(no subject)

[ksmith]

Does vodka ever spoil? I unearthed an almost full bottle of Ketel One that is about 4.5 years old. Yes, it was opened, but very little was used.

I have read that it doesn't. Just wanted to tap into the Wisdom that is LJ.

Comments

[affreca.livejournal.com]

Worst is that it will slowly evaporate.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Even with the cap on?

[excessor.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of it spoiling, but then, vodka bottles never last that long at my house. :-)

An easy way to tell is to pour a small amount into a clear glass. If the liquid is clear, drink it. If it tastes like K1, then you're fine. You'll know immediately.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I gather that K1 has a distinctive taste?

I'm a vodka ignoramus. I think I bought the Ketel One because I liked the name, or something. And the price, which implied that it was decent.

I saw an episode of America's Test Kitchens today that told you how to make a vodka marinara sauce. That looked really good, and apparently the premium vodkas make better sauces.

[excessor.livejournal.com]

I'm not an expert, but I'll give my opinion.

Vodkas are made from all sorts of different grains and how they're made does affect taste. Rotgut vodka like Popov has a distinctly alcohol-y taste that's hard to swallow. You really need to use that kind of vodka in a mixed drink of some kind. It doesn't taste very good.

Those that have been purified many times tend to taste better. I think Ketel One is a very good vodka—you can drink it straight and it doesn't make you want to spit it back out. It actually has a nice taste. It would be a good vodka to use in a vodka marinara because the flavors are important.

Flavored vodkas have been infused with various fruits and vegetables and they have a nice taste, but I rarely like them. That's a personal opinion and everyone is different. Absolut makes a lovely pomegranate vodka but what will you mix it with? soda? It's not going to go well with cranberry (my mixer of choice) so I think it sort of limits you. On the other hand, if you're planning to serve Bloody Marys, you might want Absolut Peppar, especially if you like the Bloodies to be spicier. I'm not sure why you can't just toss in extra black pepper, but far be it for me to rain on someone's marketing parade.

My favorite happens to be Grey Goose. It's as pricey as, or a little pricier than, Ketel One, but it's deliciously smooth and makes any cocktail seem to blend well. Here's a hint: Costco sells Kirkland Vodka that is less expensive and I think is just as good as GG.

When I drink a cocktail, it's likely going to be based on GG. It's smooth enough to drink over rocks with a twist of lemon. If you get a chance, you might try Grey Goose Poire, a pear-flavored vodka. It smells heavenly but I think tastes terrible. Your mileage may vary.

Oh, and you're right about the price. As with many things, a higher price tends to correlate with a better taste, but individual preference counts. I really enjoy GG and K1, but I dislike Hangar One and Belvedere. Go figure.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

All I know about Belvedere is that they have a really weird commercial. I'd never heard of it before.

The talk of flavored vodkas lead to another question--can they off over time?

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

It's probably poison. I should try it to be sure.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to see a pattern...

[mcurry.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's even possible for vodka to ever spoil without some sort of contamination being introduced to the bottle, and even if it iss it certainly shouldn't happen in 4.5 years.

And yes, it will very slowly evaporate even with the cap on, though that already slow process will happen even more slowly if you keep it in the freezer.

[jemck.livejournal.com]

If it were whisk(e)y, I could tell you on the best of authorities (the late lamented Mike Jackson) that the top inch or so would be oxidised, so should be discarded, and the rest will be fine.

But it's vodka, so I have no clue. Beyond observing I've been to museums with exhibits pickled in alcohol for getting on for two centuries and they're still okay...

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Vodka is the stuff you preserve stuff in.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I didn't know whether or not there was some sort of flavor molecule that would survive the distillation process and go off over time. The clear, colorness nature of the beast might have been enough to indicate not, but I wanted to make sure.

[anniebet-01.livejournal.com]

Newbie here, piping up with a flavored vodka favorite. Absolut Peach vodka mixes extremely well with orange juice. Makes a lovely smooth drink which deserves more than the name "screwdriver". I should try adding a smidgeon of peach schnapps. Yum.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

That actually sounds really good.