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being_homeless had a get-together at a Pizzaria Uno in Porter Square, which was fun. But that's not really what I'm going to talk about. While we were there, I ordered a drink. I ordered "Grey Goose vodka, neat."
What I got was "Grey Goose vodka, up."
And it was served in a martini glass.
Okay, I don't mind that last part, really, although I was a little weirded to see that they put it on the bill as a "martini, Grey Goose, neat" (look, I understand that many authorities are accepting the idea that any cocktail served in a martini glass can be called a "martini" -- but I still don't accept the vodka martini as valid, and even the authorities who are willing to call the Cosmopolitan a martini wouldn't say that something with only one ingredient is a mixed drink, which a martini, by any definition, is), but I accept that, because a martini has more booze in it than a shot.
No, the problem was that it was served up, not neat.
"Up" means that you poured it over ice, either stirred or shook, and strained it into a glass. "Neat" means that you poured it into a glass. "Neat" means "room temperature" and "up" means "chilled."
Why would I want to drink the GOOD vodka chilled? Chilling it cuts down the vapors, which cuts down on the nose, and therefore the flavors. And it just generally dulls the taste.
I know this because the vodka tasted better after it warmed up some. Sure, maybe part of that was that the more I drink, the better things taste, but that wasn't all of it -- the last sip, which had finally gotten up to room temperature, was better than the first, ice-cold, one, even allowing for the effects of alcohol.
"Neat", "up." They're different, and they taste different.
being_homeless had a get-together at a Pizzaria Uno in Porter Square, which was fun. But that's not really what I'm going to talk about. While we were there, I ordered a drink. I ordered "Grey Goose vodka, neat."What I got was "Grey Goose vodka, up."
And it was served in a martini glass.
Okay, I don't mind that last part, really, although I was a little weirded to see that they put it on the bill as a "martini, Grey Goose, neat" (look, I understand that many authorities are accepting the idea that any cocktail served in a martini glass can be called a "martini" -- but I still don't accept the vodka martini as valid, and even the authorities who are willing to call the Cosmopolitan a martini wouldn't say that something with only one ingredient is a mixed drink, which a martini, by any definition, is), but I accept that, because a martini has more booze in it than a shot.
No, the problem was that it was served up, not neat.
"Up" means that you poured it over ice, either stirred or shook, and strained it into a glass. "Neat" means that you poured it into a glass. "Neat" means "room temperature" and "up" means "chilled."
Why would I want to drink the GOOD vodka chilled? Chilling it cuts down the vapors, which cuts down on the nose, and therefore the flavors. And it just generally dulls the taste.
I know this because the vodka tasted better after it warmed up some. Sure, maybe part of that was that the more I drink, the better things taste, but that wasn't all of it -- the last sip, which had finally gotten up to room temperature, was better than the first, ice-cold, one, even allowing for the effects of alcohol.
"Neat", "up." They're different, and they taste different.