Do Vodka Drinkers Like Mojitos?

[freshherbs]

A friend and I are having an argument. We are both in the bar business and want to find ways to upgrade people from vodka to rum

She says that vodka drinkers (read: cosmos, v&t's) love mojitos and that it is an easy way to get them to try rum.

I say that vodka drinkers don't drink mojitos. They like their cosmos and if we want them to drink rum, we should make cosmos with rum.

any thoughts on this?

[Della]

Vodka drinkers do drink Mojitos since Mojitos are full of mint and suger and therefore don't taste too much like rum. (in my opinion). I personally think it is a case of sweet vs not sweet most of the time when someone tries a drink outside of their normal cocktail. If you like sweet drinks they you are often willing to try another sweet drink but if you don't like sweet drinks then you usually stick with what you normally drink - like a martini or something straight up or on the rocks. This is just a general stereotype but I think it holds fairly true across the boards.

When you say "upgrade" from vodka to rum does that mean you charge more for rum than vodka?

[KatieLoeb]

A properly made mojito does taste like rum. Problem is most places make them with way too much sugar or simple syrup and then they just taste sweet and minty with a little lime thrown in.

Vodka drinkers (unless they're drinking it up or on the rocks), clearly do not like the taste of alcohol. They like the taste of whatever is masking the alcohol in their beverage of choice.

[Curlz]

Well, I'm going to throw a wrench in your data, folks...

I'm a vodka drinker ('tho it's rare for me to drink it on the rocks), and I love a good mojito! But I'm with Katie--don't make it too sweet. For me, that's not about wanting to taste the rum as much as it is about my not liking sugary stuff. And I love anything tart, so a GOOD mojito is a beautiful thing in my book!

My two cents!

And PS, my first mojito is still one of the best I've ever had--at Cafe Atlantico in D.C.

[Della]

I have to say I drink both vodka and rum

[freshherbs]

Vodka drinkers do drink Mojitos since Mojitos are full of mint and suger and therefore don't taste too much like rum. (in my opinion). I personally think it is a case of sweet vs not sweet most of the time when someone tries a drink outside of their normal cocktail. If you like sweet drinks they you are often willing to try another sweet drink but if you don't like sweet drinks then you usually stick with what you normally drink - like a martini or something straight up or on the rocks. This is just a general stereotype but I think it holds fairly true across the boards.

When you say "upgrade" from vodka to rum does that mean you charge more for rum than vodka?

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no, I meant upgrade more in the way that I am a snob and like rum better than vodka...

[Jenny McClure]

I drink both too. It all depends on the mood or if I'm in place that I know does a good mojito. If I"m not sure I'll stick with vodka

[The Cocktail Guru]

I drink both too.  It all depends on the mood or if I'm in place that I know does a good mojito.  If I"m not sure I'll stick with vodka

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mojitos = yum!

if a vodka drinker says they don't like mojitos, they're lying! and if a vodka drinker refuses to drink a mojito, just make one for them and tell them it's made with vodka in it - then when they're half-way done, break the news that in fact, it's rum.

[joey madison]

I'm with Brian on The Family Guy. Give me both my martinis and my mojitos.

[bobmac]

Being a martini drinker, had a sip of a mojito once. It was good -- for a soft drink.

[Bill Poster]

Vodka drinkers are more likely to try Cachasa-based cocktails than rum. Cachasa has a better image than rum(younger/'trendy') hence the massive growth seen in bars over in the UK(vodka drinkers are likely to be style/image concious)

[goldie]

I like both, too. But, if you are trying to convert non-sweet vodka drinkers, then a mojito isn't the way to go. I like rum and soda with a lime or rum and tonic with a grapefruit wedge. Not too sweet (although I concur that a well made mojito isn't very sweet). Plus, I think in general people tend to use vodka as a "go to" base because they are more familiar with it and know the brands better. Ask the general public to name three rum brands and you'll get Bacardi, Bacardi, Bacardi. Also, rum is what you drink on vacation, vodka has a more serious image.

[Curlz]

I like rum and soda with a lime or rum and tonic with a grapefruit wedge. Not too sweet (although I concur that a well made mojito isn't very sweet). 

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YES, YES, YES!!

And I'd like to submit Mount Gay and tonic w/a piece of lime as a shining example.

[Jean Blanchard]

Since we're talking mojitos with some experts, what's the best recipe?

I also am a martini drinker who loves mojitos. Best one so far, a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta. In fact, several restaurants in PV.

[GordonCooks]

I drink "EVERYTHING"

[rockandroller]

I think you'll get a lot of widely varying answers to this question. I am a vodka drinker but when I drink vodka, as with almost any liquor I drink, I prefer to drink it straight or on the rocks, maybe with a lime (vodka). I like the taste of it and I don't want to "mask" it with some crappy sugar and cranberry juice or coke or what have you. I really don't like sweet drinks at all. I'm mainly a wine drinker and rarely, rarely even order something like sangria - it's nice with a really spicy meal when it's really hot out, but other than that if I want a sweet drink like pop or lemonade or something, I have it, but that's a separate thing to me than alcohol.

I moved to drinking liquor straight years ago because A) I couldn't taste the liquor in mixed drinks, and B) because I don't need the extra calories. If I want juice, I'll have it - if I want liquor, I'll have that, but why double up on the calories. I know that sounds anal but we're talking a lot of calories in most sweet drinks versus those in 1 oz of liquor. And I'm not into artificial sweetner - there are enough chemicals in daily life, so keep your splenda to yourself

In answer to your Q, while I admittedly don't know a lot about rum because it's generally used in sweet, mixed drinks, which I don't like, I certainly wouldn't consider it an "upgrade" next to my glass of Grey Goose or Ketel One, and it would be hard to get me to sample, let alone regularly order a rum drink.

[slkinsey]

Since we're talking mojitos with some experts, what's the best recipe?

Have a look in this thread.

[Bill Poster]

White neutral spirits will always be more popular. Unless you're a JackDaniels fan!

[DrinkBoy]

The best way to help somebody migrate to a different spirit or drink, is to simply make them a "good" drink.

When I'm invited to other people's house for dinner, they often ask me to bring stuff to make cocktails. I will always ask them if there are particular spirits I should avoid... then those are the ONLY spirits I bring. Knowing their tastes in general, I make them drinks with a spirit they "think" they hate, but by the time the night is over I've shown them the errors of their ways.

It's no so much getting "vodka" drinkers to switch to "rum" by convincing them to try a Mojito, but it's about helping the vodka drinker gradually evolve their palate.

Vodka (in my opinion) is the "Training Wheels" of spirits. Or you can think of it (again, in my opinion) as the "White Zinfandel" of spirits. People start off with it because it is so approachable. The only flavor it brings to a cocktail is the bite of the alcohol, so this allows a "newbie" a very gentle introduction.

One problem that occurs when people try to move off of vodka, to something like gin, is that if they try this with a Martini, then they get a very rude experience. Since the traditional/modern Martini has devolved into simply being a glass of cold vodka, if they try to make a gin Martini in the similar way, they will get a glass of cold gin... it is important to note that of all the main spirits (rum, brandy, whiskey, tequila, vodka, gin) gin is the ONLY one that is not expected to drink neat. Gin is a "mixing" spirit, and is best used when making a true cocktail.

If you want to help vodka drinkers discover other spirits, then create a great cocktail program that properly celebrates the other spirits, but not in an overly magnified way.

To introduce folks to gin, I like to use the Pegu Club Cocktail, or the Jasmine. The Jasmine is an easy sell, all I have to do is ask them if they like grapefruit juice. If they do, then they'll love a Jasmine.

-Robert

[Ed Hamilton]

When we discuss rum, we have to realize that rum is the most varied of all distilled spirits ranging from a white spirit straight from the still to an aged dark spirit that will rival a good whisky or cognac, depending on whether the rum was made from sugar cane syrup or molasses and how long it was aged. In my view, the biggest obstacle in introducing imbiders to rum, again, is to overcome their prejudice for the cheap rum they've drunk in the past.

Being a martini drinker,  had a sip of a mojito once. It was good -- for a soft drink.

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For a soft drink? I encourage you to have a good ti punch and you'll never look at rum the same way.

[Rebecca263]

... it is important to note that of all the main spirits (rum, brandy, whiskey, tequila, vodka, gin) gin is the ONLY one that is not expected to drink neat. Gin is a "mixing" spirit, and is best used when making a true cocktail.

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I like gin on ice with a slice of lime. Maybe a bit of salt on a plate, for licking after, too, but it's not necessary. Does that count as a mixed drink? Gin has an intoxicating floral thing going on, that I can't get enough of!

[freshherbs]

who doesn't like licking salt off of a plate