Any vodka drinkers?

[JayFramer]

Well howdy all. I've taken a liking to trying different brands of vodka recently. Now I prefer the original, unflavored straight up variety over the numerous flavored ones made today. I've been mainly focusing on ones made in Eastern Europe, ones from Russian, Poland, Latvia, and the like. So far my favorite is probably Stolichnaya. This is a Russian branded vodka but don't tell anyone, today it's made in Latvia. Still great though:

I drink it the traditional way, neat, room temperature, from a Soviet 100 gram glass and with snacks. Here is some rye bread, cod livers, and some pickles. Things like this are what you will see people from Russia and Poland eating with their vodka. In the US were we take whiskey all by itself with no snacks (usually) those folks always like something savory to go with their vodka. I personally think it makes for a great combination. Also vodka is usually drunk in one gulp over there were we often times (though not always) sip our spirits.

Anyone else fancy traditional vodka? I know most of you old pards here probably like whiskey, bourbon or scotch. But there is something interesting about the purest of all alcoholic beverages: vodka.

Jay

 

[DWalt]

I am more of a gin person myself. Mythbusters had a very interesting episode about the differences among Vodka brands. Aside from the flavored ones, all are chemically identical. As it should be. Vodka is legally defined as diluted ethanol. And nothing else They did find that after running the very cheapest vodka they could find through a charcoal filter, no one could tell the difference in taste from the highest priced Vodka. And they had some liquor tasting experts to do the taste tests. There may be a video on their Mythbusters website.

 

[Smithpride]

I don't mind vodka, even though I am much more a whiskey/bourbon man myself.
I never drink vodka straight, but usually in a Bloody Mary or with tonic and lime. Occasionally other ways.
You might take a gander at Dripping Springs vodka. It was born out of the Austin area thanks to the Tito's craze, but is much smoother, cleaner and better IMHO.

 

[kwselke]

That looks like an acceptable substitute if beer, bacon, or beef is not available. Is this the diet thread? Sorry, I'm lost.

 

[JayFramer]

I am more of a gin person myself. Mythbusters had a very interesting episode about the differences among Vodka brands. Aside from the flavored ones, all are chemically identical. As it should be. Vodka is legally defined as diluted ethanol. And nothing else They did find that after running the very cheapest vodka they could find through a charcoal filter, no one could tell the difference in taste from the highest priced Vodka. And they had some liquor tasting experts to do the taste tests. There may be a video on their Mythbusters website.

Very true. As one who has tasted a number of brands of "true" vodka, I will tell you that they DO taste differently. Stolichnaya is my favorite because it's a fraction of the cost of the "designer" brands like Grey Goose etc. but it tastes every bit as good. Sobieski is my second favorite brand, and is even more reasonably priced than Stolichnaya but just does not taste as full bodied though it is equally smooth.

Most people today buy vodka to mix with juice/soda/milk, you name it! But there are some who drink it as is. No flavorings, not as cold as possible, but naturally and as it was historically consumed in it's country of origins. I like to think of myself as being in that category.

 

[retiredbadge8091]

One of the finest vodkas you'll find is Teton Glacier, distilled in Idaho and made from potatoes, like vodka should be. I prefer a Cape Cod or a Madras.

 

[Old Seabee]

vodka

Titos does it for me mostly on ice a little lime enjoy

 

[JayFramer]

Thanks, gang. I hope to try some American vodkas soon.

 

[CATI1835]

Polish vodka, try Belvedere.

Texas vodka, try Tito's.

Both excellent...

 

[BlackAgnes]

A friend and I spent a delirious afternoon recently at the Russian Tea Room bar sampling vodkas from all over the world.

We tried Polish, Russian, French, Latvian, Domestic and gawd knows what else. The barmaid was Russian and made a few recommendations, which of course we took.

By about five PM, we were ready to proclaim the winner. We decided that a Russian brand called "Beluga" was the clear front runner.

However, by that time we could have been drinking 'shine, for all we knew. My word, does that sneak up on ya!

I am a vodka guy, and drink it either neat or in a dirty Martini (I always capitalize "Martini"--you all know why...), and Stoli is my day-to-day choice.

Nostrovia!

 

[alexfitch225]

Not since I've been introduced to highlander malt and single malt scotch... but I will admit that I do enjoy a good vodka and grapefruit juice on the rocks on a hot day.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[MORSNO]

I've discovered a new favorite Vodka that is made in Princeton MN, Grays Peak small batch. It is awesome with Ocean Spray Cran-Lemonade.

 

[Absalom]

Ahh, another alcohol thread!

As DWalt pointed out first, vodka chemically is vodka; it should objectively not taste differently no matter the price.

In fact, according to US federal law, it's not allowed to have any distinct smell or taste. To quote 27 CFR 5.22:

"(1) “Vodka” is neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color."

In plain English, it's distilled multiple times to such a high alcohol concentration (above 95% ABV, compared to bourbon at no more than 80% ABV, and often lower) and then filtered multiple times so that only the ethanol flavor remains; that's what you perceive as vodka's taste. The only other contributing factor is the water quality, since vodka is usually down-proofed to 40%.

Vodka, by the way, is traditionally a grain, not, as often erroneously believed, a potato spirit, although you can distill it from anything fermentable, and potatoes are used for some brands in some areas.

Personally I'm a whiskey nerd, but I always have a bottle of Wolfschmidt vodka in the fridge. As good as any, 9 bucks a bottle, and I love the name. Their ads back in the 1970s/80s were cheesy beyond belief .

 

[Cyrano]

A few months ago I was in Specs looking at their brandies. Found one I liked and decided I'd also check out the vodka. They were having a special on one called Ukranian Heritage, that's bottled in the Ukraine. Decided if I was going to buy vodka I'd rather my money went to the Ukraine than Russia. It tasted pretty good to me and I'm on my third bottle now. It's not priced too high, but may be hard to find unless you have a huge liquor store like Specs.

 

[JohnSW]

My favorite brand of unflavored vodka is the one that's one sale.

(I avoid Russian vodkas, for political reasons.)

 

[patvince]

I love vodka...pure or in cocktail, but only the good ones! The best are, IMO, from north Europe country: "FINLANDIA" the best one; Koskenkorvan VIINA (Finland too)... ABSOLUT, DANZKA......Make your choice.
R.

 

[soFlaNative]

Seriously? You read some of the stuff in this forum and you need to ask?
j/k

 

[OLDSTER]

Another really good Vodka that's a little less expensive than Stoli, GreyGoose, etc. is SVEDKA from Sweden

 

[cmort666]

When I buy vodka it's usually Smirnov's 100 proof.

My best friend from college went into Grenada with a civil affairs unit from Ft. Bragg. For a while, he was in charge of all food aid, as I recall.

He went to the Soviet embassy and arranged food supplies for them. Every time he went, they gave him bottles of Stolichnaya. He eventually figured out that they believed that he wouldn't feed them unless they bribed him with liquor.

When I visited him in Delaware years after he'd gotten out of the Army, we finished off his last bottle of Stoli. I'm not sure which tasted better, the vodka or the humiliation of the Soviets...

 

[steamloco76]

Luksusowa Polish Vodka is quite mellow and priced right.