Indulge in clean, green booze
2008-06-11 14:34
Idaho - Call it hedonistic environmentalism. Or maybe just eco-conscious imbibing.
Either way, those who want their dirty martini to be a little cleaner are increasingly pouring organic spirits into their glass.
"I was shopping at the farmers market, using fresh produce in my cocktails and really loving that high-end cocktail experience," said Allison Evanow, who in 2005 created one of the nation's first entirely organic spirits, Square One vodka.
"But that whole organic kitchen philosophy hadn't really ever gotten to the bar. Once I had the idea in my head and did a little bit of research, I finally said, 'This looks like it's an unmet need."'
So far, the market has agreed. At least three hotel chains -Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Kimpton Hotels - now carry organic beverages in their bars. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay offers Square One cocktails at his newest restaurant.
To be certified by the US Department of Agriculture as an organic alcohol, the spirit must be made of ingredients grown on certified organic farms and processed in a certified organic distillery. That means no pesticides and fertilisers on the grains and no nitrogen or other chemicals in the distilling process.
Organic distilleries even have strict rules about what pest controls can be used to keep rodents or bugs out of grain warehouses.
"Being organic means that we're being nicer to the earth," Evanow said. "And to be certified, you can't fake it by putting citric acid or glycerine in that bottle to mask that off flavour. There's a lot of quality involved in being organic."
The next step
Most drinkers have been exposed to organic beer or wine, said Matthew Von Ertfelda, vice president for restaurants and bars for Marriott International Inc. Organic spirits are the next step.
"The whole organic, greening trend is so widespread now, and guests are increasingly aware of it when it comes to their beverages," Ertfelda said.
Cocktails have always been susceptible to trends. Think of the legions who ordered their martini shaken, not stirred, after James Bond made his famous utterance, or the women who ask for cosmopolitans, thanks to Carrie Bradshaw of the hit TV show and film Sex and the City.
Vodka, which is essentially flavourless compared with many other hard liquors, has been at the centre of many alcohol trends, said Gray Ottley, director of Distilled Resources Inc, an organic distillery in Rigby, Idaho.
He cited the introduction of Absolut, which made vodka a stylish choice for young urban professionals. Then came Skyy Spirits, which claimed a purity that would help avoid a post-drinking headache, Ottley said.
"Then we had a brief movement of the next five to seven years of different raw materials (making) a difference in your flavour," he said. "The final movement, currently now, is edging on organics."
The United States has been relatively slow in joining the trend. Juniper Green Organic London Dry Gin from the United Kingdom claims to be the first organic London dry gin, while UK5 organic vodka claims to be the world's first certified organic of its kind.
Both are products of The Organic Spirits Company, as is Highland Harvest Organic Scotch Whisky, Papagayo Organic White Rum and Papagayo Organic Spiced Rum.
Anna Jovancicevic, a spokesperson for the Distilled Spirits Council, said drinkers are taking more of an interest in classic cocktails, with many making homemade bitters and infusions out of locally bought organic produce.
"People associate organic with higher quality. Some people think it's healthier to consume things made with no artificial flavours. Even non-organic spirit companies are infusing with natural flavours now," Jovancicevic said. "Now we're seeing organics trying to gain some market share."
- AP