Innovation in flavour is essential for producers looking to differentiate in crowded beer and spirits markets. One of the key strategic decisions is how to introduce flavours: should ingredients be added during fermentation or distillation, or applied afterward through infusion? Each approach carries distinct risks and rewards that affect product stability, flavour fidelity, operational complexity, and commercial positioning.
Of course, it is worth noting that flavouring spirits is far from a new concept. From centuries-old liqueurs to classic gins, producers have long experimented with botanicals, fruits, and spices to create signature flavours. This historical context highlights that the strategic choice between distilling with ingredients or post-production infusion builds on a rich tradition of innovation, rather than being a purely modern trend.”
This article explores these choices, offering producers a framework for making informed decisions.
Understanding the Approaches
Distilling/Fermenting with Ingredients
- Ingredients (botanicals, fruit, herbs, spices) are incorporated during primary production:
- In beer: added to the mash, boil, or primary fermentation
- In spirits: botanicals added to the mash or during distillation
- In beer: added to the mash, boil, or primary fermentation
- Advantages:
- Flavours are chemically integrated, producing a stable product
- Less risk of post-packaging contamination or instability
- Flavours are chemically integrated, producing a stable product
- Trade-offs:
- Delicate aromatics may be lost due to heat, fermentation, or alcohol exposure
- Complexity in achieving subtle or layered profiles
- Delicate aromatics may be lost due to heat, fermentation, or alcohol exposure
Post-Production Infusion
- Ingredients are added after fermentation or distillation, often via cold maceration, steeping, or blending.
- Advantages:
- Preserves delicate flavours and aromatics
- Greater flexibility to experiment and adjust intensity per batch
- Preserves delicate flavours and aromatics
- Trade-offs:
- Increased risk of microbial instability or chemical degradation
- May reduce shelf-life or require additional stabilisation
- Consistency across batches can be challenging
- Increased risk of microbial instability or chemical degradation
Beer Production: Boil, Ferment, or Infuse?
- Distilling/fermenting with ingredients:
- Hops added during the boil release bitterness and aroma
- Spices or fruit added to primary fermentation integrate flavour naturally
- Benefits: stable extraction, predictable bitterness, good shelf-life
- Hops added during the boil release bitterness and aroma
New Holland Spirits – Brewers Whiskey is distilled from beer recipes; demonstrates the beer-to-spirit crossover trend in craft markets, where the focus is more on the beer input than it historically has.
- Post-fermentation infusion:
- Cold-steeping fruit, herbs, or botanicals preserves bright, delicate notes
- Risks: haze formation, faster oxidation, or off-flavours if not carefully controlled
- Cold-steeping fruit, herbs, or botanicals preserves bright, delicate notes
Dogfish Head’ Sah’tea (USA) is a modern interpretation of a historic Finnish style beer, brewed with black tea and spices added outside the boil. A good example of infusion adding complexity without overloading fermentable sugars.
- Decision framework: stability and bitterness control favor early addition; delicate aromatics and seasonal flavours favor infusion
Spirits Production: Distillation vs Infusion
- Distillation with botanicals:
- Classic approach for gin: vapour infusion of juniper, citrus, or tea-like botanicals
- Produces chemically stable products
- Trade-off: very delicate aromatics can be diminished or lost
- Classic approach for gin: vapour infusion of juniper, citrus, or tea-like botanicals
Sipsmith London Dry Gin is a craft example using traditional copper stills and botanical distillation, highlighting the longevity and stability of distilled botanicals.
- Post-distillation infusion:
- Maceration or cold infusion delivers subtle and layered flavours
- Examples: finishing whiskey or rum on botanicals or spices
- Risks: chemical instability, potential haze, microbial issues
- Maceration or cold infusion delivers subtle and layered flavours
- Producers’ consideration:
- High-volume, standard products favor distillation integration for stability
- Limited editions, seasonal products, or premium SKUs benefit from infusion flexibility
- High-volume, standard products favor distillation integration for stability
Hendrick’s Gin (Cucumber & Rose Infusion) is an example where although botanicals are distilled, the defining cucumber and rose notes are introduced post-distillation, showing how infusion can capture delicate aromatics that would be lost in the still.
Risk Management & Operational Considerations
- Shelf-life & chemical stability: integrated flavours are more robust than post-infusion additions
- Batch consistency: infusion requires precise timing, temperature, and extraction control
- Scaling challenges: small-batch infusion may be feasible, large-scale infusion requires SOPs and QA protocols
- Regulatory compliance: labeling requirements vary depending on how ingredients are added (distilled-in vs added post-production)
Commercial Implications
- Product positioning: distilling with ingredients supports “classic” or core SKUs; post-production infusion enables premium, experimental, or seasonal lines
- Innovation speed: infusions allow rapid trial and limited releases without retooling production lines
- Storytelling: producers can leverage process narratives—“cold-infused for delicate aromatics” vs “distilled with botanicals for stable integration”—to communicate quality and craft
- Market differentiation: strategic use of infusion vs distillation can create signature products that stand out in competitive categories
Conclusion: Making the Strategic Choice
Choosing whether to distill/ferment with ingredients or infuse post-production is a strategic business decision.
- Distillation/fermentation integration: chemically stable, predictable, robust, but may sacrifice delicate aromatics
- Post-production infusion: preserves subtle, complex flavours, but requires careful handling, stabilization, and QA controls
Producers should weigh operational feasibility, flavour goals, shelf-life expectations, and market positioning. With a clear framework, experimentation, and careful risk management, producers can harness both approaches to innovate effectively and differentiate their brand.
