Saturday

Putting Vermouth Back Into the Martini


It's time someone stuck up for vermouth. It has been unfairly shunted to the back of liquor cabinets at the behest of wannabes with coarse cocktail pallets.


I blame vodka. It overtook gin as a cocktail staple for its ability to be emasculated in the shaker. The highest compliment most would pay a vodka is sipping a cocktail and proclaiming, "You can't taste the alcohol!" Well, that just breaks my heart.

People. You are supposed to taste alcohol. Rejoicing in the tastelessness of your cocktail is like announcing a choice cut of meat "tastes like chicken!" If all you want to do is get loaded, then have some self-respect and start an addiction to prescription pain medication. You'll feel better about yourself than you would ordering apple-tinis, trust me.


What does this have to do with vermouth? Well, it is one of two ingredients in a little cocktail called a martini.

Let's get this out of the way: subbing vodka for gin is a perfectly good cocktail. I do it myself on occasion. But it's not a martini. It's a vodkatini (vodka martini also begrudgingly accepted).

Therefore, gin martini is redundant in my book. A martini must has gin and vermouth to be worthy of the name.

Vodka and vermouth also make a decent combination, but here's the rub: vermouth has a taste. And the vodka constituency does not appreciate anything of the sort. So with vodka, vermouth is often left out altogether. (With no vermouth, your cocktail is neither a martini or a vodkatini: it's chilled vodka, but never mind.)

As a result, vermouth often languishes on the shelf.

Which is of great concern for martini drinkers like myself. First, consider that the ratio of gin (or vodka) to vermouth is typically about six to one. At times, much less than that. Which means one might have to drink 100 martinis to finish a one-liter vermouth bottle. It might take a mere mortal a year to bottom that bottle.

This is a problem because vermouth is essentially wine to which is added herbs and spices. You wouldn't keep an opened bottle of wine on a shelf for a year, so why do the same for vermouth?

As a result, I venture to guess that there's a lot of stale vermouth out there, especially in homes. Consequently, when most people taste vermouth, they are tasting bad vermouth. And, predictably, they don't like it, and it's banished to the back of the cabinet.

Bringing vermouth back:
* Buy smaller, 375ml bottles of vermouth.
* Keep it in the fridge after opening. Estimates vary, but an open bottle of vermouth should stay fresh for at least two months refrigerated.
* Try vermouth. There's a reason a martini has lasted a century or so. It makes a difference.

12 comments:

Alistair Oakley said...

Bravo for speaking up for Vermouth, its about time someone defended it. A point to mention if you have a large bottle languishing is that vermouth makes a great alternative to white wine in cooking.

But seriously, the vodka martini is a perfectly acceptable variation. It's my drink of choice and, shock of shocks I like it with a hint of Vermouth and I like to taste the vodka. Please don't lump it in with the Appletinis of this world. Vodka Martini is a perfectly acceptable name, it just sounds cooler than vodkatini and there's nothing wrong with that

Anonymous said...

I just want to tell you that not only do I love gin, but I love "Drinky McDrinkerson" and have referred to myself by that name, much like you. Also, I always try to stick up for Vermouth! Thank you for this posting!

Anonymous said...

Vermouth is excellent to cook with. Substitute it anywhere where white wine is used, to deglaze a pan for a sauce, etc. Its a great way to keep your bottle fresh.

Marie said...

finally - yes you are supposed to taste the alcohol! I do not like the effects of the alcohol. which is a good thing considering how much I like the taste. I actually love the burn. Gin is my drink of choice. Matini being my favorite Gin drink. I have never liked Vodka to me it has an oily texture to it. I feel like I'm drinking kerosene

Anonymous said...

Exactly!! I remember being at a restaurant and ordering a martini. The waitress asked, "Skyy or Absolut?", and I stared at her in confusion for an awkward moment thinking *I thought those were vodka* before realizing they WERE vodka. Obviously she misheard me, "I'm sorry, I meant a martini."
She reassures she heard me by giving me the list of vodkas they have. I'm a very polite person, especially to wait staff, and even though I've been drinking martinis for YEARS I respond with "...I thought martinis were made from gin?"
"Oh, I guess they can be."
"Please do."

But in my mind I was like *BITCH THAT'S WHAT A GODDAMN MARTINI IS*
Stupid children who have no goddamn respect for the drink and can't handle actual liquor whining "I don't liiiikkke gin. I don't liiiikkke whiskey. I cant taste the vodka please give me that lolololololololol."

Anonymous said...

I love European Vermouths. Not a wine snob of any sort but I do lean toward liking fortified wines. My main drink now. Sweet with or dry. I drink them straight with ice.

People should experiment with the brands. I'm sure all the herbals in it are good for the health too.

I dislike drinking most liquors straight. Rather drink piss than beer. Enjoy most whiskey and rum mixed with cola or fruit juice. No love for vodka.


Drinks isn't niche. You have more variety to choose from than you can even comprehend. Silly to forever damn something off one experience. People should open up to new things and give it several go's because wrong after wrong when it's right holy damn its right.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

If you'd rather drink piss than beer, you're doing it wrong. A good cask conditioned ale, for example, assuming it's prepared and handled properly, shouldn't be overgeneralized and put into a category called "beer." That's like putting a 1962 Penfolds Bin 60A and Mad Dog 20/20 in the same category and saying "I'd rather drink piss than wine." when you really would just rather drink piss than the 60A. (That last part was a joke, but I'm sure you get the point) Expand your horizon with beer; you'll find your flavor.

Anonymous said...

So you're a perfectionist when it comes to spirits and coctails. Well, I'm sort of one when it comes to words and usage.

Sorry, but you do not mean "subbing gin for vodka"; you mean the opposite, "subbing vodka for gin." You had me confused, I must say. I was pretty sure that martinis were originally made with gin, but you seemed to be suggesting the opposite.

(And, regrettably, I see this error all over the internet these days, and hardly ever see the correct form.)

Just think about what you are doing: you are substituting vodka for gin in a martini, just as a substitute teacher stands in, or 'subs', for the regular teacher. Or, to put it another way, you are using vodka, the substitute spirit, instead of gin, the original ingredient.

The substitute is the stand-in. The substitute is not the authentic item. So when you change it to a verb, you say you are substituting this stand-in, this newfangled item, for the original, authentic one --in other words, vodka for gin.

You don't by any chance say "new-kew-lar" instead of "new-klee-ur," do you? How about "bored of this game" instead of "bored 'with' or 'by' this game"? Although those other favorites of mine aren't at all the same kind of thing.

The way you put it, it's as if you were saying let's use gin instead of vodka in a martini, as if martinis were originally made with vodka. Forgive me for going off, but it's just bass-akwards. And EVERYBODY is doing it. Can't people reason anymore?

Ellen

Anonymous said...

By the way, regarding the vermouth getting stale.... As you said, it is wine with herbs, and it is excellent for cooking. Julia Child calls for vermouth in many of her recipes -- pretty much any time we would add wine, she says to use vermouth.

So, there you go -- use that vermouth in your cooking as well as your martinis, and it won't have a chance to get stale.

Anonymous said...

I drink Vodka because I like the TASTE of Vodka. I prefer mine with a splash club soda and lime so I can taste it more....So yes I prefer vodka martinis.

Unknown said...

You've confused me because I've checked twice, and the article definitely says, "subbing vodka for gin." It might have been updated since you replied to it though. Even still, I'm always surprised by how the anonymity of the internet turns ordinary people, who make mistakes of their own, and who, if were met in person, would admit that they weren't perfect and ask that others were patient with them when they messed up, into self-righteous, pompous, jerks, eager to squabble over a few misplaced words. SMH.