brandy milk punch and topped with some grated nutmeg, but I have not tried that.
Third, this is definitely a pre-dinner drink. It worked well alongside breakfast-type foods such as smoked salmon, bacon, and fruit salad, but this is not really a food-friendly drink.
I will definitely make this again (I just need to figure out a good way to use all the vodka infused oats you end up with and just throw away).
By the way, we did line our fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth before straining. I've adjusted the recipe to reflect this. Thanks! (And let us know how it comes out!)
We've adapted Blue Hill's recipe for our tastes and ease of making, though I'm sure that The Post's version is great too. If you prefer it (or your strainer is not very fine) the extra straining steps are a great idea. I've had this vodka at Blue Hill and ours is very very similar. Also speaking from experience, I can say that it's truly dangerous when served on the rocks on a warm day!
I am trying the Chow recipe now. But the recipe for this from the Washington Post (from the same restaurant) calls for 3 cups oats and 1 cup of mild honey. It also says:
"Combine the vodka and oats in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close tightly and let rest in a cool, dark place for 3 days, shaking it thoroughly once a day.
After 3 days, strain the vodka through cheesecloth, discarding the oats. Let the residue settle for about 15 minutes before proceeding with the next steps. Strain 6 or 7 more times through fresh cheesecloth, until the vodka becomes milky but does not look chalky white. Add the honey and mix well for several minutes to combine. At this point the drink is ready to be served, but it becomes smoother after 1 week in the refrigerator.
Shake well before using. Serve over ice, if desired, in old-fashioned glasses or chilled in martini glasses. Garnish with a cinnamon stick."