When it comes time to stalk up on adult beverages for the holiday season, you have plenty of options. Whether you are ordering ahead or relying on ordering from an after hours alcohol delivery service, you can choose from a wide range of alcoholic drink options. Vodka and gin are consistently two of the more popular options regularly enjoyed at get-togethers and parties. While both alcoholic beverages have some similarities, they do have a wide range of differences that set them apart.
Below we highlight 5 differences between vodka and gin.
Raw Materials
The term “vodka” came from “Voda” which is the Russian word for water. This shows that water is a base constituent of vodka. Along with water, ethanol is often mixed with different raw materials to create vodka.
Gin, on the other hand, contains distilled malt and grain combined with juniper berries. This is why you can feel the flavor of juniper when drinking gin. It is noteworthy that the original name of gin is Genievre, but it was later shortened to gin by English consumers.
Taste
With just a small sip you are able to pick up on the notable difference in the taste between these two clear alcoholic beverages. Since ethanol and water are the base ingredients of vodka, this alcoholic drink is considered a neutral spirit. As a result of this, it is fairly tasteless.
Comparatively, gin has a more distinctive taste. A traditional gin is made up of eight herbs that are often utilized for extracting its Juniper berries and mixed with the distilled malt and grain of gin. This leads to the more distinct taste and strong herbal notes of gin.
Classification
According to many experts, gin is believed to be a flavored vodka. This is because these two alcoholic drinks look alike, but gin has a distinctive flavor. You can even redistill gin from vodka by adding some specific spices and herbs to it. Nonetheless, you cannot classify vodka as a form of gin. Notably, vodka cannot be made from gin.
Serving Process
When it comes to serving both beverages, vodka is quite different from gin. Generally, vodka is best served and preferred chilled. Whether you are serving vodka straight up, on the rocks, as a shot or in a mixed drink, the colder the beverage the better the drink. In comparison, gin can be enjoyed at any temperature, though it is most often served chilled. A typical gin drinker will enjoy the unique flavours of the drink, no matter the temperature.
As A Mix for Cocktails
As noted above, vodka doesn’t have a particular taste or odor. Therefore, it is usually easy to mix various kinds of ingredients with vodka to prepare numerous types of cocktails. A few of the common vodka cocktails include White Russian, Sex on the Beach, Moscow Mule, Screwdriver, Bloody Mary, Black Russian, and Vesper Martini. Gin already has its own distinctive flavour, therefore, when mixing with certain ingredients, you can come across conflicting flavours. For the best result, mix gin with ingredients that have straight flavours such as a gin and tonic or a gin martini.
When preparing for your holiday parties, it is probably a good idea to have both vodka and gin available for your guests. Sticking with traditional versions of each is always a safe bet, as not everyone enjoys flavoured vodkas and gins, as well these versions limit your mixing ability. If your party is in full swing and you notice that you are beginning to run low on either vodka, gin or any other alcoholic beverage, don’t worry, reach out to your local after hours alcohol delivery company for a quick and easy top up.