MySpeedRail

While my unadulterated contempt for vodka is well known, I still have to explain how and why I am not a big fan of the biggest selling spirit in the world in theory.

My general rule of thumb when it comes to bartending is "never take the easy path", try and push yourself and the customer to something bigger, better and brighter. That's is the main reason I don't like vodka as a whole especially main stream stuff like your Goose and Smirnoff. In all defense though, I like vodka for what it is and believe that it has a place behind the bar in the right hands.

Now I am pulling a Jekyl Hyde here but its true, I hate things that become popular. As soon as something becomes popular, I tend to dislike. When it comes to booze, that is. But I do believe that there are vodkas out there that deserve to be behind the bar. One thing I hate about managment (even when I was managing) is the "we have it behind the bar because it sells" mentality. Just because it sells does not make it good.

I have now made it a rule that the "mainstream" vodkas will be kept to a minimum, as it stands I have Smirnoff (not my decision) in the well, Stoli and Kettle One on the back bar and then a good collection of high end, not well known vodkas in my VinFridge. A good assortment with a story and history behind them.

I believe vodka does have a taste and smell to them, why? how? Well only 40% of the bottle you are drinking is the "no smell, no taste, no color" bit, the rest is water. This is where, I believe is the key pointer to making good vodka. You can get the best grains etc but unless you have great water you are screwed. 60% of that bottle you paid for is water, this is what stands the men and the boys apart. You can't have a mainstream, big business brand making vodka in three different countries to be the same.

Where do I see fitting in behind the bar, although to David Embury's total hate of vodka, I don't mind making vodka martinis or Kangaroos as they were originally called. I also love moving the vodka martini drinker to a Vesper, a precurser to turning them to complete gin lover's. But my main goal to having chilled vodka is to do a oyster/vodka pairing, pairing different oysters to different vodkas. I think that this would be a massive step to getting people back to enjoying straight vodka again instead as a flavoured additive put in by lazy bartenders.

Vodka has a place, it all depends what place you give it and how.