Archive for the ‘Liquor’ Category

Calories in Vodka: Does Brand Matter?

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

vodka tonic caloriesOne question seems to come up somewhat often: for calorie purposes, does the brand of vodka make any difference? Is Grey Goose calorically any better or worse than Smirnoff, Absolut, Skyy or well vodka? NOPE!

So, that’s why the liquor calories page only lists vodka by proof, which is 80 or 100. Unless specifically noted, vodka is 80 proof, though Absolut, Smirnoff and Stoli do offer the 100 proof variety. The rule of thumb:

Calories in a Shot of Vodka (1.5 ounces)

  • 97 – 80 proof
  • 121 – 100 proof

Note that there is one exception to the 97 and 121 rule in Devotion Vodka. Devotion has added protein, so even though it’s 80 proof, it checks in at 105 calories. Aside from the exception, in anything labeled “vodka,” all of the carbohydrates have been fermented into alcohol. There’s no residual sugar, and the calorie count is a direct result of its proof. So, what makes premium vodka any different than the stuff in plastic bottles? (more…)

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How and What Americans Drank During Prohibition

Sunday, October 17th, 2010
Appalachian Moonshiners

A rural moonshining outpost

In keeping with the Boardwalk Empire theme, it was time to figure out how people drank during Prohibition, because it’s clear that the flow of alcohol was dampened rather than cut off. Prohibition Agents ranged from inept to corrupt, as agents often used their training to flip to the dark side (much like ex-military working for Mexican drug gangs). Onto the sources of booze during the “Dry Age,” circa 1920-1933. Circa because certain states took longer than others to adopt the amendment as state law. In order from largest sources to the smallest:

  1. Imported Liquor – Canadian Club whiskey was initially manufactured in the United States and called “Club Whiskey.” At some point its founder moved factories across the Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario. Eventually the name changed as well. During United States prohibition, Canadian Club massively ramped up production and with Detroit’s proximity to Chicago, it was Capone’s main business. Why buy whiskey in Atlantic City if it was being made less than 300 miles away? The other main import was rum from the Caribbean. So-called rum runners would bring the stuff over on boats small enough to escape detection by the Coast Guard. (more…)

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Protein-Laced Devotion Vodka: We Have a Situation

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

The Jersey Shore’s Mike Sorrentino, aka the Situation, is now an equity partner in a new niche of liquor. With 2 grams of casein per ounce and a half (shot), Devotion Vodka’s pitch: vodka with protein!

Jersey Shore's The Situation flirting with a transvestite

Not realizing a tranny - now that's a situation!

Unfortunately, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. To be nerdy and scientific: our bodies have metabolism priorities. When there’s alcohol in the system, the body isn’t worried about growing or preserving muscle. The highest priority is to metabolize the alcohol into various by-products. Essentially everything else goes on hold, so that extra protein is likely going to be stored as fat, making it no different than adding carbs to the drink. You can’t simultaneously be getting wasted and bigger.

Jersey Shore's The Situation after realizing that he was flirting with a transvestite

The Situation is a little disturbed by the transvestite incident, but shrugs it off

The one purpose the casein (protein) could serve is to make the drinker feel fuller. Casein, a milk protein, does tend to have that effect because it is relatively slow to digest. So, if drinking Devotion Vodka causes you to avoid that late night pizza, it’s a good tradeoff. Otherwise, just stick to regular vodka and you’ll be better off for having had less calories.

Calories in Devotion Vodka: 105

For a 1.5 oz serving, calculated by taking the calories in vodka, 97, and adding 8 (2 grams of protein x 4 calories per gram)

Devotion Vodka runs around $30 per 750mL bottle and like Tequila Avion, is currently available in major U.S. markets.

[Ed. Note - The Situation is also endorsing a pre-workout pill, NoX Edge, which will not be reviewed here, but I will say that the general class of supplements is not particularly useful.]

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Product Review: Tequila Avion

Friday, August 27th, 2010

This site’s first product review, Tequila Avion, has emerged on the radar of premium tequila due to its inclusion on HBO’s popular Entourage. The product placement is explained by the NY Post as a result of the long-standing friendship between an Avion founder and Doug Ellin, the main writer of Entourage. Suffice to say, it’s an effective and likely zero cost way to get an advertising campaign off the ground.

Tequila Avion Silver (80 proof, 100% efficiency)

Tequila Avion SilverFor those not too familiar with the tequila-making process, silver is the first level for tequila, bottled shortly after distillation. Avion offers a reposado and añejo as well, which are aged in oak barrels and have a more yellow-ish hue. And to be clear: not all yellow-hues are the same. Jose Cuervo gold has added coloration, which has nothing to due with aging or oak.

In any case, I ended up with a bottle of silver, so that’s what I’ll be reviewing. Make no mistake: this is a premium tequila and the test of a premium tequila is whether it is pleasurable to drink on the rocks. I assure you that Cuervo, Sauza and El Jimador are not. Tequila Avion is.

Before heading out to the bar one night, I had a few friends to sample it with me. Their initial responses varied from “Holy sh*t, this is awesome” on the high end to “It’s OK, but a bit smoky for my taste” on the low end. Then I ran to a corner deli and got some limes. The change was demonstrable. Whatever edge existed was taken off by a small amount of fresh lime juice and the result is a winner, poised to compete with Patrón in the high-end tequila market. The bottle has changed since Entourage, as “foreshadowed” by Turtle. The sides have raised lettering “LLEGADA” and “SALIDA,” Spanish for arrival and exit, perhaps a nod to its founders’ background in the airline industry.

Tequila Avion label

Hand-labeled -- kinda neat

Maybe I wasn’t such a large fan of its marketing interwoven with a major Entourage plot, but I am a fan of the beverage. Considering it’s efficiency and flavor, out of 5 stars, I give Tequila Avion Silver:

✭✭✭✭ 1/2

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Calories in Gin: Does Brand Make Any Difference?

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Unlike vodka, which is typically 80 proof, though sometimes 100 proof, gin brands vary in strength between those two numbers. So, yes, brand absolutely matters. And like distilled spirits, gin has zero carbs, juniper berry flavoring.

calories in gin martiniGin Calories and Proof by Brand

Brand Calories per Shot Proof
Beefeater Dry 114 94
Bombay Dry 104 86
Bombay Sapphire 114 94.4
Booth’s 109 90
Burnett’s 97 80
Gordon’s 97 80
Hendrick’s 107 88
Seagram’s 97 80
Tanqueray 115 94.6

How Many Calories are in a Gin and Tonic?

Obviously, that’s a loaded question since all gin and tonics are not made equally. If we use a breakdown of 6 ounces tonic and 2 ounces of 94 proof gin (a 3:1 ratio poured into a highball glass), its yields 194 calories. But, you could use more gin, weaker gin, less tonic, substitute club soda, and any other number of variables, so go ahead and take your best guess and put that into the virtual mixologist.

How Many Calories are in a Martini?

Another tough question. But again, we’re going to play around with some common numbers and throw those into the calculator app.

  • Dirty Martini: 135 calories (1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire, .25 oz extra dry vermouth .25 oz. olive juice, 3 olives)
  • Dry Martini: 132 calories (1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire, .5 oz. extra dry vermouth, 1 olive)

So, what’s the conclusion here? That I used too many rhetorical questions in this post. And that that the brand makes some difference due to strength. For the calorie conscious, it’s more important how much gin you’re drinking and what you’re mixing it with.

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