Infused Vodka, Infuse Vodka Brand, How to Infuse Vodka

has always been a brand built around the tasting table. Long before the bottle reaches a home bar, it reaches people directly — poured neat, mixed into a simple cocktail, and handed across a folding table at a supermarket, a golf course, or a waterfront resort. The events below are a snapshot of that grassroots approach: a run of Southern California and Central Valley tasting demos that put the spirit in front of curious drinkers one sample at a time.

If you’re new to Infuse, think of these tastings as the front door. If you’re already a fan, they’re a chance to bring a friend who’s never tried a craft infused vodka. Either way, the format is the same: show up, show your ID, and taste.

Key Takeaways

• Infuse Vodka’s early growth came largely through in-person tasting demos at grocery stores, liquor retailers, golf outings, and private events across California.
• The tastings listed here span Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Modesto, Elk Grove, American Canyon, Tracy, Los Angeles, Stockton, and Sacramento — a mix of coastal, suburban, and Central Valley markets.
• Every listed event required guests to be 21 or older, and all were free to attend.
• The Infuse Society is the brand’s insider list — signing up unlocks invitations to smaller, limited, and exclusive local events that never get a public listing.
• Tasting demos are the best low-pressure way to figure out which infused flavor fits your palate before you commit to a full bottle.

The Tasting Demo Circuit: Where Infuse Meets Its Drinkers

The events below represent a single busy stretch of the Infuse calendar, and they tell you a lot about how a craft spirits brand actually builds a following. Rather than relying solely on shelf placement or advertising, Infuse went where the drinkers already were — the weekly grocery run, the Saturday golf outing, the summer luau by the water.

Here’s the lineup as it ran:

• Red, White & Luau — Newport Beach. Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, 1131 Back Bay Drive. Friday, July 1st, 5pm–9:30pm. A free Infuse Vodka sample, 21+.
• Hi Times Wine Cellars — Costa Mesa. 250 Ogle Street. Friday, July 1st, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Supermarket — Modesto (Oakdale Road). 2601 Oakdale Road. Sunday, June 26th, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Supermarket — Modesto (Pelandale Avenue). 3601 Pelandale Avenue. Thursday, June 23rd, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Supermarket — Elk Grove. 9160 Elk Grove Florin Road. Thursday, June 23rd, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Golf Outing — American Canyon. Chardonnay Golf Club, 2555 Jameson Canyon Road. Thursday, June 23rd, 7am–6pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Supermarket — Tracy. 875 South Tracy Blvd. Sunday, June 19th, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Secret Soiree Locale Issue Release Event — Los Angeles. Hotel Angeleno, 170 North Church Lane. Saturday, June 18th, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Supermarket — Stockton. 4725 Quail Lakes Drive. Thursday, June 16th, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.
• Save Mart Supermarket — Sacramento. 2501 Fair Oaks Blvd. Sunday, June 12th, 4pm–7pm. Free sample, 21+.

Notice the pattern. Several of these dates stack on the same day — two Modesto-area stops and an Elk Grove stop all landed on June 23rd, alongside a golf outing in American Canyon. That’s a brand running parallel tastings across a wide geography, which is exactly how a small-batch producer gets liquid to lips at scale without a national ad budget.

Why Grocery Store Tastings Matter More Than You’d Think

It’s easy to dismiss a supermarket demo as a freebie. In craft spirits, it’s something closer to a focus group.

When you taste a flavored vodka at a table, you’re not just sampling a product — you’re learning how you respond to it. Does the fruit read as fresh or candy-like? Is the finish clean or syrupy? Would you drink it neat, or does it beg for soda and citrus? Those are questions you can only answer with a glass in hand.

For a brand like Infuse, the demo table does three jobs at once:

• It removes risk. A bottle of craft infused vodka is an investment. A free pour is not. Tasting first means you buy the flavor you actually like.
• It teaches. A good brand ambassador will tell you what’s in the bottle, how it was infused, and what it mixes well with — context you’ll never get from a shelf tag.
• It builds a relationship. The people who stop at the table are the people who show up at the next event, and the next. That’s how a following forms.

The Save Mart run is a good example of the grocery strategy in action. Save Mart has deep roots across Northern California and the Central Valley, so a series of demos at Modesto, Tracy, Stockton, Elk Grove, and Sacramento stores put Infuse in front of a broad, regional audience — shoppers who might never set foot in a specialty liquor store but who absolutely will pick up a bottle they’ve already tasted.

The Retail and Venue Mix: From Hi Times to Hotel Angeleno

Look closely at the venues and you’ll see a deliberate spread of settings, each reaching a different kind of drinker.

Specialty retail. Hi Times Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa is the kind of store where people go specifically to buy spirits, not just to grab groceries. A tasting there reaches an audience that’s already curious and already shopping with intent.

Grocery. The Save Mart stops reach everyday shoppers in the middle of a normal errand. Lower intent, higher volume — and a great way to convert a passerby into a first-time buyer.

Events and lifestyle. The Red, White & Luau at Newport Dunes and the Secret Soiree Locale Issue Release at Hotel Angeleno are a different animal entirely. These are social occasions where the sample is part of a bigger experience — a summer party, a magazine launch — and where the brand gets to be associated with a good time rather than a shopping trip.

Golf. The Save Mart Golf Outing at Chardonnay Golf Club in American Canyon ran a long day, 7am to 6pm, which is typical for a tournament. Golf outings are a classic spirits-sampling environment: a captive, relaxed, adult audience with plenty of downtime between holes.

That variety is the point. A brand that only does grocery demos reaches only grocery shoppers. A brand that shows up at a waterfront luau, a wine cellar, a golf course, and a magazine party reaches four different crowds — and lets each one discover the product on its own terms.

How to Get the Most Out of a Tasting Demo

If you’re planning to attend an Infuse tasting — or any spirits tasting — a little preparation goes a long way.

• Bring valid ID. Every event listed here was 21 and over, and that’s standard. No ID, no sample, no exceptions.
• Eat something first. Tasting on an empty stomach dulls your palate and hits you faster. A light snack beforehand keeps your judgment sharp.
• Taste before you mix. If the brand offers the spirit both neat and in a cocktail, try it neat first. You’ll understand the base before you taste what it becomes.
• Take notes — literally. Jot flavor impressions on your phone. After three or four samples, they blur together.
• Ask questions. Ambassadors know the product best. Ask what it’s infused with, how long it’s infused, and what they’d mix it with at home.
• Don’t rush the pour. Sip, don’t shoot. These are flavored spirits meant to be enjoyed, not downed.
• Plan a safe ride. If you’re sampling, you’re not driving. Arrange a ride before you arrive, not after.

A tasting is also a great moment to pick up a bottle while you’re standing there — you already know you like it, and you save yourself a second trip.

The Infuse Society: The Events You Won’t See Listed

The public tasting calendar is only part of the picture. The article’s own note says it plainly: if you want the exclusive and limited local events, you sign up for the Infuse Society.

That’s a meaningful distinction. Public demos are designed for reach — they’re announced, they’re open, they’re often at a store you already shop at. Society events are designed for intimacy: smaller guest lists, less advance notice, and a crowd that’s already invested in the brand.

Joining is straightforward — the signup sits at the bottom of the page — and the payoff is access. If you’ve enjoyed an Infuse sample at a grocery demo and want to know where the brand will pop up next, the Society list is how you find out before everyone else does.

For a craft brand, this two-tier approach makes sense. The public tastings build awareness at scale. The Society builds loyalty and word-of-mouth among the people most likely to bring friends along. One feeds the other.

Reading the Calendar: What These Events Tell You About Craft Spirits

Step back from the individual dates and a bigger picture emerges about how small-batch spirits brands grow.

Geography matters. The California stops here — Orange County, Los Angeles, and the Central Valley — reflect a brand building outward from its home region rather than trying to be everywhere at once. Regional density beats national scatter for a young brand.

Partnerships compound. Save Mart appears again and again, which means a retail relationship that goes beyond a single shelf placement. When a store hosts repeated tastings, the staff learns the product, the shoppers recognize it, and the brand becomes a familiar name in that aisle.

Events create memory. A sample at a grocery store is pleasant. A sample at a luau by the water, or at a magazine launch party, is a story you tell a friend. Brands chase those moments because they travel.

Consistency builds trust. Free samples, 21+, clearly stated times and addresses — the details are boring, but they signal a brand that’s organized and legitimate. That matters when you’re asking someone to try something new.

Frequently Asked Questions

Were the Infuse Vodka tasting demos free to attend?

Yes. Every event listed — from the Newport Dunes luau to the Save Mart grocery demos — offered a free sample of Infuse Vodka at no cost. You simply had to be 21 or older with valid ID to participate.

What do I need to bring to an Infuse tasting event?

Bring a valid government-issued ID proving you’re 21 or older. That’s the only hard requirement. It also helps to eat something beforehand and to arrange a safe ride home if you plan to sample.

What’s the difference between a public tasting and an Infuse Society event?

Public tastings are announced, open to anyone 21+, and often held at grocery stores or liquor retailers. Infuse Society events are the exclusive, limited local gatherings — smaller and less widely publicized — and you need to sign up for the Society to receive invitations.

Where did these particular Infuse tastings take place?

The events spanned California, including Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Los Angeles, Modesto, Elk Grove, American Canyon, Tracy, Stockton, and Sacramento. Venues ranged from Save Mart supermarkets and Hi Times Wine Cellars to Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, Chardonnay Golf Club, and Hotel Angeleno.

How do I find out about upcoming Infuse events?

Check the upcoming events listing on the site, and sign up for the Infuse Society at the bottom of the page. The Society list is where the exclusive and limited local events get announced first.

Can I buy Infuse Vodka at the tasting events?

Tasting demos are primarily about sampling, and availability varies by venue and local regulations. If you enjoy what you taste, ask the brand ambassador on site where the nearest retailer carrying Infuse is — or check the store you’re standing in.

Past Partnerships

Infuse has built its tasting calendar alongside a range of retail and event partners. Past partnerships include grocery and specialty retail relationships like Save Mart and Hi Times Wine Cellars, along with lifestyle and venue collaborations such as Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, Chardonnay Golf Club, and Hotel Angeleno. These partnerships are the backbone of the demo circuit — each one puts Infuse in front of a distinct audience, from weekly grocery shoppers to golf tournament guests to partygoers at a magazine launch.

If you’d like your store or event to be part of the next round, the Infuse Society signup at the bottom of the page is the best place to start the conversation.