Vodka is the second most consumed spirit in the world. But how do you drink vodka correctly? Read this article and find out
How to drink vodka? Warm or cold?
This mainly depends on the quality of the vodka. High-quality spirits like the Grey Goose Vodka are best enjoyed at room temperature so that the nuances of flavor can fully develop. This also allows you to test the vodka's quality: if it doesn't taste good at around 18 °C, it's not a good vodka. That's why vodka is usually only chilled if it's of inferior quality, or by people who don't like the taste of vodka. Below -18 °C, vodka no longer tastes like anything, and at -28 °C, it freezes.
What glasses do you drink vodka from?
An important part of the question "How to drink vodka correctly?" is the aspect of the right glass. And despite its widespread use in bars and at parties, it's not the well-known shot glass. If you want to experience vodka in all its facets, opt for a nosing glass to optimize the aroma test.
The nosing glass for vodka tasting is characterized by a tulip shape and the absence of a stem, so that too cool stored vodka can be brought to the right temperature with the hand before enjoyment. If you want to taste vodkas known for their interesting aromatics, you can turn to the brand Beluga , for example. With the Beluga Transatlantic Racing Noble Russian Vodka NAVY BLUE Special Edition 40% , a trained nose can, for example, identify subtly floral nuances and distinguished notes of spices.
How to avoid a hangover from drinking vodka?
Some points of hangover prevention overlap with the rules for drinking vodka that follow, but we also want to address this point separately. Anyone who has ever had a hangover will know why this aspect is important to us. If you don't want to spend the next day miserably in bed, you should keep the following in mind when drinking vodka:
• The purer the vodka, the smaller the hangover. As with all other spirits, you should always pay attention to high quality. In a test conducted in a DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 certified testing laboratory, 9 Mile Vodka emerged as the purest vodka.
• Always drink a glass of water with vodka to stay hydrated. It's better to avoid other alcoholic drinks as companions (like beer or wine).
• Eat snacks rich in minerals, e.g., pickled gherkins.
• Drink to health: With "Na zdrowie!" in Polish or with a suitable toast in Russian. Contrary to popular belief, the Russian "Na zdorovie" is not used as a toast in Russia, but before meals in the sense of "bon appétit."
• Last but not least, you should of course make sure not to overdo it, because it is mainly the quantity that causes the hangover.
How to drink vodka correctly? – The most important rules
Vodka is never drunk alone
Vodka is always drunk in company, across borders. Drinking alone is frowned upon as alcoholism and is said to bring bad luck. However, social drinking is also much more fun, and you always need someone to bond with (and possibly to lean on later in the evening). Important: If you want to pour for yourself, you should always fill the other glasses too.
Also on this point, Russia and Poland agree – vodka is accompanied by food, and it is as plentiful as it is varied. In Poland, various sausage specialties and mushrooms are mainly used, while in Russia, at least 4-5 different dishes provide a good foundation for the vodka. These include delicacies such as caviar, pork belly, herring fillet and the aforementioned pickled gherkins, as well as many other meat, fish and vegetable delicacies.
Vodka is drunk neat
Another very important point for true vodka purists: vodka is neither watered down with ice nor stripped of its soul by mixed drinks. As we have already learned, accompanying water or juice is recommended; unlike beer or wine. In Poland, however, naturally flavored Flavoured Vodka , such as the famous Zubrówka Bison Grass Vodka , also has a long tradition and is particularly popular among the younger generation.
Before drinking comes a toast
Before drinking, a toast is always made. The host has the honor of the first toast, and with each subsequent glass, guests are also allowed to make one. However, one should not make the mistake of assuming that, as in our drinking culture, only crisp one-liners introduce the enjoyment of vodka. Rather, especially in Russia, one should speak of entire "toasting speeches" that can be as personal as they are profound and philosophical, or funny and anecdotal.
No clinking glasses
Even the clinking of glasses, which is an essential part of social drinking for us, is a no-go when drinking vodka. Instead, during the aforementioned toast, the glass is raised until the speaker has finished. Then, a benevolent nod and eye contact acknowledge respect. The glass is then emptied in one go and only then put down. Even with the longest toast, the glass is not put down during it; this is considered unfriendly and disrespectful.
No empty bottles on the table
Empty bottles on the table are frowned upon, as they can be interpreted as a harbinger of poverty. So they go straight to the recycling bin or alternatively just on the floor; the main thing is that they are no longer visible.
Bad vodka goes into the washing machine
As we already learned in the section on hangover prevention, one should only consume the purest, high-quality vodka possible. But it can still happen that you come across a vodka that you don't like or that is of inferior quality. In the first case, you can still use it to prepare cocktails that mask the taste of the vodka; in the second case, however, you should keep your hands off it.
However, this doesn't mean you have to throw the vodka away immediately – it's actually excellent as a "detergent" against foul-smelling stains and stubborn dirt. So you can simply add the vodka to your washing machine with your usual detergent to get particularly dirty laundry clean again.
To prevent this from happening in the first place, you can easily order your vodka from the high-quality and diverse range at delicando . You should now be able to answer the question "How do you drink vodka correctly?" and therefore nothing stands in the way of a successful vodka tasting. Have fun!
