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Shoot the Rainbow: Skittles Vodka

Shoot the Rainbow: Skittles Vodka
Vodka = Yum, Skittles = Yum, Vodka + Skittles = Yum?!
 
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Step 1Ingredients

Ingredients
There are just two ingredients in this Instructable: vodka and Skittles.

Skittles
You need to end up with 180g of each flavor of Skittle. Since Skittles are approximately 1g each, you can accomplish this with 180 skittles. We used two 450g bags for our experiment -- other bag sizes are perfectly acceptable.

(Of course, if you want to experiment with making the vodka to be more flavorful, you could definitely try more skittles than this.  This was what we found as a good flavor level, without using too many bags of Skittles.)

Can you use other candy with this same method?  We think it's very likely that this will work well for most fruity candy generally available (like hard candies or chewy fruit candies).  We're not sure how gummy candies would work with this -- but it's definitely worth experimentation.

Vodka
The vodka quality is actually pretty important. We found that using middle-quality vodka created an end-result that tasted a lot like medicine (particularly the cherry flavor). I would suggest trying a better-or-best-quality vodka instead.  Several commenters have pointed out that you can try running middle-quality-vodka through a water filter pitcher (such as a Brita) to clean up the flavor a bit -- we haven't tested this but it's worth a try.

We used one 750mL bottle for each flavor of skittle -- five in all.  Larger or smaller bottles will result in more or less flavorful vodka for the amount of Skittles given above.
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173 comments
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May 7, 2012. 10:55 PMSt Jimmy says:
A single link explains this:
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/208/233/Drool%20Rainbows%20HD.png
Jun 16, 2008. 10:05 PMhernanai says:
I need an opinion... Would you choose Grey Goose or Smirnoff to make this? I got both but I don't want to use it all...
Feb 25, 2009. 2:17 AMtrinciapollo says:
nice colors, just check out before what you gonna drink:
Ingredients and properties

In the United States, a bag of Skittles candy contains: sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, apple juice from concentrate, less than 2% - Dextrin, Gelatin, natural and artificial flavours, Citric Acid, food starch-modified, coloring (includes Yellow 6 lake, Red 40 lake, Yellow 5 lake, Blue 2 lake, Blue 1 lake, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1), Ascorbic Acid(Vitamin C).

In Europe, a bag of Skittles candies contains:salt, glucose syrup, fruit juices (5.1%), hydrogenated vegetable fat, citric acid & trisodium citrate, dextrin, maltodextrin, flavorings & colorings (E100, E120, E132, E160e, E171), glazing agent shellac, vegetable oil, ascorbic acid and emulsifier (E475).

The American formula, which includes Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, has resulted in a skittle with an indefinite shelf life but possess a crunch and texture many people find less appealing. Fat content is also significantly higher.

A recent statistical analysis measured the mass of one Skittle to be 1066 ± 8 mg (N = 10, ± s.e.m.), or 0.0376 ± 0.0003 U.S. ounces.
May 28, 2009. 8:22 AMPKM says:
Wait... american skittles have cherry and apple flavour? Heresy! UK Skittles are orange, lemon, lime, strawberry and blackcurrant. I never got the american love of cherry and apple confectionery, blackcurrant FTW. Tell me you at least have lime, lime and blackcurrant are the two best flavours to go with alcohol (ok maybe tied with cranberry). No wonder they come out tasting like medicine... find some blackcurrant sweets, once you go blackcurrant you never go back :P
May 7, 2012. 4:28 PMkooyma says:
Blackcurrant sounds lovely! I do thnk you are missing out without grape, however...
I'm a bit old-school; in the last few years the US palate has been trained to accept "green apple" (yaaaargh) IN PLACE OF LIME! can you imagine?!? Sad, sad state of affairs.
Also, blue has been added into the widely accepted "color/flavor rainbow" as "blue raspberry" (or razzberry.) In protest I've decided to boycott blue food altogether as it seems too, too laboratory made. -I realise that the majority of our food is now lab engineered and tested and I'll be the last one to give up sugar-based nutrition but eating (or drinking) things that are the color of windex ....baaaaarf!
Jun 29, 2008. 9:56 PMHAL 9000 says:
read again the part where he says to use "better-or-best-quality vodka," then go get some.
Mar 22, 2012. 5:47 PMhvansick says:
Has anyone else had the problem of the purple vodka turning red? We did this and put them in mason jars to store until drinking, but the once vibrant purple is now a slightly blue-tinged red, almost identical to the red flavor. They are hard enough to tell apart that we had to label them. This is after 5 days of storage in a dimly-lit pantry.
Jan 10, 2012. 4:53 PMdrl3 says:
Skittles Vodka- Puke the Rainbow
Dec 6, 2011. 12:08 PMmskaret says:
What if you can't get skittles?
I live in Norway, so the only way I can get them is tax free...
(I know this may sound caveman-ish but) skittles are just sugar-sweets right?

Anyone know of some other candy I can use?
Dec 3, 2010. 10:24 PMtrucklaw says:
WARNING: Do not do this using grain alcohol (190 Proof) It does not work. The skittles will not dissolve in it. It will just gain the color of the skittle.
Nov 19, 2011. 3:49 PMBetsy827 says:
This is also true with the jolly ranchers!
Dec 24, 2008. 2:31 AMdusneed says:
You if you had a Brita style filter, you could have pre-filtered the vodka. It might have changed the end result with cheaper vodka.
Jul 25, 2011. 7:18 PMhuff666 says:
myth busted
Nov 13, 2011. 8:51 PMm0nk3yb01 says:
The myth that a Brita filter will bring bottom shelf vodka up to top shelf vodka was busted, but even the vodka-tasting expert said that cheap vodka tasted better the more it was filtered. Ergo, it could improve the resulting skittle-y taste.
May 4, 2009. 10:29 AMBrokenArsenal says:
that does not work at all ive tried and it tastes exactly the same. doesnt make it a higher quality vodka
May 6, 2009. 2:41 AMdusneed says:
I have the GK3 from liqourfilter.com and it does take the bite out of that mid-range 14 dollar a liter vodka...
Feb 17, 2009. 6:09 AMYerboogieman says:
That water is the 2nd best water i've ever tasted. Besides that, jones shop water fountain....
Feb 20, 2009. 8:50 PMBenH says:
I don't know, I've had some pretty tasty waters....
Feb 21, 2009. 1:18 PMYerboogieman says:
Yes but you've never been in Jones' shop, you will say "omg, this is the best."
Feb 23, 2009. 4:54 PMpaperninja says:
well i have had Jones soda before its great, but i get it very rarely, like once a year or less.
May 2, 2009. 9:38 PMPie Ninja says:
All water is the same, please, watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0fZK3m7bDc
May 3, 2009. 1:08 PMBenH says:
I was being sarcastic.
May 3, 2009. 11:49 PMPie Ninja says:
The comment was directed at the other guy. You should watch the vid anyway, it's pretty funny.
May 3, 2009. 11:50 PMPie Ninja says:
Also nice pic, Evil Dead FTW!
Jul 1, 2011. 2:55 AMhafsteinn says:
This is so delicious! Would work very well especially in the summer time :)

I would consider making this if I wouldn't have to spend 205USD on 5 x 700ml bottles of Smirnoff Vodka and about 50USD for ca 1kg of Skittles!

Jun 30, 2011. 9:58 PMnewb says:
is it just me or does alot of liquor end up tasting like medicine when it's "flavored" like md2020 tastes so much like cough syrup
Apr 25, 2011. 8:51 PMKeira_Yagami says:
You can kind of do the same thing with any flavor of Jolly Ranchers. just plop about 10-12 depending on taste in a bottle of Vodka and let it sit for a while, shaking it gently every so often. The candy fully dissolves so you don't have to filter it and tastes pretty darn good.
Apr 25, 2011. 1:52 AMzoombaga says:
I know a pretty good lychee martini recipe but unfortunately i just kinda go with the flow and i haven't really written down any measurements. it goes like this: get some canned lychee fruits and a whole pineapple( you can use canned if you want) some sugar and vodka ( i used ketel one but you can use whatever) fill some kind of jar or wide mouth bottle with lychees and pineapple then fill it in with vodka and let it sit for around 3 days once thats done you pour some of that in a shaker along with some of the canned lychee juice and sugar to taste shake it until cold and pour in a glass with a whole lychee fruit. unfortunately i'm only 15 so it's not entirely legal for me to drink this but hypothetically, if i did drink it, i would like it a lot ;)
Mar 21, 2011. 3:28 AMzoned-out says:
Anyone try other candies? Hard candy butterscotch, fireballs, sour skittles, etc? Also, a little unclear about vodka quality. If I used say HRD vodka (bottom shelf) and used a mass of candy it would still mostly taste like HRD (unsmooth taste with the flavor of skittles mixed in)?
Feb 17, 2009. 11:08 PMXXCHUNKYDEVILXX says:
what about using a clean never been worn knee high stocking over a strainer to filter??
Mar 12, 2011. 3:15 PMcalexbg says:
I don't imagine that being very effective in straining anything. Just use the cheesecloth.
Sep 30, 2009. 6:07 AMmixtlupus says:
In Europe, skittles no longer contain Gelatin but do contain the colouring E120, (cochineal) and the shellac which are both derived from Insects...

Details can be found here: http://profiles.friendster.com/97474504
Feb 4, 2011. 8:04 PMWolf Seril says:
...Friendster still exists?
Sep 30, 2009. 6:08 AMmixtlupus says:
Reference: Me being Vegan for 21 Years ;)
Apr 9, 2012. 12:09 AMprickly vegan says:
Skittles in Europe no longer have gelatine? Really? I've been wasting all this time then!! Bummer on the cochineal though. That seems to be added a lot in things here in Germany.

Then again, this is a moot discussion as Skittles can be replaced with just about any artificially, strongly flavoured candy. I imagine hard candies would trump hard candies, given that they completely break down and don't contain gelling agents....
Apr 9, 2012. 12:21 AMprickly vegan says:
sorry, I meant hard candies would be better than chewy candies. Why use candy that has gelling agents, wax, shellac, etc.? Seems like extra work and an inferior product (then again, we are talking about artificially flavoured vodka). Jolly Ranchers, lemon drops, etc., should give a better result, with the same lovely, artificial colour (or just add your own food colouring).
Dec 19, 2010. 8:49 AMfireproofshark says:
just made some using a significantly higher amount of skittles per litre of vodka taste the rainbow!
Jan 3, 2010. 12:00 AMDuctTapeRules! says:
Roses are red
Violets are blue
In Soviet Russia,
Poem writes YOU!
Nov 20, 2009. 5:15 PMPyrosite says:
bet this would be great with some "Crazy Core", Skittles.
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