The Red Headed Stepchild of Spirits

Vodka is getting a really bad rap these days. Already the red-headed stepchild of the spirits world, vodka has taken it on the chin lately due to Russia’s brutal invasion of the sovereign country of Ukraine and the fact that vodka is the national drink of Russia. But could it be that vodka is simply misunderstood and underappreciated? Let’s explore the world of vodka a bit more to find out!

Pineapple infused vodka

Vodka has had its ups and downs over the years, but recently its reputation has suffered greatly due to the fact that it was originally made in Russia and has played a key role in Russian culture for centuries – it is truly the national drink of Russia. Which means it’s in the doghouse like anything else affiliated with Russia these days, given their illegal and inhumane attack on Ukraine.

Also, vodka is the most neutral-tasting spirit, so many people describe it as “flavorless” and “boring”. For that reason, it has fallen out of favor with many, including some of the country’s most celebrated and popular bars. For example, Death & Co. is a famous craft cocktail bar in NYC, creating some of the most innovative and sought-after craft cocktails in the world. But they don’t feature any drinks with vodka as the primary base spirit due to its neutral flavor. They will still serve you a vodka-based drink if you ask for one, but they neither feature them nor offer them on their cocktail menu.

But is all this negative press really fair? And what should we all know about vodka before we pass judgement on this historical spirit?

First, let’s talk a bit more about vodka itself. Vodka originated in Russia sometime back in the 14th century and was distilled from potatoes. These days, most vodka is distilled from grains (usually wheat, corn, or rye) and sometimes fruit as well. The two primary components of any vodka are water and ethanol created by the fermented mash made from the grains or fruits. It is distilled as a neutral spirit, meaning that it’s not infused with any other ingredients to give it a particular flavor profile (like gin for example, which is infused with botanicals like juniper and other fruits).

Many vodkas undergo multiple distillations which producers see as necessary to ensure the highest quality product possible. Most vodkas are also then filtered through charcoal or lava rocks to filter out any undesired elements and ensure a pure product in the bottle. This process gives vodka a clean, fresh, and pure essence essential to its role as a base spirit for a wide range of popular and craft cocktails. With that basic introduction, let’s review the three things you need to know about vodka.

• While vodka is the most neutral-tasting spirit, that doesn’t mean it’s boring or flavorless. In fact, I find different vodkas to have subtly different characteristics. For example, some vodkas have a syrupy mouthfeel, while others have a cleaner, lighter water-like mouthfeel. You can sometimes detect a grainy flavor in vodkas, as well as a subtle sweetness and light fruit on the finish. In some cases, I get hints of light spice. And finally, vodkas can vary greatly in the level of “burn” they show on the finish – some can be downright harsh as they go down the gullet, while others are smooth and light in burn.

• The neutral nature of vodka creates the perfect blank canvas for both simple and more complex cocktails. Vodka is an ideal base spirit for drinks where you want the other ingredients to shine. For example, a simple vodka-based martini allows the vermouth you select to shine. Likewise, if you want to showcase fresh fruit juices in your cocktail, vodka is a great base spirit that allows the fruit to be the star of the drink but also enhances the complexity of the drink and lends nice texture to the mix as well. The neutral nature of vodka also makes it the perfect vehicle for infusion, which is why you see so many fruit- and vegetable-infused vodkas on the shelves these days. These are all wonderful spirits to experiment with and create your own craft cocktails – Laurie and I always have at least two flavored vodkas on hand for mixing drinks. One of my favorites is produced by a local distillery here called Loaded Cannon; they make a habanero-mango infused vodka which is spicy and fruity at the same time – perfect for a margarita!

• Most of the vodka you think is made by Russian producers in Russia isn’t, so be careful if you are currently boycotting Russian vodka due to the Ukrainian war. This surprised me too, but it turns out that there’s actually not a lot of Russian-made vodka sold in the U.S. With names like Stoli and Smirnoff, you’d think those were safe to boycott, but neither are owned by or produced by Russian entities or made in Russia. So, you are safe to drink them. But it you really want to stick it to Putin, seek out vodka actually made in Ukraine like I did. I’ve noticed that most liquor stores are actually showcasing these vodkas and will be happy to steer you to them, and the ones I have tasted are very good as well. My current favorite is Nemiroff Vodka which is produced in Ukraine and currently available at Total Wine.

So, let’s give vodka a break and make it part of our regular rotation of spirits again! To get you started, here’s a recipe for a pineapple-infused vodka that my mother-in-law Linda shared with me – it’s delicious and worth the trouble of making it yourself (given that it’s really no trouble at all and incredibly easy to make!).

Pineapple Vodka (makes one 750 ml bottle of flavored vodka)

Ingredients

1 1.5 ml. bottle of vodka (no need to spend a lot of money here - Linda recommends Smirnoff)

1 ripe pineapple

Directions

Core and trim the pineapple. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Place pineapple chunks into a large glass (not plastic) pitcher with a tight-fitting lid (either clamps or screw lid – airtight seal is important here). Muddle the pineapple chunks a bit to release some of the juice. Pour all of the vodka into the pitcher and stir to combine (don’t forget to save the vodka bottle and cap – you’ll need it later). Close the pitcher lid to seal and store on countertop at room temperature for 7 days. When fruit starts to turn white and vodka is light yellow, you know it’s ready!

Strain vodka back into the vodka bottle and discard the pineapple (sorry, Linda reports from personal experience that it is far from tasty as all of the flavor has been leached out of it)! Chill and enjoy on its own or as the base for a tropical-themed cocktail.