# Martinis: I drink 'em with Vodka. Feels wrong. Gin-educate me. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [June 8, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755 "2011-06-08T16:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/81 "2011-06-14T01:47:14Z")
The results are in from the weekend: Bombay Sapphire (dirty) gin martini = how the hell did I wait so long to drink gin?! Beefeater gin martini = different in a good way, but not better to the point I would only drink Beefeater. Unfortunately, to sample and switch things up, time will be burned. Can’t pound back martinis all week! You guys rock. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/82 "2011-06-14T01:49:45Z")
I like Beefeater a lot for G&Ts. Give that a shot when you want a martini break. Also look into the humble Gimlet, it’s a fantastic drink, and my drink of choice on a hot summer night. Go with something like Sapphire that has less bite for that one though (or Plymouth or whatever.) ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/83 "2011-06-14T02:16:48Z")
Oh, last random thing to add: there’s a type of gin, often called Genevar or Dutch gin. It is yellowish rather than clear and often comes in dark or opaque bottles. **Do not buy this to use in a regular gin drink!** It’s a related-yet-totally-dissimilar booze, with a flavor more like calvados or a harsh brandy. Perfectly decent as a novel tipple, but it will make for the least palatable martini you’ve ever drunk. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/84 "2011-06-14T12:11:40Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I like Beefeater a lot for G&Ts. Give that a shot when you want a martini break. > > Also look into the humble Gimlet, it’s a fantastic drink, and my drink of choice on a hot summer night. Go with something like Sapphire that has less bite for that one though (or Plymouth or whatever.) Beefeater is the perfect G&T gin. Give that a try one warm summer afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/85 "2011-06-14T12:20:13Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Also look into the humble Gimlet, it’s a fantastic drink, and my drink of choice on a hot summer night. Go with something like Sapphire that has less bite for that one though (or Plymouth or whatever.) For a long time, a vodka gimlet was my drink of choice. I’ve slowly moved into liking gin, but I’ve abandoned the gimlet; I should give it another try. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/86 "2011-06-14T12:39:40Z")
My sister likes gimlets. I’ve not ever made one, but I like limes and gin, so I’d probably like it. Do you use Rose’s Lime Juice or real lime juice? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/87 "2011-06-14T13:04:30Z")
To make a gimlet, you have to use a fortified (sweetened) lime juice, but you can either use Rose’s or make your own with fresh lime juice and simple syrup, or even gel lime slices in sugar for half an hour and then muddle with more lime juice to get the desired consistency. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/88 "2011-06-14T13:25:13Z")
Oh - I thought Rose’s was sweetened lime juice. I’ve never used it; I’ve just cut up limes whenever I needed juice. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/89 "2011-06-14T13:32:07Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Oh - I thought Rose’s was sweetened lime juice. I’ve never used it; I’ve just cut up limes whenever I needed juice. Rose’s is sweetened lime juice. I think you misunderstood what he was saying: in the sweetened lime juice category, you can either use Rose’s or make your own. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/90 "2011-06-14T13:41:25Z")
Yes, I did. I blame it on the fact I’ve only had three cups of coffee. Or the French. Your choice. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/91 "2011-06-14T17:50:06Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > To make a gimlet, you have to use a fortified (sweetened) lime juice, but you can either use Rose’s or make your own with fresh lime juice and simple syrup, or even gel lime slices in sugar for half an hour and then muddle with more lime juice to get the desired consistency. > > Stranger Never use Rose’s for anything. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/92 "2011-06-14T18:04:21Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Never use Rose’s for anything. Roses is really odd to me, but I like it from time to time in my gimlet, when I’m feeling old school. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/93 "2011-06-14T18:11:19Z")
Uggh. Rose’s is so foul. I have now broken myself of ordering any cocktail that I think anyone might use Rose’s for. I have taken to ordering ingredient-by-ingredient (of course, never for anything with more than three) to avoid any possibility of getting Rose’s near my drink. That stuff is an abomination. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/94 "2011-06-14T18:54:00Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Never use Rose’s for anything. Except a Gimlet… the recipes I’ve seen specifically call for the bottled lime juice product, not fresh juice, and Rose’s is pretty much the top of that mountain. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/95 "2011-06-14T19:12:52Z")
Ah, well whatever model you have varies from mine. Never heard of a gimlet specifically requiring “bottled lime juice product.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/96 "2011-06-14T19:34:16Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Ah, well whatever model you have varies from mine. Never heard of a gimlet specifically requiring “bottled lime juice product.” There’s a bit of debate on the matter. There are many who say it’s not a real gimlet if it _doesn’t_ have Roses. I actually like the recipe [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimlet_(cocktail)) from the Fifty Seven Fifty Seven bar at the Four Seasons, which splits the difference and has some of that tell-tale taste of Rose’s, cut with fresh lime juice. I strongly associate gimlets with the oddball flavor of Rose’s, so it doesn’t taste quite right to me without it. As long as we agree that vodka doesn’t belong in a gimlet. Before I started calling my gin, I’d just ask for a gimlet and they’d make it with whatever the well gin was. Now, I’ve noticed I can’t do this, as a generic gimlet will often get me a vodka gimlet. “Gin gimlet” sounds stupid to me. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/97 "2011-06-14T19:44:21Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > As long as we agree that vodka doesn’t belong in a gimlet. I once ordered a gimlet and was asked what kind of vodka I wanted. A part of me died that day. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755/98 "2011-06-14T20:01:46Z")
A pro bartender acquaintance says a martini is made with gin, so if you’re making it with vodka it ain’t a martini. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martinis-i-drink-em-with-vodka-feels-wrong-gin-educate-me/584755.md?page=4)