Vodka/Gin

Question 1

What is the best selling spirit in the US?

Answer 1

Vodka

Question 2

What does vodka mean?

Answer 2

Derives from the Russian word for water.

Question 3

Name five ingredients that vodka can be distilled from?

Answer 3

potatoes
rye
grapes
beets
molasses

Question 4

What type of still is usually used for vodka?

How is traditionally filtered?

Answer 4

—The wash for vodka is usually distilled in a continuous still
—it is usually filtered with charcoal to make the spirit ultra-clean.

Question 5

Why does Eastern European and Russian vodkas tend to have more character than Western European and American counterparts?

Answer 5

EU and the US mandate any spirit labeled vodka to be neutral in flavor

Question 6

What is the minimum abv for vodka under EU law?

If the vodka is not made from potatoes or grain, what must happen under EU law?

Answer 6

37.5%

—EU producer must state the products used in fermentation on the label.

Question 7

Name two quality Russain vodka producers

Answer 7

Stolichnaya and Ikon

Question 8

Name two Polish vodka producers.

Answer 8

Chopin (potato vodka)

Belvedere

Question 9

Name a french vodka producer.

How is this product distilled?

Answer 9

Grey goose; distilled in a pot still—is the bestselling premium vodka in the US.

Question 10

Where is Tito’s Handmade Vodka from?
What is it made of?
What type of still?

Answer 10

made in a pot still from 100% corn in Texas.

Question 11

Where is Ketel One from?

Where is Smirnoff from? Who owns it?

Answer 11

Ketel One is from Holland.

Smirnoff is of Russian origin, but hasn’t been produced in the country for almost a century. It is owned by Diageo.

Question 12

How is Acquavit different from vodka?

Where is it from?

Answer 12

clear spirit made from fermented potato or grain and flavored with caraway root and other aromatics, is basically flavored vodka.

It is from Scandinavia.

Question 13

What is the difference between Soju and Shochu?

Answer 13

Soju is from Korea
Shochu is from Japan

—both are distilled liquors traditionally made from rice and grains but now commonly produced from potato tapioca; very similar to unflavored vodka in character.

**Shochu is not filtered through charcoal.

Question 14

What is Awamori?

Answer 14

An Okinawan style of shochu that is always distilled from long grain indica rice.

Question 15

Name four styles of gin?

Answer 15

London Dry
Genever
Plymouth
Old Tom Gin

Question 17

How is gin different from vodka?

How is gin produced?

Answer 17

Essentially gin is flavored vodka.

-to produce gin, a neutral grain spirit is flavored with a range of botanicals—juniper berries are the most important component—and redistilled.

Question 18

What botanicals does London Dry Gin generally contain? (7)

Answer 18

Juniper berries
Notibeable citrus and spice element, derived from:
Orange/lemon peel
Anise
Cardamom
Coriander
Nutmeg
Angelica root

Question 19

Name five popular London Dry Gins.

Answer 19

Beefeater
Tanqueray
Bombay Sapphire
Gordon’s
Boodles

Question 20

Where was gin developed?

Answer 20

Holland

Question 21

How does Genever differ from London Dry Gin?

Answer 21

• Genever is produced in a pot still
• Genever is sweeter but less alcoholic than London Dry Gin.
• Juniper and malt are the dominant aromatics in Genever
• it may be aged in oak casks, taking on color and roundness from the wood.

Question 22

How is Plymouth gin different from London Dry Gin?

Answer 22

Plymouth was revived in 1996 and is only produced by Plymouth, Coates, and Co. in England.

-It is fuller in body than London Dry Gin, and very aromatic. It is the proper gin for a Pink Gin cocktail

Question 23

What is Old Tom Gin?

What two classic cocktails used Old Tom Gin?

Answer 23

Another English style rarely encountered today, is a lightly sweetened gin.

Tom Collins and the Martinez.

Question 24

What do the terms “oude”, “jonge” and “Corenwyn” deal with?

Answer 24

“Oude” (old) is the traditional style Genever recipe incorporates a minimum 15% “malt wine”: a distillate of corn, rye and wheat.

“Jonge” (young) is a cleaner, more neutral Genever with less malt wine.

Corenwyn (“corn wine”) is a cask-aged version in which malt wine comprises at least 51% of the distillate.

Question 25

What are most modern gins grouped under in style?

Answer 25

London Dry, no longer an indication of geographical origin, employs a wide proprietary blend of botanical flavorings, and can therefore be subtly or startlingly distinct in character.
–Generally contains a noticeable citrus and spice element, derived from orange and lemon peel, anise, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, angelica root, and other aromatic substances.