Grizzly Growler

Growing up on the 45th parallel, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole has its bonuses. There is nothing really extreme about it. It does not have the spiciness and humidity of the lower latitudes nor the cool remoteness of the upper latitudes. You get a lot of rainy, gray, overcast days and television shows like Gray’s Anatomy. You get really good Pinot Noir and Burgundy wines. Hops tend to grow well there, and people from elsewhere seem to want to move there.

But drop a degree south, and you’ve got something altogether different. Vodka.

In Idaho’s famous potato belt, which, incidentally, is the 44th parallel, the production and distillation of vodka was almost a no-brainer. I’m just glad someone had the brains to do it.

44 Degrees North produces everything from flavored vodkas to a premium soft winter wheat vodka that is everything I’m starting to think a Rocky Mountain vodka should be. Clean and with a consistency like heavy silk, 44 Degrees North carries with it a hint of that Rocky Mountain water purity and all the clear goodness of Idaho’s soft winter wheat.

A chilled shot served neat will give you a clear picture why micro distilleries in Idaho and Eastern Washington are taking home the biggest prizes in the liquor world. No medicinal or vegetal tastes are discernible, and even when the drink is warmed, only the brightest esters consistent with good vodka are released on the nose and on the palate.

Even bruised by ice, as in a martini, 44 Degrees North comes across superbly clear tasty. While mixed into a cocktail like the classic lemon drop or a cosmopolitan, it serves as a big backbone for the tart and citrusy flavors rather than a thin, veiled alcohol in lower-grade vodkas.

Try the Mountain Huckleberry Vodka or the Rainier Cherry Vodka if you’re into flavored vodkas. They are both made from Idaho’s famous potatoes. But,  if you’re into high-end tasty vodkas for food or martinis, try the Wheat Vodka. They all are available at Grizzly Liquor in Missoula.

Nazdrovia,

GG