VODKA TRENDS
“ If one of your cocktails with vodka has a 12 % cost , then your 18 % or 20 % cost mezcal cocktail will kind of balance out on your menu so you can splurge in other places too . ”
– ALEX BARBATSIS , HEAD BARTENDER OF THE WHISTLER IN CHICAGO
for brunch ,” she says .
The Whistler in Chicago currently offers the Edge of Tomorrow , an $ 8 punch-style drink comprised of vodka , dry vermouth , lemon , house-made cinnamon syrup and a bar spoon of Branca Menta . “ Because Branca Menta can be so overpowering , using it with the vodka and dry vermouth gives it just that nice little subtle flavor profile ,” says head bartender Alex Barbatsis .
“ We always have vodka on our menu because it ’ s super popular and it also helps keep costs down ,” Barbatsis adds . “ A bottle of vodka is always going to be cheaper than pretty much any other spirit you ’ re going to be able to get your hands on .”
What ’ s more , he says , “ if one of your cocktails with vodka has a 12 % cost , then your 18 % or 20 % cost mezcal cocktail will kind of balance out on your menu so you can splurge in other places too .”
At The Violet Hour in Chicago , general manager David Branch favors brands such as Reyka from Iceland and Haku Vodka out of Japan that he says , “ are a little bit more terroiror artisan-style driven , that have texture and good feel and minerality that will stand up to classic cocktail builds .”
Reyka , for instance , “ has this really cool volcanic minerality to it that allows you to make something similar to a Manhattan by using vodka and provides that structure , which you won ’ t get with something mainstream .”
At The Brixton in San Francisco , the Cucumber Basil Gimlet , featuring Grey Goose vodka , Veev acai liqueur , lime , basil and cucumber , has been on the menu for more than 10 years and remains among the top two best-sellers .
“ I think the softness of how that drink comes out is why it ’ s been so popular ,” says The Brixton managing partner Adam Snyder . “ It ’ s clean , it ’ s fresh and I think that ’ s what people always wanted , but it ’ s more so now than ever .”
619 Spirits offers several vodka-based cocktails at its restaurant and bar . The Pickle Tickle is made from its 619 Pickle vodka , lemon juice , lime juice , simple syrup and tonic . The Blood of the Scorpion consists of orange , grapefruit and 619 Scorpion Pepper vodka .
SPREADING THE WORD As much as people love vodka , the category doesn ’ t generate the excitement of tequila , bourbon and others ; it doesn ’ t have much of a story . Sass of Southern Glazer ’ s thinks that more education about the differences between the ingredients that go into vodka could help boost the category .
Vodka cocktails at 619 Spirits ’ restaurant and bar in San Diego include Bloody Marys and The Pickle Tickle ( right ), which is made from its 619
Pickle vodka , lemon juice , lime juice , simple syrup and tonic .
The Blood of the Scorpion cocktail , with orange , grapefruit and 619 Scorpion Pepper vodka .
“ Vodka ’ s sometimes thought of as this ‘ odorless , colorless , tasteless ’ spirit , but there is this variation in flavor profile based off the way it ’ s made ,” he says . “ I don ’ t think we spend enough time talking about the base ingredients ” such as wheat , corn and rye , potato , and explaining the different experience and mouthfeel your get from each one of those products .
The industry needs to help consumers realize all of vodka ’ s potential as a spirit with depth , Sass notes . “ There ’ s no age statement in vodka , so it ’ s difficult sometimes to let people understand exactly what that next tier of product is .”
At the Lark , Farfan likes to highlight new and unique vodkas so that “ people get to try something that they otherwise would have never tried .” One example is a green chili vodka that she uses for Dirty Martinis , which has surprised and delighted many guests .
“ This is something they would never have ordered by themselves ,” Farfan says . “ But just being able to get steered in that direction , and just trying something that is a little different than what they would have ordered for themselves , is probably the biggest part of my job that I enjoy .” •
Andrew Kaplan is a Queens , NY-based writer who covers the beverage industry .
StateWays | www . stateways . com | Fall 2022 35