Vodka A CANVAS FOR CREATIVE C OCKTAILS

| BY ELYSE GLICKMAN

| Is vodka the “little black dress” or the “plain white tee” of the bartender’s wardrobe? Is it fair to say that something is making a comeback if it never really went away? As the craft cocktail scene developed in the first two decades of this century, specific spirits — from absinthe to mezcal to small-batch gins and whiskeys — had welldefined moments. However, savvy bartenders kept vodkas on hand knowing they were can’t-miss essentials that went with pretty much everything — just like one of those plain white tees.

At the start of the craft cocktail movement 15 to 20 years ago, a decent quality vodka was everybody’s go-to on-premise spirit. But when craft cocktails led to more adventurous customers over time, the focus in Mexican and Latin restaurants shifted to higher quality iterations of native spirits like tequila, mezcal, and rum. While the pendulum is swinging back to vodka, mixologists have different opinions on the impact it will make.

“Vodka will always resurge, as it’s a category that newer bar customers can easily enjoy. Bartenders are re-discovering it, thanks to better quality vodkas now being offered,” says John Maraffi, bartender at The Hideaway in Beverly Hills, California, who thinks consumers drove the push toward tequilas and mezcals after liquor companies educated them about and aggressively promoted those categories.

“I don’t personally think that vodka ever really went away, but I can see a trend in the more artisanal expressions of vodka right now,” says Liana Oster, head bartender for the restaurants at the NoMad London Hotel, including Side Hustle — the space dedicated to Mexican food and agave spirits. “Contrary to a lot of people’s perceptions, vodka can be quite flavorful. This aspect of the spirit is being focused on currently and will influence the market moving forward.”

Leah Fitzgerald, bar director at Salazar in Los Angeles, explains that 2000-2010 was the decade of tequila and 2010-2020 the decade of mezcal — which means vodka is primed for a comeback.

“I think vodka will always have a market, but I don’t see it making a resurgence to the same degree agave spirits have in recent years,” counters Max Reis, beverage director of Mirate in Los Angeles and

Mirame in Beverly Hills. “Craft cocktails are huge in drinking culture, as is collecting boutique spirits. Craft bartenders may stray from vodka because of its neutral nature, which is not very exciting in a culinary sense.”

However, Reis acknowledges that vodka can be part of a diversified craft cocktail menu because it works well with fruit, herb, and botanical infusions. The resurgence of classic vodka cocktails such as the espresso martini and cosmopolitan, he adds, also necessitates keeping a high-quality neutral vodka on the back bar. Reis, for example, makes the Mirate Espresso Martini with Community Vodka.

WHY VODKA, WHY NOW?

So just what’s driving the return to vodka? Mixologists say consumers’ changing lifestyles are contributing to the resurgence.

Ashlyn Dumas, food and beverage director of El Leon and the King Christian Hotel in Christiansted,

Mexican Vodkas

U.S. Virgin Islands, thinks today’s diet culture and the fact that vodka has a lower calorie count than other spirits are playing a role. Vodka’s lightness also makes for drink recipes that harmonize with El Leon’s food menu. One example: the La Isla Dorada cocktail crafted with Mutiny Vodka Roots, which is infused with ancient roots of ginger and turmeric. The brand, made from breadfruit on St. Croix, “is a great base for many different infusions that we use in our drink specials that work well with Mexican ingredients and culinary techniques,” she says.

Fitzgerald points to vodka’s alcohol content compared to tequila (40 percent ABV vs. 60 percent) as a factor driving the resurgence, while noting that a

Currently, there is not a large Mexican vodka sub-category — but a change may be on the horizon.

Oso Negro — which Ashlyn Dumas, food and beverage director of El Leon and the King Christian Hotel in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, describes as “a Mexican household staple that really embodies Mexican culture while offering a neutral spirit we can easily incorporate into our cocktails” — is one Mexican-made vodka gaining favor with U.S. mixologists.

Villa Lobos, a vodka that contains the worm of the agave plant, is one Leah Fitzgerald, bar director at Salazar in Los vodka cocktail “can provide a bright palate cleansing in between spicy food courses.”

The fact that vodka — even when made from gluten grains like wheat, barley, or rye — is considered glutenfree also means vodka cocktails work for customers who embrace a gluten-free

Angeles, says she looks forward to trying.

And then there’s Community Vodka — a product produced in America, then shipped to Mexico for water dilution, filtration, and bottling before getting shipped back to America for resale, explains Max Reis, beverage director of Mirate in Los Angeles and Mirame in Beverly Hills, California.

“They have plans to produce in Mexico in the coming years using heirloom corn, which would be great,” he says. “It would give a lot of money back to the food and beverage industry, which is awesome, although I don’t love the current carbon footprint of shipping back and forth.” lifestyle. (It is important to note, however, that there could be hidden gluten in vodkas in which flavorings or other ingredients are added after distillation.)

Vodka also appeals to customers who might not enjoy the flavors other spirits deliver. Maraffi says vodka can replace tequila for guests who prefer a smoother or less spicy flavor profile, but notes that selecting the best options can be a balancing act.

“When you taste vodka neat, you’ll find that some have a high degree of white pepper or ginger spice that can be aggressive,” explains Maraffi. “Others can be softer and more viscous. I look for a vodka that balances the softness and has a bit of heat; that way, the vodka doesn’t vanish

(continued on page 39)

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Oster believes that at least one high-quality vodka is good to have on hand because it can be mixed and matched with a variety of mixers, fruits, and other ingredients. The Genmaicha Elyx Vodka she uses in her La Fuga cocktail is one example.

“The first and foremost advantage to including vodka on your bar is having range,” she says. “Without it, you are limiting the ability to give customers what they want or request.”

Reis agrees, noting that Mirate and Mirame patrons who are vodka drinkers typically stay with what they know — so keeping the bar stocked with vodka ensures that those customers always feel welcome.

Vetting Vodka

Dumas notes that her bar team looks for artisanal vodkas that will add interest to its spirit list — products that might tout sustainability or unusual flavor profiles.

Reis, who gravitates to vodkas with “personality” over “smooth” variations, also cites sustainability in production as an important consideration.

Quality and flavor are top requirements Oster and her team look for when considering which vodkas to add to their spirits inventory.

“We will never put any- thing on the back bar that we don’t personally love, and that stems all the way from the brand to the ingredients. [Vodkas we add] must pair with traditional flavors and spices found in Latin America,” Oster explains.

Fitzgerald looks for adaptability — something that “won’t overpower your cocktail because it is meant to showcase the fruit, juice, or shrub in your drink,” she says. “While I generally look for a vodka with a mostly neutral taste, I also look for somewhat of a creamy mouthfeel. Something that can stand up on its own but also be able to lend itself fully to a mixed cocktail.”

Infused With Inspiration

Adding flavors to the vodka they inventory is an important part of these mixologists’ approach to crafting vodka cocktails.

“We make drinks with flavor, not flavored drinks, and buying flavored vodkas has always been a no-no for me,” says Maraffi. “I love using infusions to create flavors for my beverage programs. Recently, I have made infusions with honeycomb, lemon grass, and ginger.”

“Vodka infusions can be incredible if made correctly,” adds Fitzgerald. “One of my favorite drinks [the Spicy Pineapple Vodka Margarita] is made with cilantro-infused vodka, fresh pineapple and lime juices, and serrano peppers. It is the perfect drink to have with a highly spiced meal as it matches the heat yet is surprisingly cleansing to the palate.”

Oster also embraces infusions, which can add texture and depth of flavor to vodka cocktails. She adds that teas and herbs work well as infusion ingredients because they impart a bold flavor to the finished product.

Reis often uses vodka for infusions and bitters because it provides an excellent medium for adding natural flavor from fruit, vegetables, or botanicals without combatting the base spirit’s flavor. “We use high-proof vodka for our house mole bitters, Mexican chile bitters, lime bitters, and orange bitters as it allows these flavorful ingredients to shine,” he says.

And Dumas embraces vodka infused with bitters in El Leon’s La Isla Dorada cocktail. Smokey Oaxacan worm salt finishes off the “crowd-favorite cocktail” the restaurant regularly runs as a special.

Introducing chiles and herbs, concludes Dumas, is crucial to creating drinks “that capture the essence of Mexican cultures within the craft cocktail scene.”

See vodka cocktail recipes on page 55. Los Angeles-based writer Elyse Glickman is the At the Bar columnist for el Restaurante