Gin and Tonic fans? What's up with tonic water these days?

[Runner]

Vermouth goes bad. I believe it should be stored cold to extend.

I guess wine does too. I have a box full of old wine (probably 10 or 15 bottles) that came from my parents house when I cleaned it out for sale. They really didn't drink, but this had just been collected over the years.

I didn't know wine could go bad. I thought it just aged and "got better" as long as the bottle wasn't opened. However, every bottle of that wine I've opened has been terrible, bitter, etc., and had to be poured out. I'm not a wine drinker, but I'm sure it's not supposed to taste like that.

 

[WinterDeere]

Where do you buy the good stuff.

PA, being "The Quaker State" is one of the longest hold-outs on blue laws and state-controlled liquor, but even our State Stores (as we call our liquor stores) have both Carpano and Dolin. Carpano can be expensive, Dolin generally much cheaper, and both make a good dry vermouth.

Based on our usual dry vermouth choices here (M&R, Spatola, Dolin, Carpano), I always choose Carpano first, and Dolin when they're out of that. For sweet vermouth, I buy Carpano Antica Formula, or none at all... again based on our stores only usually stocking the above four brands.

But your stores likely have different brands than ours, so here's a good guide to reference:

Dry Vermouth: The Complete Guide

A comprehensive tasting guide to Dry Vermouth.

www.corpserevived.com

And I was being glib about "worst ever", Spatola is easily worse than Martini and Rossi. But once you switch from the ubiquitous M&R to some of the better or more interesting vermouths, you'll probably find you never go back.

Around here, bars in better restaurants generally stock Dolin. But the place I discovered the magic combination of Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth in a rye Manhattan was the lunch cafe at the Grand Floridian in Disney World, of all places. Those folks know their food, and drink.

 

[WinterDeere]

I guess wine does too. I have a box full of old wine (probably 10 or 15 bottles) that came from my parents house when I cleaned it out for sale. They really didn't drink, but this had just been collected over the years.

I didn't know wine could go bad. I thought it just aged and "got better" as long as the bottle wasn't opened. However, every bottle of that wine I've opened has been terrible, bitter, etc., and had to be poured out. I'm not a wine drinker, but I'm sure it's not supposed to taste like that.

Depends on type and how it was stored. Generally, low sugar wines stored at constant temperature do fine for many years. The higher the sugar content, and the more times it's temperature cycled or moved, the more chance of spoilage.

 

[Runner]

Depends on type and how it was stored. Generally, low sugar wines stored at constant temperature do fine for many years. The higher the sugar content, and the more times it's temperature cycled or moved, the more chance of spoilage.

Seems like somewhere I've heard that the bottles are supposed to be stored on their side, something to do about the cork staying wet or such thing. These were all stored just standing upright in a cabinet.

 

[WinterDeere]

Seems like somewhere I've heard that the bottles are supposed to be stored on their side, something to do about the cork staying wet or such thing. These were all stored just standing upright in a cabinet.

Yes, that’s the rule, for natural cork. But many have been using synthetic (plastic) corks the last 10-20 years, which might be less susceptible to that problem.

I notice the wines my wife drinks come with more and more twist caps every year. This used to be a sign of a cheap wine, but is now becoming more common on better wines. I suspect these may not shelf well for years, seems like more of a short-term storage solution.

I hate the synthetic corks, some are way too difficult to pull. Give me real cork, or a twist top. The issue is that there was an international cork shortage announced about 20 years ago, but I haven’t kept up with latest news on that, I don’t usually drink wine.

 

[tradosaurus]

Worst vermouth, ever.

How can u tell unless u are drinking it straight? That brand is all I’ve used in four years of making drinks.
I could make u a drink and I doubt u could tell.

 

[tradosaurus]

Total Wine and more. They have the good stuff, the bad stuff, and the in-between stuff.

Total wine also lets you sample certain whiskeys

 

[tradosaurus]

Where do you buy the good stuff.

“Good” is in the tastebuds of the drinker.
I try not to make a blanket proclamation about the taste of anything relating to whiskeys.
Although I will call BS on those YouTube reviewers of whiskeys. U know, the ones claiming to smell notes of caramel or toffee.

 

[WinterDeere]

How can u tell unless u are drinking it straight? That brand is all I’ve used in for years of making drinks.
I could make u a drink and I doubt u could tell.

That might be true, the way some make their martini with but a whisper of vermouth. But that’s not me.

I’ve made both side by side, two different gins (beefeater & sapphire), and two different vermouths (M&R & Dolin), and I could definitely tell the difference between vermouths in both gin mixes.

My Martini is the traditional 1:2 ratio vermouth:gin, not the new-fangled bone dry trend, so the vermouth actually matters.

 

[tradosaurus]

Seems like somewhere I've heard that the bottles are supposed to be stored on their side, something to do about the cork staying wet or such thing. These were all stored just standing upright in a cabinet.

We buy the wine by the case where u get free shipping from places like WSJournal or Wine insider.
Generally get good to excellent wine for about 8 dollars per bottle.

My wife won’t let the wine age more than a few months.