Vodka is ubiquitous in various places that are not its origin because this alcoholic beverage is drunk almost in all countries. The difference between affordable and expensive brands becomes difficult to notice as well with many manufacturers improving the taste of their distilled liquor such as the familiar names like Ketel One Vs Smirnoff. These brands are easily available almost everywhere you travel and taste great too but, you may want to know a little more about these brands before deciding to get a bottle.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Why Human Like Drinking Alcohol
- What are Ketel One and Smirnoff
- How are the Variants of Ketel One and Smirnoff
- How are the Production Process of Ketel One and Smirnoff
- How are the Taste of Ketel One and Smirnoff
- Ketel One Vs Smirnoff
Alcohol and Drinking Habit
Even in modern days like now where people can command various home products just by their voice and can lock or unlock the front door while you are miles away or at a different part of the world, we as humans still carry some of our predecessors’ habits and one of them is getting drunk. The information and research regarding why humans consuming it in the first place or even who take the credit inventing the beverage is still a mystery even today.
What we all know is that alcohol is a very simple molecule but has incredibly complex effects. For the general public or people who are not professional or having an education around the subject, it is difficult to pinpoint where this habit comes from. No matter where the person is coming from, most of us are familiar with a certain type of alcoholic beverage whether it is just for the terms or actually consuming them from time to time.
In general, people love to get drunk because it can ease stress temporarily and the fact is that many people will use them to help them calm down and forget about whatever problem they currently have for a moment. From the scientific point of view, the alcohol chemical is reducing stress by increasing the uptake of a neurotransmitter called GABA which is the brain’s primary inhibitory molecule. By sending more GABA to the brain cells, alcohol works in a similar way to tranquilizer drugs such as Xanax and Valium.
However, alcohol also affects many other neurotransmitters too because besides GABA, it is contributing to the joys of inebriation by reducing the uptake of glutamate or the brain’s premier excitatory molecule. Both GABA and glutamate have different effects on different brain regions and furthermore, it is quite complicated. In your prefrontal cortex the effect taking place is inhibition so it is why our judgment is flawed when drunk, making us can’t think clearly. It also affects our point of view to only what we personally see.
At the same time GABA is also affecting the release of dopamine and makes you happy, similar in all varieties of addiction. What many may not be aware of is alcohol affects the release of endorphins or the internal opiates which makes you feel good. While the external substance is illegal, our body can make this by its own just with the help for example an American martini. Young people may drink to feel more, to experience all sorts of emotions and mood while adults like us perhaps drink to feel less and to mute our thoughts.
About Ketel One and Smirnoff
Drinking can be a habit and can be a method to ease some stress but, it is necessary to always know your limit because in an excessive amount it is harmful and even deadly both for you and for other people. Now leaving the gloomy side of alcoholic beverage, let’s go to the fun side because with everything taken into account, drinking can help you relax, warm the body during winter, or just as an entertainment, moreover when you enjoy their distinct taste.
While alcohol is known to be drunk for its effect, many of them are actually tasty and have attractive flavors depending on the ingredients and method to brew them. For example Sake Vs Rice Wine with their delicate and clean taste that match well with various dishes. If you are here then Vodka is what fit in your palate the most. It is strange to call Vodka something we enjoy for the flavor because they are meant to be like water, clear and versatile.
This makes the liquor easy to blend with other beverages and other liquor to make your favorite drinks but, while is known for the lack of flavor, strangely not all Vodkas are the same nor taste exactly identical. There are plenty of names to choose from the bottom shelf to some prestigious expensive options for your special occasions. Some of the best for budget shoppers are Ketel One and Smirnoff which we are sure almost everyone is already familiar with.
Ketel One is originated from Netherland and by Nolet distillery which has been in the business since the late 1600s. As the name suggest, this brand got the name from how the beverage is distilled as it is utilizing copper pot still while the name itself is taken from Distilleerketel #1. It is very popular among bartenders and vodka aficionados for good reason and this reason is being tasty. Smirnoff on the other hand is very budget friendly, not offensive and is great for mixed drinks.
This Russian brand is currently owned by the British company Diageo but the origin of this beverage is from Moscow and founded by Pyotyr Arsenievich Smirnov during the 1800s. It is one of the most worldwide known Vodka by being marketed in more than a hundred countries, making it not surprising that Smirnoff becomes the largest selling spirit brand as well.
Ketel One and Smirnoff Variant
While known as neutral liquor, it doesn’t mean Vodka is boring because this is exactly why you can find lots of brands adding new flavors in their products, especially with this beverage that originally doesn’t really have a distinct or strong taste. Smirnoff is not only popular with their original No.21 bottles but also the more fun and light Smirnoff Ice and its large numbers of flavored Vodkas. You can find typical flavors such as green apple, watermelon, raspberry, etc.
If you notice, there are numbers on Smirnoff bottles such as No.21 and this is varying based on the alcohol content yet the aforementioned is what takes the spotlight. As for Ketel One, everything is much simpler in this beverage because they only have several different flavors in the collection besides the original bottle. These flavors are cucumber & mint, peach & orange blossom, and grapefruit & rose on the Botanical variant while they also have Oranje and Citroen from the regular line.
Ketel One and Smirnoff Making Process
As everyone knows, alcohol is a product of fermentation and this is why starch rich ingredients are used in the making of alcohols, including Vodka. For Smirnoff and Ketel One, the two are grain based and Smirnoff itself, while originating from Russia, has been distilled in the U.S for more than 8 decades. It is made using corn and each batch of the beverage is distilled three times, filtered ten times with white birch hardwood charcoal for 8 hours.
On the other hand, Ketel One is made from wheat which is claimed to be the finest quality and 100% GMO free from Europe. What makes this Vodka special is the copper pot distillation using coal and said to be hand-stocked that cost 8 hours to finish. This process is to remove the harsh heads and weak tails to leave only the hearts. This heart and result from the copper pot still are individually filtered and blended to create Master Pot Still which is then mixed with UWS and water into your Ketel One vodka.
Ketel One and Smirnoff Taste
Now for the taste, there will be mixed experiences because not all of us have the same preference so it can be very subjective. But, in overall comparison Ketel One is probably smoother and less expressive than Smirnoff in terms of showing the alcohol content. Smirnoff is available in several different proofs from 80, 90, and 100 proof depending on what you like better. It is rather bland but also has a hint of sweetness and just slightly floral scent that seem to go unnoticed by most people.
Ketel One on the other hand is made of wheat so you may notice the bread-like scent in the beverage. However, besides being inoffensive and smooth tasting, this vodka is also surprisingly rich in flavors that somehow show a bit of anise and lemon oil notes which probably makes it very popular being used in cocktails, thanks to the slight acidity. But, for mixed drinks like Gin, we do recommend using their Botanical line with an even richer flavor.
Ketel One vs Smirnoff
Vodkas may be clean and clear that makes them versatile being combined with other ingredients but they are not exactly the same to each other. Ketel One and Smirnoff are great choices for budget shoppers as they are still among the affordable options. In comparison Ketel One is smoother and probably also great drunk as it is in cold glass with ice or in room temperature as well as being used in cocktails. Some people like to drink Smirnoff as it is but this brand is more popular with other ingredients.
| Ketel One | Smirnoff |
|---|---|
| - More expensive | - More affordable |
| - Originated from Netherland | - Originated from Russia |
| - Wheat based | - Grain/corn based |
| - Have more distinct flavor | - More subtle |
Conclusion
These brands are good choices to start from but we recommend to try them yourself and see which best for your typical drinking setup. In our opinion Ketel One is a safe bet if you can spend the budget both for drinking it straight and for making cocktails.