The Holiday Spirit
Organic spirits and more for the holidays. By Christy Harrison
Organic and sustainable spirits are relative latecomers to the American eco-food scene—largely because the organics movement initially focused on more, um, essential nourishment. These days, though, people are recognizing the benefits of organic and small-scale production for all kinds of goods, and the green drinks market is consequently taking off. In the U.S., it's starting with vodka, the top-selling spirit in the nation. Here are three of our favorite sustainable vodka choices—plus a couple of eco-friendly mixer ideas—that are sure to spice up your New Year's celebrations.
Square One Organic Vodka
(squareonevodka.com)
One of the first totally organic spirits to be made in the U.S., this vodka is ultrasmooth and creamy, making it a great choice for dry martinis—or straight up. The production specs made us feel extra-good about drinking it: Square One is made entirely from organically grown North Dakota rye, and it goes through a certified organic fermentation process before being distilled in small batches.
RAIN Organic Vodka
(sazerac.com/products.html)
A pioneer in the organic spirits world (the brand has been around since 1996), this vodka is made from 100 percent organically grown Illinois corn. It lacks the smoothness of Square One and some other premium vodkas, but it mixes well and works nicely in a sweet martini. With its sleek, sexy bottle, it also looks great in your home bar.
Charbay Green Tea Vodka
(charbay.com)
Everybody's jumping on the green-tea bandwagon these days (often with not-so-tasty results) but this vodka, made with real green tea, is an exception. We loved its authentic flavor, which hits the palate first, along with a subtle hint of sweetness. The family-run California company also offers excellent plain and flavored vodkas, made with real fresh fruit, including blood orange and grapefruit.
Modmix Organic Pomegranate Cosmopolitan Mixer
(mod-mix.com)
Launched last spring, Los Angeles–based Modmix aims to organicize the entire alcoholic beverage experience. We found this cosmopolitan mix perfectly pomegranate-y, and not too sweet—nothing like the cloying pink concoctions you drank in college (or while watching reruns of Sex and the City).
Soda-Club Home Soda Maker
(sodaclubusa.com)
We got a bit obsessed with this DIY soda machine, which turns tap water into club soda without using electricity: It runs on CO2 canisters that you send back to the company when empty (they refill and reuse them). Once you’ve made the soda, add any flavoring you want. Ditch the syrups that come with the machine and make your own using juices, fruits, or herbs. (Check out plentymag.com for our homemade tonic recipe—a perfect complement to your fave eco-friendly vodka.)
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Comments
I want to give some recognition to a small company out of Wisconsin - Death's Door Spirits. This company has created two amazing products, a vodka and gin. Death's Door Spirits prides itself in supporting local agriculture and sustainability. Death's Door Vodka uses only organic wheat grown on Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin. And the juniper berries for the gin are picked wild on Washington Island. Death's Door Spirits actively participates and supports local farmers and agriculture. Death's Door is generating a buzz around Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Death's Door is another company worth noting in this growing field of sustainability.
www.deathsdoorspirits.com
Posted by:benny2run |December 16, 2007 2:22 PM