DIY Rice Gin: Make a Fragrant Asian-Inspired Spirit for Cocktails

Make a fragrant, Asian-inspired rice gin at home — without breaking the law or your gadgets

Want the pandan negroni from Bun House Disco but can’t find a rice-based gin at your local store? You’re not alone: viral cocktails often hinge on a single hard-to-find spirit. This guide shows practical, legal ways to make a rice-forward gin substitute at home — from easy vodka infusions to advanced kitchen-friendly sous-vide extractions — then how to use it in drinks like the pandan negroni and other creative cocktails.

Why rice gin matters in 2026

Pandan, toasted rice, and other Southeast Asian botanicals have been trending across bars since late 2024 — and the momentum kept growing through 2025 into 2026 as bartenders and home mixologists explore sustainable and regional ingredients. Microdistillers are releasing rice-based gin and gin-like spirits, while the DIY scene is leaning into accessible infusion techniques and rice-washed vodkas. If you want that aromatic, slightly sweet, and grassy profile that rice brings, you don’t need a still — you need a plan.

Quick overview — what you’ll learn

• Legal, safer alternatives to home distillation and where to buy rice spirits
• Three tested methods for making rice gin substitutes: vodka infusion, rice vodka base (commercial + infusion), and a concentrated botanical extraction using sous-vide or blender
• Exact recipes and timings for a pandan-infused rice gin and a pandan negroni
• Advanced tips for texture, ABV, filtration, and shelf life
• Social-ready content ideas to showcase your creation on video in 2026

Important legal & safety note

Home distillation of alcohol is illegal without licenses in many countries (including the US and UK) and can be dangerous. This article focuses on home infusion and legal alternatives. If you’re curious about home distillation for licensed production, consult local authorities and certified courses. Never attempt to distil at home unless permitted, and never consume spirits of unknown origin or improperly handled concentrates.

What counts as “rice gin”?

“Rice gin” can mean different things: a gin distilled from rice as the fermentable base, a rice vodka or shōchū infused with gin botanicals, or a standard neutral spirit infused with rice and Asian botanicals to mimic that profile. For home use, the most practical options are:

• Rice-based neutral spirit (purchased) — rice vodka or shōchū, then infused with gin botanicals
• Neutral vodka (corn/wheat) infused with toasted rice and pandan to approximate rice gin
• Botanical concentrate (pandan, toasted rice, citrus, spice) extracted via cold maceration, blender, or sous-vide and then blended into neutral spirit

Method A — Quick rice-style gin using vodka (best for beginners)

Why this works

A good neutral vodka at 40% ABV provides a clean canvas. Toasted rice and pandan add aroma and a soft sweet graininess that channels rice-based gins. This method is low-gear, inexpensive, and fast.

Ingredients (makes ~500ml)

• 375ml good-quality neutral vodka (40–45% ABV)
• 25g medium-grain uncooked rice, lightly toasted
• 4–6g fresh pandan leaf (green part only) or 1–2g pandan paste
• 6g fresh or dried juniper berries (base gin note)
• 2g coriander seeds
• 1g crushed angelica root or a small strip of dried orange peel (optional)

Equipment

• Mason jar or airtight bottle
• Small skillet and baking tray
• Fine sieve and coffee filter or muslin

Step-by-step

1. Toast the rice: heat a dry skillet over medium and toss rice until it turns golden and smells toasty (3–6 minutes). Watch carefully to avoid burning. Let cool.
2. Bruise botanicals: lightly crush juniper and coriander to release oils. Tear pandan leaves into strips.
3. Combine and rest: put vodka, toasted rice, pandan, and botanicals into the jar. Seal and shake once. Store in a cool, dark place.
4. Infusion time: taste daily. At room temperature, you’ll get good flavor in 24–48 hours; at cooler temps, aim for 3 days. Remove pandan once you reach bright green/pandan aroma — typically 24–36 hours if fresh.
5. Filter: strain through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter or muslin. If cloudy, filter again. Bottle and label.

Taste & tweak

If the pandan is too vegetal, dilute with 10–20ml vodka and re-rest. If missing backbone, add a tiny pinch more juniper or a 2mm strip of dried orange peel for citrus lift.

Method B — Rice vodka base (best for authenticity)

If you can source a rice-based vodka or shōchū (common in many Asian markets and increasingly available from craft distillers), you get a closer base flavor. Use the same botanicals as above but reduce toasted rice by half — the spirit already carries the rice character.

Ingredients (500ml)

• 375ml rice vodka or light shōchū (40% if available)
• 15g toasted rice
• 4–6g pandan leaf
• 5–7g juniper (adjust down if the base has botanicals)
• 2g coriander, 1g angelica

Method

Same process as Method A, but you’ll likely only need 12–36 hours for pandan and botanicals. Taste frequently — rice vodkas can be delicate.

Method C — Concentrated pandan & rice botanical extract (advanced, precise)

For bartenders and creators who want consistent, vibrant results (great for video content), use sous-vide or a high-speed blender plus fine filtration. This method extracts vivid color and aroma while limiting bitterness.

Ingredients

• 200ml neutral spirit (vodka, 40–50% ABV)
• 20g pandan (chopped)
• 20g toasted rice
• 5g juniper, 2g coriander

Sous-vide method (recommended)

1. Seal botanicals and spirit in a vacuum bag or jar (leave headspace).
2. Cook at 55–60°C (131–140°F) for 2–4 hours. (These temps accelerate extraction but avoid boiling off aromatics.)
3. Cool, then strain through muslin, then a coffee filter. Bottle.

Blender method (fast, kitchen-friendly)

1. Blend pandan and toasted rice with 100–150ml vodka for 20–30 seconds — pulse to avoid over-extraction of vegetal notes.
2. Add botanicals and rest 2–6 hours refrigerated.
3. Filter carefully through muslin and a filter to remove fine particulates.

Filtration, clarity, and shelf life

Fine filtration improves clarity and mouthfeel. Use coffee filters, fine muslin, or a paper filter designed for spirits. If you see cloudiness over time, it’s usually particulate—filter again. At 40% ABV or higher, infused spirits are shelf-stable for months if stored sealed and away from light; reduce pandan contact if color/green intensity fades after 4–6 weeks.

How to balance ABV & preservation

Higher ABV (40%+) improves extraction and preserves aromatics. If you need to dilute for a cocktail, do that at the drink level rather than after infusion. If your base spirit is 35% (some shōchū or liqueurs), consume sooner and keep refrigerated after opening.

Pandan Negroni — Bun House Disco inspired (single serving)

Based on the Bun House Disco recipe popularized in 2024–25, adjusted for home-made pandan-infused rice gin.

Ingredients

• 25ml pandan-infused rice gin (from above)
• 15ml white vermouth
• 15ml green chartreuse
• Ice and an orange twist (optional)

Method

1. Stir all ingredients with ice until chilled and slightly diluted (20–30 seconds).
2. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube.
3. Express an orange twist over the surface and garnish. If you want an extra pandan note, flame a tiny strip of pandan briefly and drop it in (taste first — it’s aromatic).

Other cocktail ideas using rice gin

• Pandan Gimlet: 60ml pandan gin, 25ml fresh lime, 15ml simple syrup. Shake and double-strain.
• Rice & Tonic: 50ml rice gin, 120ml premium tonic, lime wheel, pandan leaf garnish.
• Pandan Spritz: 40ml pandan gin, 30ml elderflower liqueur, 60ml sparkling wine, soda to top.
• Toasted Rice Old Fashioned: 45ml rice-infused spirit, 5–8ml toasted rice syrup, 2 dashes of Angostura. Stir with large ice.

Troubleshooting: common pitfalls and fixes

• Too vegetal/green: reduce pandan contact and dilute. Use pandan paste (cleaner) instead of blended leaf.
• Bitter after prolonged infusion: remove botanicals earlier next time; citrus peels and angelica extract bitterness if left too long.
• Cloudy spirit: filter more finely or chill to precipitate suspended oils, then filter.
• Lacks complexity: add tiny amounts (1–2g) of additional botanicals across batches: licorice root, cassia, makrut lime leaf.

2026 trends & future predictions for rice-based cocktail spirits

Late 2025 and early 2026 saw microdistillers releasing more rice-based spirits as consumers sought terroir-forward choices. Expect these trends to accelerate:

• Regional rice varietals: bars experimenting with jasmine rice, glutinous rice, and heirloom strains for distinct aroma.
• Modular botanical kits: DIY kits that include powdered pandan, toasted rice chips, and pre-measured juniper for consistent home results.
• Low-waste sourcing: upcycling brewery or rice-milk byproducts into botanical washes — sustainability is a theme bars will embrace more.
• AI recipe assistants: apps that suggest botanicals and infusion times based on your base spirit and desired flavor profile (growing in 2025–26). See how AI is reshaping creative workflows: AI recipe assistants.

Creative content tips — make your pandan gin viral

Short-form vertical videos and step-by-step reels perform best if they are visually distinct and optimized for 2026 platform trends:

• 6–12 second hook: show the final green pandan negroni on the first clip frame to stop the scroll.
• Split-screen process: left: toast rice; right: blend pandan. Use captions like “24 hours to pandan perfection.”
• Color pop: grade footage to emphasize green hues — pandan’s color is a major visual hook.
• Loopable edit: capture the pour from bottle to glass in a continuous loop-friendly move — very shareable.
• Caption templates: “DIY pandan gin in under 48 hrs • rice gin, pandan negroni recipe • legal & low-gear”

Real-world examples & experience notes

At-home tests in late 2025 found fresh pandan leaves (used within 48 hours of purchase) give a brighter, cleaner aroma than frozen leaves. Sous-vide infusions produced clearer color and less bitterness than blender-heavy methods for pandan. Bartenders in London and Singapore favored light rice vodkas paired with brief (12–24h) pandan contact to preserve aromatic lift — a lesson for home makers: less can be more.

Final tips & pantry-friendly swaps

• If you can’t find pandan: use pandan paste conservatively (0.5–1g per 375ml), or substitute a small strip of makrut lime leaf + a touch of vanilla for herbal-sweet balance.
• Use Japanese or premium long-grain rice for a cleaner toast aroma; glutinous rice gives a rounder mouthfeel.
• Record batch notes: date, spirit ABV, botanicals, infusion time, and tasting notes. This turns casual attempts into repeatable recipes.

Wrap-up: your action plan

Start simple: buy a neutral vodka or rice vodka, toast some rice, add pandan and juniper, and taste at 24 hours. Use your batch in a pandan negroni the next evening — it’s the fastest path from curiosity to a shareable, high-impact cocktail. If you enjoy precision and repeatability, scale up with sous-vide and finer filtration in later batches.

“Pandan brings the cocktail to life — but it’s the balance of rice, juniper and citrus that makes it sing.” — practical advice from experiments in late 2025

Call to action

Try one of the methods above this weekend, make a pandan negroni, and tag us. Want a printable recipe card, Instagram-ready caption, or a short tutorial script for TikTok/Instagram Reels? Click the link to download free templates and our 2026 botanical pairing chart — start creating, tasting, and sharing your rice gin stories.