Lesson 1: Spirits
Gin, Vodka, & Schnapps
Gin:
Gin, like whiskey, is a grain-based liquor, but it differs in that it’s colorless and does not retain the underlying flavor of the grain. It’s usually not aged – one reason for its popularity. As bootleg liquor during Prohibition, it could be mixed in bathtubs and served immediately.
Gin began its existence like many alcoholic drinks – as medicine. A Dutch doctor combined alcohol with juniper berries to cure kidney problems. It didn’t work, but the drink became very popular nonetheless. William III of England introduced gin when he arrived from his native Holland and gin’s popularity was widespread, especially in the military. Soldiers drunk on gin were noted for their “Dutch courage.”
Gin has a distinctive flavor and aroma. To make gin, first start with a high quality, but neutral tasting grain spirit. Then add or infuse juniper and other flavorings (collectively called “botanicals”). You can add these flavorings in one of three ways:
- Premium gins combine the botanicals with the alcohol in a final distillation step – these are the most complex gins.
- Less expensive or “compound” gins are made by mixing the base spirit with botanical extracts or oils after distillation.
- The cheapest gins are made by first soaking the botanicals in the grain spirit, and then the liquid is distilled.
Juniper is the constant botanical ingredient for all gin. Juniper is the berry of the juniper bush, grown in Italy, Croatia, the U.S., and Canada. Once juniper has been added, gin brands are differentiated by the intensity of the juniper flavoring as well as other flavorings. These can include fennel, angelica, almond, cardamom, cassia, ginger, cinnamon, licorice, caraway seed, citrus peels, coriander, and a whole myriad of other choices. Manufacturers are very secretive about their formulas.
There are four classifications of gin, but most common by far is “London Dry Gin.” Within this category, U.S. made gins at 80% proof have a lower alcoholic content than English, which are 90% proof. These lower proof gins are often called “soft” gins, with the higher proof gins called “hard” gins.
Only a few manufacturers make the other three categories of gin:
- Plymouth, which is more full-bodied than London Dry and has a touch of sweetness,
- Old Tom which is lightly sweetened, and
- Dutch style which retains some of the underlying grain flavor and color.
Gin brands have exploded with the resurgent popularity of martinis. Many manufacturers produce both standard and prestige lines. Here is a list of the most common good to high quality manufacturers, (except for Plymouth, all of these are London Dry gins). For tasting reviews of some of these products, look at Tastings:
- Gordon’s is English made, light on juniper odor and flavor.
- Beefeater’s is similar to Gordon’s – they have an ongoing dispute about which is the bestselling gin in the world.
- Tanqueray’s makes both a good quality normal brand and higher prestige brand called Tanqueray’s No. 10. Tanqueray is heavier on juniper than Gordon’s and Beefeater’s. The difference between regular and #10 Tanqueray is that all the botanicals in #10 are fresh, rendering a more intense taste and flavor.
- Bombay also makes two brands; their prestige label is Bombay Sapphire.
- Seagram’s Extra Dry gin is mellower than English made gins as it is the only gin that is actually aged or “mellowed” in white oak whiskey barrels. This is the best selling gin in the U.S. Seagram’s also offers flavored gins.
- Boodle’s has some passionate admirers who feel it suffers in not being as well marketed as Bombay.
- Fleischmann’s was the first American made gin. It’s advertised as having “a lighter gin taste, making it more mixable.”
- Plymouth makes a variety of specialty gins, including Plymouth, sloe gin (flavored with sloe berries), damson, and Navy.
- Booth’s is a high proof gin and is reputedly the Queen’s favorite gin.
Vodka & Schnapps:
Whether vodka first achieved its exploding popularity due to James Bond and his “vodka martini, shaken not stirred” is maybe questionable, but vodka has attained great heights of sophistication in recent years. It is the most popular white spirit in the U.S.
Vodka has always been the most popular tipple in Eastern Europe, where any number of plants, including wheat, rye, barley, corn, potatoes, sugar cane, and beets, have been used to make the base spirit. Russia, Poland, and Persia (Iran) all claim to have invented vodka. Commercial vodka production in Russia was certainly established by the 14th century – Ivan the Terrible made it a government monopoly. Production is now very widespread throughout Europe, the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean (where it’s made from molasses), Austria, and even Japan.
Whatever its origin, the best vodka is a neutral, basically tasteless spirit. In fact, U.S. government regulations define vodka as a “neutral spirit…..without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.” Higher quality vodka is distinguished by its purity, which is achieved by being filtered through activated charcoal or quartz sand. Vodkas are distilled to 180 proof and then diluted to the desired proof level.
It is this neutral flavor characteristic that allows vodka to take so well to additional flavorings. The Russians and Poles have been doing so over generations, using such widespread flavorings as acorns, horseradish, and mint. Here are some of their classic additions which have proven to be consistently popular – these can be found under boutique labels:
- Dried lemon and orange peels
- Lemon and sugar
- Ginger, cloves, lemon peel, coffee, anise and others which make “Hunter’s Vodka”
- Black peppercorns and red chili peppers – reputedly invented by Peter the Great
- Honey & Brandy
- Buffalo grass (which was, until recently, illegal in the U.S.).
Flavored vodkas have exploded in popularity, and the big manufacturers now make numerous other variations. Smirnoff makes vodkas flavored with vanilla, raspberry, orange, cranberry, green apple, and citrus. Absolut makes citron, mandarin, pepper, and currant vodkas. Probably the most prestigious flavored vodka is Stolichnaya’s Lemon.
Besides the flavored vodkas, there has been an explosion in high premium vodka (around $30.00 bottle). The most requested vodka in bars today is a French product, Grey Goose (which also produces flavored vodkas). Poland has two popular premiums, Belvedere (rye based) and Chopin (potato based). A U.S. based, premium vodka finding popularity is Rain.
Schnapps is a term used for an assortment of white and flavored spirits that originated in northern countries or regions such as Germany or Scandinavia. Sometimes it is a synonym for liqueurs, but, for the most part, schnapps is a real close cousin to flavored vodka. Schnapps can be made from grain, potatoes, or molasses and be flavored with virtually anything. According to the Tastings website, “The dividing line between Schnapps and Flavored Vodka is vague and is more cultural than stylistic, although European Schnapps tend to be drier than their American counterparts."
