Vodka vs other spirits in mixing

TEN BARTENDER OPINIONS ON VODKA COCKTAILS

22nd March, 2016 by Annie Hayes

After receiving an overwhelming number of contributions for our upcoming vodka issue, SB has assembled a preview of April’s cocktail analysis with comment from 10 of the industry’s leading bartenders.

Besides, that I am surprised, that for once I found an article which looks contemporary (in content and layout - Bravo IBA!), I also asked myself, what is my (revised?) opinion about vodka.

I have to say... it didn't changed a lot. But when I read this article and reflected the "blank canvas approach" - I understood, that there are two types of approaches in cocktail making:

The Cocktail Sculptor
The Cocktail Painter

Look I am the first. A sculptor usually approaches the object with the theory, that the sculpture is in the "base material" and just needs to be uncovered.

A painter is rather really voicing his inner-self on canvas.

I do believe, that the base spirit is the most essential thing in a cocktail. Everything else is just slightly modifying its character, and "unearth" hidden qualities (if you are doing it right).

In the case of vodka, it is analog to an artificial material, without its own "grown" inconsistencies.

Hence for me, vodka cocktails are usually no sculptures but rather "reproductions" (to keep on the same analogies).

However people, who are seeing a cocktail as a "painting" obviously might even prefer vodka, because it is the said clear canvas - lets face it - a canvas is also not a white copy paper, but has also some inconsistencies... but they are far less, than wood or stone or similar things, a sculptor is working with.

At the end there is no right or wrong. But I find the sculptor approach far more sustainable and consistent.

Comments

Agar-Agar Clarification

Not often, I am posting here things, which are clearly not my ideas... However Dave Arnold is clearly a mad scientist [no, he really is!] - and he posted amazing stuff on his website www.cookingissues.com - no - don't click now - just follow the link later. One of the most impressive posts about mixology, besides of demystifying the mechanics of shaking, were clarification techniques. Look, after him, you could use a centrifuge [which would set you back a couple thousand bucks] and a chemical compound, which solidifies sediments. I am not a fan of that. Then there is gelatine clarification; this works quite well [I tried it several times my self] - you gelatinize a liquid [with little gelatine only], freeze it, thaw it [in the fridge] over a colander and a muslin cloth. Thats it. Unfortunately this has several problems: Gelatine is made out of animal bones - hence it is neither vegetarian nor vegan, which you won't usually expect of a beverage. You have to freez...

How to use citric acid - and why you might not want to use it anyway!

To be honest, I shied away of this topic, because I think, people can misinterpret this - big time. I don't want to be part of the problem - I want to be part of the solution! But when Chris, over at A Bar Above discussed this subject- I literally could not resist to join into "the discussion". Here is the video: I - however take a bit slower approach than Chris. What is citric acid? Chemical Compound Citric acid is a weak organic acid with the formula C6H8O7. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and drinks. Wikipedia Formula: C6H8O7 Molar Mass: 192.124 g/mol Melting Point: 153C Density: 1.66 g/cm3 Boiling point: 175C Soluble in: Water Why is it controversial? In my "mixology world" it is controversial, as citric acid is the stuff, which makes the nightmarish sour mix [ preferably in powder form ] sour. Yeah - citric acid is the main ingredient in one of the most ...

"Monin Rocks!" - Really?

R ussell S anchez MONIN UAE MONIN Rocks @ HARD ROCK CAFE Dubai — with Rhiandro Gardiner and Louie Aquias at Hard Rock Cafe . I have seen this on my Facebook timeline. And well... I wanted to write about Monin since quite a long time, but haven't. However this message was a catalyst, to speak up. It is already a couple of months ago, that I routinely checked the ingredient list of a Monin bottle. ...and was shocked.... Point is, that I have always defended Monin against my US colleagues as decent brand. At least with the products they offered here in the Middle East and in Europe; they came from their factory in France. Most of the ingredients [except lets say in Blue Curacao syrup] were natural. Long time ago, somebody from Monin explained, that this is due to the quite strict regulations in France for syrup - there it is a family culture to drink syrup sweetened water/seltzer. And off course ...

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