BrittanyJacques - How to Be a Vodka Snob

This book is a publication of

1320 East 10th Street

Bloomington, Indiana 47405 USA

redlightningbooks.com

2021 by Brittany Jacques

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Manufactured in China

First printing 2021

ISBN 978-1-68435-128-2 (hardcover)

This book is dedicated to the little water
snobs, the enthusiasts, and those who
appreciate the subtleties, nuances, and
sophistication of vodka. I lift my copper
Moscow Mule mug to you in salute.

Dear Reader,

Brittany Jacques is the pen name used by my husband and me to write How to Be a Vodka Snob. We have a shared passion for vodka, and this book couldnt have been written without both of us. That said, the book is written from my perspective (hi!), and Jay is the name used by my husband in these pages.

Jay and I are not professional mixologists. We love learning about this amazing beverage and hope to share some of the insights, facts, tidbits, and recipes that we have discovered with you.

Weve researched this work to the best of our ability. Any mistakes are our own. Explore the further reading recommendations in the back of the book to dive deeper into the history, myths, tales, and lore.

From the bottom of our heartsand our Collins glasses!we hope you enjoy.

Cheers!

The wife half of the Brittany Jacques team

First of all, I want to say thank you to my Savior Jesus Christ for allowing me the opportunity to write this book.

Second, I have to thank my husband, Jay. Babewithout your support, this book would have only been a dream left on the shelf albeit the top shelf, of course. Thank you for going on distillery tours with me and, of course, sharing in all the tastings. I love you so much.

To my kids: You are the sweetest, most precious children that a momma could ask for. I love you always. Dont ever grow up.

A big thanks to my parents, who never actually had liquor in the house! I think growing up in a home where alcohol wasnt a part of everyday life let me be more particular about drinking when I got older. Thanks for being so supportive.

To my agent Cylethank you for believing in me and in this project. If you ever come down this way, well have some berry Croc to celebrate, Jacques-style.

To my amazing editor Ashley Runyonyou are one of the most fun and encouraging people to work with. I was nervous about putting together this book, and you put all my anxieties at ease. Heres to hoping we can have a little #VodkaAndChill time in the future.

To my best friend Michellethanks for encouraging me when I felt like I wasnt qualified to write about being a vodka snob, although we both know very well that the snobbery grew as a result of writing this. Heres to key lime vodka with ginger beer#FLMoscowMules for life!

To Sarah H. and Matty G.you are our faves, and we cant wait for another pool party, so we can break out the yummy snacks and #AlltheDrinks. You both have always been there for our family, and I thank you so much for your support. I love you guys.

To Anna Francis, Stephen Matthew Williams, Nancy Lightfoot, and the rest of the team at IU Press and Red Lightning Books: We appreciate you all so much and are grateful for the opportunity to work with you on this book. It has been an absolute pleasure.

And finally, to my readersthank you for reading this book. I hope you love the recipes and the fun facts, and I hope that youre able to find your own signature drink. Above all, drink responsibly, drink with sophistication, and let out your inner vodka snob. ! Here we go!

V odka is often the drink of choice at late-night parties, the clear beverage providing the liquid courage needed to show off never-before publicly witnessed dance moves. When cost is the primary deciding factor on which liquor to purchase, the cheapest of cheap vodkas get poured into those red Solo cups with little thought to how the final drink will taste. Heck, in those circumstances, it doesnt much matter how it tastes.

An underappreciated luxury, vodka is often relegated to the role of a cheap filler beverage to punch up the cola or balance cranberry juice. Yet vodka is more than what it seems. Distill corn and you will get sweet notes; distill from soy and the result will be super smooth and mellow. Distilling from potatoes yields a rather loaded or heavysometimes even oilyfinish, whereas wheat tends to be one of the more common bases for vodka due to its naturally light return. These subtle notes are all but lost once theyre tainted with cola or juices.

The complexities of vodka are not for the rushed or impatient. They are subtle. Smooth. Refined. Vodkas nuances are reserved for the purists, the elites, those who are willing to be labeled as gasp! snobs.

This has not always been the case. In the early 1900s, the majority of Americans were snobs when it came to vodka. So snobby, in fact, they didnt care for it at all. In her history How America Fell in Love with Vodka for Gastro Obscura, Natasha Frost recounts how Smirnoff was able to draw in vodka drinkers using the odorless characteristic as a selling point: it wont leave you with bad breath. Anyone need an Altoid? According to Frost, in its early days in America, vodka was utilized in combination with other beverages instead of drinking it straight, so the Screwdriver, Bloody Mary, Ice Pick (iced tea and vodka), and Bull Shot (vodka mixed with beef broth) became the drinks of the day.

Vodkas journey to the good ol United States of America began when the son of Russias most famous vodka maker was chased out of the country after the Bolsheviks came to power. Vladimir Smirnov settled in France and set up shop, reviving his familys distillation business under his newly styled name Smirnoff. In 1934, Rudolph Kunnett bought the brand and began distilling vodka within the borders of the United States. Kunnett ultimately sold the brand to John G. Martin, who is credited with inventing the Moscow Mule (but more about that in a later chapter).

While vodka is typically distilled from wheat or rye, various wars and famines have forced vodka to be distilled from whatever substance was available. Most Americans have heard stories about the American Prohibition era, but very few have ever heard of the vodka prohibitions in Russia, and its an interesting tale.