# Infused alcohol. Legal?



## cookers (Jun 11, 2011)

I now do bartending on weekends at my work place. I have so many different infused alcohols I've made for cooking, however is it legal to make a drink with them and use them in a cocktail at the bar? I mentioned something to my manager about making my own honey whiskey if none of the distributors have it, and he said I have to be careful because of the FDA. As far as I know, nothing that is caffeine can be infused with any liquor and sold. Which is also confusing because many drinks have carbonated caffeine in them anyway.


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## chefdave11 (Oct 27, 2011)

I don't understand what the problem would be?  You're infusing flavors and ingredients.  How is that different from mixing liquor from different bottles, legally speaking?  There's espresso vodka out there, quite caffeinated...

Now, if you want to bottle it and sell it retail, that's likely a different story.


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## cookers (Jun 11, 2011)

I just wanted to double check. Thanks


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## chefdave11 (Oct 27, 2011)

I'm not giving you legal advice here, just what's logical.  Sometimes the 2 interconnect, sometimes they don't.

Oh, and your manager sounds like an ignorant alarmist.


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## chefchrism (May 29, 2012)

Theres a place in NYC called the Russian Vodka Room that does infused Vodka

so I would say it would be legal to sell infused liquour


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## cookers (Jun 11, 2011)

ChefDave11 said:


> I'm not giving you legal advice here, just what's logical. Sometimes the 2 interconnect, sometimes they don't.
> 
> Oh, and your manager sounds like an ignorant alarmist.


My manager was the bartender for 7 years. That's all he knew. He doesn't know anything about the restaurant business so in order to have him allow me to do this, I needed to show him that other people who know what they're talking about say it's legal also.


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## rbrad (Apr 29, 2011)

depending on what area you're in and how strict the liquor laws are there altering booze might be illegal. some places won't allow you to premix drinks or serve green beer on st. paddy's day. check with the local liquor control board.


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