A whole new way to be environmentally responsible when drinking a spirit. Interesting, fun ,and good. rare combination
Notes: I have to admit when I saw the email note I had to sigh… Someone was sending me some Misadventure, I thought “Oh No Not again ! Not another one…
It turned out it was a product on the second read, not an experience. I have to admit it is a catchy name and yes we have all had some vodka fueled misadventures in our day, but this was the name of their vodka !
Well , I’ve seen a lot of different ways that people attempt to define their products as green, social responsible, environmentally responsible , organic, etc., etc., but I have to admit this is the first time I have seen recycled….
Misadventure Vodka uses surplus baked good from local food banks as the feedstock – read the material used to make the fermented and distilled alcohol to produce their product.
This is usually either a grain, fruit, or vegetable that is minimally processed make it suitable for fermentation, then later distillation. This is not the case with this vodka. Misadventure uses baked good ranging from Jalapeño bagels to blueberry muffins and every form of bread and baked good in between to make their vodka. Each bottles uses about 2 pounds of baked goods in some form to produce a 80 proof 750ML bottle of vodka. The fact that this is recycled/reclaimed grain is an important point on the global food and alcohol markets and especially for poor people or rich people who want to help the poor ( or at least not contribute to their problems).
Every pound or kilo of grain ( or other foodstuffs) that is bought and used for alcohol production fuels demand in the market and drives prices higher for people who are trying to buy it for food ( such as bread) the more that is bought by a alcohol company the more expensive it gets for the poor to buy it to feed themselves. This is the only alcoholic spirit I know of that does not contribute to raising the price of grain to the poor – indeed it lessens the demand for grain – albeit a small amount but it is a laudable goal, and one no one else is doing. It also has less of a carbon footprint by recycling the baked goods, less methane from it rotting in a landfill, and conserves more land and resources by not being shipped and buried in a landfill. As Misadventure calls it “Hedonistic Sustainability”
The other statistics are a bit more conventional; batch distilled 12 times in a custom pot still, filtered 180 times, etc., but unlike a lot of green/socially responsible craft products it’s cheap too which is a refreshing changes. It retails for about $22 a 750 MLso it is much closer to Titos or a lot of other value brands than a premium such as Avian Fashion Victim Vodka.
Appearance: Silvery clear, on swirling it leaves a thin even coat on the glass
First Impression: Some grain , but mostly fairly clean ethanol notes, slightly fruit notes.
Taste: As usual ( for me) tasted at room temperature , clean entry with minimal burn or heat, slightly drying around edges of tongue but smooth. Clean finish with minimal aftertaste or traces of off notes.
Drinks: Great on its own also plays nicely with almost anything you can throw at it.
Bottle: A dark green wine bottle with somewhat of a punt on the bottom. Nicely done graphics on front label ( even if not the highest production values I have seen – they want to keep the price down) and a funny story line on the back label which is all part of its charm.
Other: Crafted to reduce/eliminate gluten content for the gluten intolerant among us.
Final Thoughts:Great idea, Great Vodka, Great People, Great Outlook on Life and Misadventures.
Only complaint is the water could be a touch more interesting with some more minerality to it. Price point is very attractive for a craft and green product.
Website: www.misadventure.co
Fairly straightforward and easy to navigate webpages with a fair amount of information about the vodka, the people who make it , and a lot of statistics about food wastage that should make you feel better about buying this vodka over another one that is actually raising the price of grain for people trying to not stave.