What else do you think I should give the Wheel & Skull treatment to? Get bottles shippped right to your home: bit.ly/drinkgreatspirits Twitch: bit.ly/2VsOi3d H2D2: bit.ly/YTH2D2 twitter: bit.ly/H2DTwit instagram: bit.ly/H2dIG Blog: bit.ly/H2DBlog Patreon: bit.ly/H2DPatreon Gear: amzn.to/2LeQCbW Blind taste test and rank 10 vodkas - ruclips.net/video/75bAgWXLh3g/видео.html Make an Old Fashioned with ANYTHING - ruclips.net/video/aXw6GH1JKbs/видео.html Moscow Mule - ruclips.net/video/6X0oO5OZzLQ/видео.html Cosmopolitan - ruclips.net/video/vKv8cnh2ocU/видео.html
Fun fact, Bison Grass grows in North America and Eurasia, and is called "Sweetgrass" by the Indigenous Americans - commonly used as a smudge or incense.
i think this demands a followup episode of "lets try making a cosmo with every different wacky flavored vodka we can" to see if it really is that adaptable.
I love how expressive Greg is. Like you can see his soul leaving his body with every spin of the wheel and then he tries the mango pineapple white russian and says it's good and you can tell he's being honest because he looks so angry about it.
@@13mungoman13 If you go to either Massachusetts or England, they have cities there that go by the name "Worcester", pronounced "Woostuhr". It's Old ( Middle? ) English spelling. The same fuckery goes on with the name "Happisburgh", which is pronounced "Hays-Burruh / Hay's-Burrow".
I've watched a lot of HTD, and I'm sorry, but this might be the best episode I've ever seen. The Villain Origin Story had me rolling. Love having more Meredith interaction. Best drinks? No. Best Greg-torture moments? No. Best all around? May be.
"The Wheel and Skull" is a rad name for a fantasy tavern. I'd be down for more randomized base-liquor shenanigans (you've been working hard being mean to yourself, Greg, you should take a break and do a less dread-inducing episode!)
I think the next game should just be, "Will It Cosmo?" Take all your flavored vodkas and make a bunch of cosmos. If you're feeling really daring, round it out with other clear liquors.
I love Merediths input on things recently, hearing the back and forth between you both really adds to the casual laidback cocktail bar vibe of the show. Hope you keep the banter up in future episodes!
Honestly, i was surprised how many bartending videos, on multiple channels, work a lot better with an amateour/layman around to jump in here and there. Educated Barfly, HTD, Anders.. it's like bringing in the regular public into that 'scene'.
I love it, too. It made me sad that it was so lost in flavor in the episode. I normally don’t mix it with anything, just on ice and some lemon or lime. I feel like it would taste well with floral stuff, though.
In Poland Żubrówka is the cheap vodka you get when you don't want to spend even an extra dollar on something else. It's honestly one of the worst ones.
IIRC isn’t the American version made with imitation bison grass flavoring? I’ve never gotten around to trying it but I want to try it with apple juice (maybe carbonated apple juice)
@@howtodrink Making horrifying drinks and explaining them (which you basically do 🤣). Or I guess you could tell short scary stories while making drinks.
@@13thMaiden Have Greg the Crypt Keeper be making strange and unique cocktails while telling (fictional) stories about the horrifically scary origins of said drinks
@@howtodrink I was kind of picturing The Twilight Zone but where Rod Serling is mildly sloshed and interrupts the episode to give his drunk commentary on whatever story is going on
I just went to Poland 6 weeks ago and fell in love with Zubrowka (the bison grass one)! I thought it was really refreshing, they serve it extremely cold. The best drink I had in Krakow was Zubrowka mixed with apple juice and cinnamon. It tasted like if an apple pie were an agua fresca or something! 😋
Apple juice and Żubrówka is a staple of Polish drinks if you don't want to drink it straight:D Personally I like it with cherry juice too (cranberry juice is not very popular in Poland and if you can get it I find it overly sweet)
Strongly agree with Meredith that it’s more exciting to select the cocktail and then spin the wheel. The click click click of the wheel is very dramatic!
@@Entac1165 knowing the drink first gives you the hilariousness of the old switcheroo. Pull out the drink. "Oh, this drink has such and such flavors, it'll probably pair will with vodkas 1, 2, or 3." Spin the wheel. "Aaaand we just spun bison grass vodka. FUUUUUUCK" Also, while they're selected with equal randomness, that doesn't make them equally random. "Weird vodka flavors" has an additional level of randomness that "standard vodka cocktails" does not.
@@nitePhyyre 100% agree that’s what I was thinking! It actually gives you a sec to think what would be good and bad and you get something to hope for on the wheel. The vodka first dosnt mean much as far as anticipation for what’s in the skull
This wheel episode idea got me thinking… I would love to watch a “mad libs” style random drink builder episode. Not sure if that is the best way to concisely describe what I’m picturing in a few words but hear me out. You can have somewhere between 3 to 5+ separate “pools” of ingredients (for example, pool #1 base spirits, #2 liqueurs, #3/4 mixers, #5 garnish/miscellaneous). Then you can either pull each random ingredient from a hat (or multiple wheels if you wanna be xtra fancy!). I would suggest being able to void and/or “respin” one undesirable ingredient each cocktail as to reign the drinks in a bit to avoid a “cursed” result. Or not, cursed cocktails are fun too lol. It would be hilarious if Meredith had the ability to override one respin and as a result forcing you to respin one of the other “good” ingredients instead. Another idea in a similar vein would be a game of “cocktail telephone”. Like the whispering kids game of telephone but with well known classic cocktails. You can start with an old fashioned or a margarita or whatever and altering one random ingredient several times and handing them to Meredith to try to guess what the starting cocktail was originally. Only clue being how many steps away it is from the original. I like my first suggestion more to be quite honest but either one could be fun with several tweaks. Cheers!
I enjoy Greg's energy and delivery when discussing cocktails. But the additional Meredith interaction is just great. Both of you are very honest with your reactions and descriptions of the various drinks.
Love how Meredith heavy this episode is... you two can riff off each so well and having another cocktail enthusiast with slightly differing tastes is quite refreshing.
If you really think no one likes Żubrówka, ask any Polish person! We hard-carry that stuff to be #3 in the world. The most popular way to drink it is in a Szarlotka, which is Żubrówka, Apple juice, and a dash of cinnamon (let's be honest that's totally optional, especially for the third one). People also drink it straight, ideally very cold. If this is an option for you, try to smuggle some in from Canada, since they're allowed to use the original recipe here. I haven't tried the US variant but I think common consensus is that it's slightly worse.
Żubrówka & apple juice is one of my favourite vodka drinks. ❤ I only tried it 'cause the cashier at the liquor store asked if I'd tried the combination when I bought it for the first time 😀
I've had the original version and the American import version; there's no comparison. The original is *so so much* better. The American version is too sweet and too chemical... Greg nailed it with "plasticky". The original is dry and crisp and just a little aromatic... it's really amazing.
Too bad pretentious people like him think you should only be using the most high end alcohol and never use flavored drinks. Even though different alcohols can just be a flavored version of another...
@@rottenbatzz My guess is that a lot of people don't like the syrupy sweet way a lot of them come off and it's just too sweet overall in some cases. The flavored vodka market was a lot bigger several years ago and I miss many of them, they were turning literally every type of treat into a vodka form. There was even a buttered popcorn vodka. Most of the oddball flavors are gone now, so there's numerous brands of the same standards like peach, blueberry, citrus...flavored whiskey is now going exotic though.
You've got a vodka that looks like dirty dishwater, smells like dirty laundry, and you're making it into a dirty martini (with some very dirty olives). I would like to propose that it be titled the "Dirtiest Martini". Edit: holy shit I actually hadn't seen the end product yet, that looks distressingly like the greywater I used to end up with after washing up dishes on backpacking trips. It looks like the shit we'd pour out of the wastewater jug under our old portable kitchen sink. It's like an Aviation from hell. What the fuck.
You'd actually be surprised, over here in Europe (at least in France, and some other countries I've been to, especially Poland) Zubrowka (the Bison Grass vodka) is really popular. It's always been my vodka of choice when I don't want to use a basic Absolut or Greygoose that tastes like nothing. We usually drink it frozen in shots, or in some cocktails (the Moscow Mule is actually one of the best that comes to mind !). And the tradition is that whoever finishes the bottle has to eat the blade of grass inside.
@@maxcarrasco260 We may be weird, but people I've had it with always loved the earthy taste combined with the ginger ! Though I admit we most often drink it frozen as a shot.
Some flavored vodkas are alright depending on the mixture. I once mixed Smirnoff's Watermelon -Mint, Passionfruit Parrot Bay (I KNOW), and cherry 7 up. it was like a tropical mojito Shirley Temple lol. I ran out within two minutes at a party with friends.
Great episode. Gotta say, I like the back and forth between you and Meredith, it brings a new dimension to these as well as another rhythm. It also helps with the comedy, since, not only do you have an audience to the jokes, she can also participate and bring it further. It makes the entire thing less formal, in a sense. Great job!
"Did we learn anything"? Well, Meredith learned that Kahlua tastes of coffee. And she learned it on camera, so even if the mezcal kicked in later, she can get this reminder. That's something, right?
EXCEPT in the end-in the cocktail-it tasted like chocolate, which is the phenomenon that Meridith had in mind when she didn't think Kaluha tasted like coffee (Palthough on it,s own and in non-sweet cocktails it ,of course, tastes strongly of coffee)
@@LupinYonderboy US law is really strange on how vodka is processed. To be sold as Vodka it must meet the following "The standard for vodka provided that it was neutral spirits distilled from any material at or above 190 proof, reduced to not more than 110 proof and not less than 80 proof and, after such reduction in proof, so treated as to be without distinctive character, aroma, or taste.". It is my understanding that flavor/color part has been removed since its 1949 inception but its still basically rubbing alcohol and ruined.
@@antiKhaos I think I learned that on Good Eats way long ago. US Law for food products is hilarious and beautiful. The differences between what an energy supplement vs an energy drink legally, for example. The legal definition of ham cracks me up. Leaving that tangent aside, it's amusing to think when you add vodka to a drink that the only thing you are adding to it is alcohol.
I’ve watched Morbius. Twice. And unironically liked it. That’s obviously a terrible comparison, but Greg’s got the better villain origin story. His Joker impression had me dying! 😂
"That actually may not be... that might not be... it might not be good-" Strong words coming from a man in the bargaining stage of denial. Love this dude
I think the strawberry lemonade bloody mary could work in a "fruit salsa" way, but you'd have to pull the horseradish to taste anything else... Same with the bison grass mule, lean into the grassy/herby flavors. Now, the dirty blue martini, I'm stumped. That sounds like a prank on new pledges at the world's bougiest frat house
Bison grass is great when chilled. Worled with a polish guy for a couple of weeks and every shift would end with a clove of gralic and a shot of chilled bison grass. Good times.
I'm very glad you made that Mango Pineapple White Russian because I have a drink I guess I invented one drunken night at a party and have since been trying to convince people that it is a solid drink for a long, long time. It's a combination of Grape vodka and whole milk. I was originally taken as a pull from a plastic bottle of Grape vodka and a strangers gallon of whole milk I took from their fridge at a party in college. It's called the "Creamy Concord" and it's shockingly delicious. I've since tried to do it as a proper shot and a shot with a chaser and as an actual cocktail and I've had varying degrees of success. Regardless of preparation, it basically feels like drinking a milkshake and it's not bad in the slightest. I highly recommend trying it out and once again, thank you for vindicating me with the fruity flavored vodka and dairy combination.
I believe real bison grass vodka is illegal in the US due to coumarin, the same compound which outlawed the culinary darling tonka bean. I wonder if the lack of coumarin in the US versions plays some part in the quality of what we can source?
Yes. Bison grass vodka in the states, afaik, works around the banned compound with flavorings, which makes an inferior product. When I was abroad, I picked up a bottle of authentic Zubrowka and it was divine. I haven't bothered with any of the analogues in the States.
That's interesting, because zubrowka bison vodka is actually quite nice. Certainly far from tasting like diapers. I'd assume the US version just isn't good
I did this exact same concept at a D&D party with 1-D20 of mixers and 1-D20 of liquor. It was VERY rough at times, but I discovered that coffee bitters goes great with Mezcal
When you decribed the Moscow Mule, and you described it as "weird", play dough was somehow what came up in my mind right before you said it. I remember drinking a liqueur that was literally play dough flavored. A lot of people were surprised that I had once tried to put play dough in my mouth
Is trying to eat play dough not something common for little kids? I know I tried it once. Kids gnawing on things they aren’t supposed to is pretty normal.
I actually had a fantastic cocktail with bison grass vodka a couple days ago in the Centurion lounge of the Denver airport. It had vodka, cachaca, dry vermouth, Suze, and a lime peel twist
Apparently a flavor in it is illegal in the US, so what they tried here is the company's attempt to recreate the flavor artificially. No wonder they didn't like it.
agreed. Most vodka, especially Russian vodka, tastes and feels like "I am here to get you drunk to survive Russian Winter; nothing more". Zubrowka is actually pleasant to drink.
Before 2010 Żubrówka (bison grass vodka) was illegal in the United States because the grass it is made from contains coumarin which the FDA classifies as a "substances generally prohibited from direct addition or use as human food. Since 2011 the manufacturers have made a version of Żubrówka from rye grain which aims to have a flavor similar to the original.
I must agree that cocktail first then spin the wheel would be better. You're taking the good cocktail, THEN bastardizing it. You start off good, then go terrible.
Bear in mind that I don't drink anymore and therefore haven't tried any of these. But, going off of my culinary palette which is still very well-tuned, I think the Bison Grass would be perfect in a dirty martini because of the vegetal grassiness in both the olive brine and the vodka. Then, the dairy in the blue cheese would smooth it out. If I were to make a drink using the blueberry one I'd probably start by steeping Tulsi Tranquility by David's Tea---maybe 4 perfect spoons in one 8-ounce jar filled with hot water left to steep for thirty-six hours and use that as the base, a splash of Ocean Spray Cranberry Grape Cocktail, 1 shot of the blueberry vodka, and maybe either 1 bar spoon of simple or 2 bar spoons of honey dissolved in water; And, probably a twist of lime. So, you get the sour herbal notes from the tea matching the sourness of the cranberry juice, the lime and the fake blueberry flavour both have floral notes to them, then fake blueberry and grape are rounded sweetness so they pair, and the bitter sourness of the lime would keep it from tasting flat. I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, but that sounds good to me.
The disrespect towards the Zubrowka is so rough. It's got a nice pleasant herbal flavor that cuts the edge off the vodka. It goes really wonderfully in fruity drinks. Traditionally in Poland it's drunk with apple juice or ice cold.
It may help to note that another commenter pointed out that in the US our Zubrowka is not the original formula, since part of the flavoring is illegal here. They tasted a version made with artificial workarounds that probably do not live up to the real thing.
Firstly, wanted to say I always learn something even from you. Im ignorant of most drinks but your format has helped me broaden my tastes. Second, your joker impression is really good!
Very interesting reaction to Żubrówka. I've had it neat and chilled both in Poland and the US and I love it. Actually prefer it over a lot of other vodkas. Tends to have some cinnamon flavors without the horrible rubbing alcohol flavor you get in most name brand vodkas. But, could just be a matter of opinion. Love the show!
I came here for this comment. I LOVE Zubrowka. I’m really sad they both hate it. I find it tastes more like cinnamon/ vanilla, but in a really complex way.
I'd have assumed strawberry anything in a bloody mary is gonna make it literally taste like bile. That particular kind of fruitiness just clashes unbelievably hard with tomato.
Also, I think it would have been worse had it been a syrup or juice of some kind. That would include sweetness, viscosity, tartness... this was just flavored vodka which at most is adding some fruit esters or oils and whatnot
Another saving grace is probably that it was not a strawberry flavoured vodka but a strawberry lemonade. The lemonade half of that pairing tends to be stronger than the berry.
i’m not a vodka person at all but there’s a jersey distillery called claremont in fairfield that makes a delicious blueberry vodka and spiced peach vodka
I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder at anything than when “where is your god now?” Popped up on screen. Hilarious video dude. You are a genuinely funny human.
I often drink the bison grass one, it's Zubrowka i think. Good vodka to drink neat or mix drinks with, can recommend. When i buy it here in Europe, it has a very slight "fresh" and herby smell / taste to it, very neutral. Methinks his bottle was a bit of a fluke or a bad export or whatever.
I've seen a few similar comments, which makes me wonder if the piece of grass in the bottle has a different profile depending on the time of year or location harvested. Or, if it's simply sat in the bottle longer than it normally would so it drew out unwanted flavours, like there may be a best time to drink it just because of the existing plant matter
Feels like anything that'd make a decent milkshake could go in a white russian. I'll also point out that I've had myself a fair share of peppermint white russians in the past and those work pretty darn well.
If you want to try something good using the Zubrowka: Zubrowka, apple liqueur, and lime is a great combo. I can't remember the spec I used the last time I made it, it's been a while. I think I also included simple and Bittermens' winter melon bitters.
I would love an episode where you give Greg the tasting notes from a drink made in an old episode and he attempts to recreate it with either limited or zero info regarding the original ingredients
Aw man, I was disappointed that Western Son's blueberry vodka was the one you hated. That distillery is by me and is great. Haven't tried the blueberry though, and certainly not in a dirty martini.
The blueberry one is easily the worst of their flavored vodkas IMO. The second I saw him pull out that bottle I cringed cause their stuff is usually pretty good. Their gin was surprisingly good as well IMO, it's very cucumber-y tho.
Not here for the Zubrowka slander - chill it, then try it. It's an amazing botanically-leaning vodka. On its own it's delightfully pleasant. also pls tell me where you found it
I Cant believe i Found this channel when it was just under 10k subs. It's fantastic seeing how much the content changed in Quality but still remains te same chill vibe. You got me in cocktails and I would love you have a bar like yours at my place
You should get 2 wheels, one for type of liquor/booze; the other for what brand/ make and and have certain ingredients in the side. Then have to think if a cocktail works within the stuff you get. It's a nice idea in my opinion, but plz reply with what u think
Episode idea: I feel like there's a certain class of cocktail bar (often associated with a small, local distillery) with a very 2022 style. Lots of vegetal flavors (beet, thyme, cucumber, jalapeño, rhubarb, basil), a weird proccupation with aquafaba, sometimes weird garnishes. Do people know what I'm talking about, or is this only in my town? I don't always love the style, but at least they're trying new things. I've love to see Greg exploring some of that stuff, just for a change of pace.
Have you considered just having Meredith behind the bar for a shoot? Or does she not want to? Because honestly, she adds a lot to some of these episodes, this one especially, and I think she would make for a good legitimate co-host for an episode or two.
Thank you for saying Worchestershire Sauce correctly, so many people butcher the pronunciation and it really grinds my goat. You can shorten it and pronounce it like "Wooster Sauce" too.
When I was a kid my sister triple dog dared me to take a bite out of a blueberry Lip Smackers. It tasted like awful artificial blueberry and wax and it was weirdly bitter. That’s what I imagine that blueberry martini tasted like.
When I was younger I'd enjoy taking shots of Ciroc pinapple or coconut with my non-whisky drinking cohorts, and vanilla vodka can be used for certain cocktails like a key lime martini. That's about all I think they're good for. Well, and now apricot cosmos and tropical white Russians (Cuban Missile Crisis?)
Once had a roommate follow the logic that, since vanilla extract is concentrated vanilla flavoring in alcohol, an increased amount of vanilla vodka would serve the same purpose. Fun science fact! Vanilla vodka is not an acceptable substitute for vanilla extract. Especially in large, flammable quantities.
This latest series has me dyin' laffin'. I love them all even though I think you must be suffering making them. My idea of flavored vodka is using it to make cranberry liqueur or limoncello. Adding flavors from somebodies chemistry set is a huge no-no yet, as you mention, there are so many of the disgusting things. There is no cocktail that can't be improved using regular vodka with the appropriate fruits rather than flavorings. Another alternative would be for you to spin the wheel 5 times and then use those flavored vodkas to make the best drink you can from them. Not something you would ever do BUT you might stand a better chance of figuring out a balanced drink you might not wince at too much.
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What else do you think I should give the Wheel & Skull treatment to?
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Blind taste test and rank 10 vodkas - ruclips.net/video/75bAgWXLh3g/видео.html
Make an Old Fashioned with ANYTHING - ruclips.net/video/aXw6GH1JKbs/видео.html
Moscow Mule - ruclips.net/video/6X0oO5OZzLQ/видео.html
Cosmopolitan - ruclips.net/video/vKv8cnh2ocU/видео.html
Hey Greg, I appreciate your videos and your charisma. I’m currently having finals and I cannot focus :) have a good day!
Basically every genre of drinks, this is great lmao
Flavored whiskeys
this was brilliant
Fun fact, Bison Grass grows in North America and Eurasia, and is called "Sweetgrass" by the Indigenous Americans - commonly used as a smudge or incense.
i think this demands a followup episode of "lets try making a cosmo with every different wacky flavored vodka we can" to see if it really is that adaptable.
Cosmo matrix but it’s one dimensional with just every flavored vodka imaginable. I love it
Boost this
Will it cosmo??
Hard Mode involves Malort. Or that awful thing he made for the Critical Role cursed cocktails video.
Just remember kids-the cranberry is just for color! 😃
I love how expressive Greg is. Like you can see his soul leaving his body with every spin of the wheel and then he tries the mango pineapple white russian and says it's good and you can tell he's being honest because he looks so angry about it.
The man can pronounce "Worcestershire" flawlessly, but "Horse Radish" throws him for a loop. Amazing.
He pronounces it woosh-turr-shurr, it's pronounced wuss-terr-shurr, no?
@@13mungoman13 wuss-ter-sheer
Same. I pronounce it "Worcester Shire Sauce" (because that's how it looks and name origins) and my brain takes a minutes to prepare for Horse Radish.
@@13mungoman13 If you go to either Massachusetts or England, they have cities there that go by the name "Worcester", pronounced "Woostuhr". It's Old ( Middle? ) English spelling.
The same fuckery goes on with the name "Happisburgh", which is pronounced "Hays-Burruh / Hay's-Burrow".
@@stankmcdankton6204 worce-ster is the way.
I've watched a lot of HTD, and I'm sorry, but this might be the best episode I've ever seen. The Villain Origin Story had me rolling. Love having more Meredith interaction. Best drinks? No. Best Greg-torture moments? No. Best all around? May be.
idk man that blue martini...
It is a very good ep.
I would love a "spirits tour." I have found myself wondering: how many bottles does this man have and what are they?
"The Wheel and Skull" is a rad name for a fantasy tavern. I'd be down for more randomized base-liquor shenanigans (you've been working hard being mean to yourself, Greg, you should take a break and do a less dread-inducing episode!)
Sounds like a blast!
I was just thinking a title of a fantasy series more so.
@@oliedmis97 At least the name of the Tavern you start the series in
I was thinking more of the name for a university secret society.
Has strong Monkey Island vibes 😊
I think the next game should just be, "Will It Cosmo?" Take all your flavored vodkas and make a bunch of cosmos. If you're feeling really daring, round it out with other clear liquors.
Everclear cosmo
@@mitchinatr7093 There’s our daring individual lmao
@@crysis9003 No that would be a methanol cosmo
Malört Cosmo
he should have used the bison grass vodka in the second cosmo
I love Merediths input on things recently, hearing the back and forth between you both really adds to the casual laidback cocktail bar vibe of the show. Hope you keep the banter up in future episodes!
after this episode, I'm also pretty jealous of Meredith's job! I wanna get paid to sip expensive Mezcal!
Honestly, i was surprised how many bartending videos, on multiple channels, work a lot better with an amateour/layman around to jump in here and there. Educated Barfly, HTD, Anders.. it's like bringing in the regular public into that 'scene'.
Zubrowka is one of my favorites. I truly love it. The Polish version is slightly better than the one we can get here in the US.
He just had an unlucky combination. Too bad.
I love it, too. It made me sad that it was so lost in flavor in the episode. I normally don’t mix it with anything, just on ice and some lemon or lime. I feel like it would taste well with floral stuff, though.
Here where it's made, żubrówka is for drinking through your pension on the mall porch.
In Poland Żubrówka is the cheap vodka you get when you don't want to spend even an extra dollar on something else.
It's honestly one of the worst ones.
IIRC isn’t the American version made with imitation bison grass flavoring? I’ve never gotten around to trying it but I want to try it with apple juice (maybe carbonated apple juice)
Oh this actually looks fun as hell
“Fun” is a strong word
@@howtodrink some people also think getting stepped on is fun so I’m not sure we’re all working on the same unit of measurement
@@grigoregruesome3606 Those people have pure bottom energy, Greg does not.
Oh no, hi Mike
The beginning makes me realize that I want Greg to be the host for an alcohol-based "Tales From the Crypt" like show
What would that show be though?
Wow, Jesse is here. Love your reactions =)
@@howtodrink Making horrifying drinks and explaining them (which you basically do 🤣). Or I guess you could tell short scary stories while making drinks.
@@13thMaiden Have Greg the Crypt Keeper be making strange and unique cocktails while telling (fictional) stories about the horrifically scary origins of said drinks
@@howtodrink I was kind of picturing The Twilight Zone but where Rod Serling is mildly sloshed and interrupts the episode to give his drunk commentary on whatever story is going on
I just went to Poland 6 weeks ago and fell in love with Zubrowka (the bison grass one)! I thought it was really refreshing, they serve it extremely cold. The best drink I had in Krakow was Zubrowka mixed with apple juice and cinnamon. It tasted like if an apple pie were an agua fresca or something! 😋
I've just been to Poland too and loved the bison grass! For anyone wondering it tastes like vanilla and almond and its quite sweet.
A simple cranberry and Zubrowka was quite nice too, I think it's a solid vodka too!
Zubrowka is good; all my Polish peeps love the stuff. Surprise HTD is ragging on it so much.
This is a classic combo in Montréal bars as a shot
Apple juice and Żubrówka is a staple of Polish drinks if you don't want to drink it straight:D Personally I like it with cherry juice too (cranberry juice is not very popular in Poland and if you can get it I find it overly sweet)
Strongly agree with Meredith that it’s more exciting to select the cocktail and then spin the wheel. The click click click of the wheel is very dramatic!
i honestly didnt really understand the difference since they are both random lol
@@Entac1165 knowing the drink first gives you the hilariousness of the old switcheroo.
Pull out the drink. "Oh, this drink has such and such flavors, it'll probably pair will with vodkas 1, 2, or 3." Spin the wheel. "Aaaand we just spun bison grass vodka. FUUUUUUCK"
Also, while they're selected with equal randomness, that doesn't make them equally random. "Weird vodka flavors" has an additional level of randomness that "standard vodka cocktails" does not.
@@nitePhyyre 100% agree that’s what I was thinking! It actually gives you a sec to think what would be good and bad and you get something to hope for on the wheel. The vodka first dosnt mean much as far as anticipation for what’s in the skull
@@nitePhyyre ah I see what you are getting at xD
I feel like it doesn't matter if you pick the vodka or the cocktail first, but whichever is going second should be on the wheel.
This wheel episode idea got me thinking… I would love to watch a “mad libs” style random drink builder episode. Not sure if that is the best way to concisely describe what I’m picturing in a few words but hear me out. You can have somewhere between 3 to 5+ separate “pools” of ingredients (for example, pool #1 base spirits, #2 liqueurs, #3/4 mixers, #5 garnish/miscellaneous). Then you can either pull each random ingredient from a hat (or multiple wheels if you wanna be xtra fancy!). I would suggest being able to void and/or “respin” one undesirable ingredient each cocktail as to reign the drinks in a bit to avoid a “cursed” result. Or not, cursed cocktails are fun too lol. It would be hilarious if Meredith had the ability to override one respin and as a result forcing you to respin one of the other “good” ingredients instead.
Another idea in a similar vein would be a game of “cocktail telephone”. Like the whispering kids game of telephone but with well known classic cocktails. You can start with an old fashioned or a margarita or whatever and altering one random ingredient several times and handing them to Meredith to try to guess what the starting cocktail was originally. Only clue being how many steps away it is from the original.
I like my first suggestion more to be quite honest but either one could be fun with several tweaks.
Cheers!
I enjoy Greg's energy and delivery when discussing cocktails. But the additional Meredith interaction is just great. Both of you are very honest with your reactions and descriptions of the various drinks.
Love how Meredith heavy this episode is... you two can riff off each so well and having another cocktail enthusiast with slightly differing tastes is quite refreshing.
If you really think no one likes Żubrówka, ask any Polish person! We hard-carry that stuff to be #3 in the world. The most popular way to drink it is in a Szarlotka, which is Żubrówka, Apple juice, and a dash of cinnamon (let's be honest that's totally optional, especially for the third one). People also drink it straight, ideally very cold.
If this is an option for you, try to smuggle some in from Canada, since they're allowed to use the original recipe here. I haven't tried the US variant but I think common consensus is that it's slightly worse.
we carry that stuff as one of the mainstay back bar spirits at my bar. whenever we have a cider on draft, Zubrowka cider is my shift drink.
Żubrówka & apple juice is one of my favourite vodka drinks. ❤ I only tried it 'cause the cashier at the liquor store asked if I'd tried the combination when I bought it for the first time 😀
I've had the original version and the American import version; there's no comparison. The original is *so so much* better. The American version is too sweet and too chemical... Greg nailed it with "plasticky". The original is dry and crisp and just a little aromatic... it's really amazing.
The idea of a brand getting to 3rd in the world solely on the power of a single county unified in drinking the hell out of it tickles me to no end.
@@cynon767 can confirm my polish mother refuses to buy the one here in stores because it "tastes like sh*t" compared to the one in Poland.
The white Russian just makes me want a peach flavored vodka for a peaches and cream type vibe
On the one hand, I could see that being good. On the other, sometimes vodka...doesn't bring out the best in fruit flavors...
Oliver peach pie wine that might be good for that. No idea tho
Too bad pretentious people like him think you should only be using the most high end alcohol and never use flavored drinks. Even though different alcohols can just be a flavored version of another...
@@FTRiRage i don't find him pretentious but i definitely don't get the hate on flavored alcohol :/ like some of them genuinely slap lol
@@rottenbatzz My guess is that a lot of people don't like the syrupy sweet way a lot of them come off and it's just too sweet overall in some cases. The flavored vodka market was a lot bigger several years ago and I miss many of them, they were turning literally every type of treat into a vodka form. There was even a buttered popcorn vodka. Most of the oddball flavors are gone now, so there's numerous brands of the same standards like peach, blueberry, citrus...flavored whiskey is now going exotic though.
You've got a vodka that looks like dirty dishwater, smells like dirty laundry, and you're making it into a dirty martini (with some very dirty olives). I would like to propose that it be titled the "Dirtiest Martini".
Edit: holy shit I actually hadn't seen the end product yet, that looks distressingly like the greywater I used to end up with after washing up dishes on backpacking trips. It looks like the shit we'd pour out of the wastewater jug under our old portable kitchen sink. It's like an Aviation from hell. What the fuck.
I love how much Meredith has been interacting!!! Though, kinda sad to see she didn't try the blue martini
I think she tried it off-camera, at one point she said she liked it better than the bison grass drink.
I feel like Meredith adds so much to the show, I'm glad she's more and more involved!
Who is she?
@@dimitarapostolov9788 she's the woman behind the camera. His producer I think.
Producer and editor I believe.
Pretty sure she's the producer and her wife's the editor.
Her wife or his wife?
"I don't like the smell of fresh cut grass"
And there goes Greg's dream of being a guest on Critical Role
but what is his opinion of Werther's candies?
Smiley day to ya!
I love when I see CR in other communities. Makes my day
He needs to make the new drinks from EXU! Bread and the Cloudtop.
You'd actually be surprised, over here in Europe (at least in France, and some other countries I've been to, especially Poland) Zubrowka (the Bison Grass vodka) is really popular. It's always been my vodka of choice when I don't want to use a basic Absolut or Greygoose that tastes like nothing. We usually drink it frozen in shots, or in some cocktails (the Moscow Mule is actually one of the best that comes to mind !). And the tradition is that whoever finishes the bottle has to eat the blade of grass inside.
A bison grass mule 🤔
Hmmm. An earthy sweet flavor?
There is a polish cocktail called a Tatanka which uses Zubrowka and tastes like apple pie. It's amazing!
Edit: grammar
@@drunkngenius I've had it when visiting Poland and can confirm it's amazing.
@@maxcarrasco260 We may be weird, but people I've had it with always loved the earthy taste combined with the ginger !
Though I admit we most often drink it frozen as a shot.
yeah I remember someone specifically making me a Zubrowka mule and I found it to be a fun riff on the original?
Some flavored vodkas are alright depending on the mixture. I once mixed Smirnoff's Watermelon -Mint, Passionfruit Parrot Bay (I KNOW), and cherry 7 up. it was like a tropical mojito Shirley Temple lol. I ran out within two minutes at a party with friends.
You invented the Malibu Old fashioned, didn't you?
Great episode. Gotta say, I like the back and forth between you and Meredith, it brings a new dimension to these as well as another rhythm. It also helps with the comedy, since, not only do you have an audience to the jokes, she can also participate and bring it further. It makes the entire thing less formal, in a sense. Great job!
As much as this is probably a cursed cocktail instalment, it also does showcase what cocktails are good to use a flavor vodka and what ones to not.
"Did we learn anything"?
Well, Meredith learned that Kahlua tastes of coffee. And she learned it on camera, so even if the mezcal kicked in later, she can get this reminder. That's something, right?
EXCEPT in the end-in the cocktail-it tasted like chocolate, which is the phenomenon that Meridith had in mind when she didn't think Kaluha tasted like coffee (Palthough on it,s own and in non-sweet cocktails it ,of course, tastes strongly of coffee)
Honestly the Zubrowka Krakow Mule thing actually sounds pretty dope to me, but maybe that just cause I already like Zubrowka
Yea I was really surprised with the hate on that one
@@LupinYonderboy US law is really strange on how vodka is processed. To be sold as Vodka it must meet the following "The standard for vodka provided that it was neutral spirits distilled from any material at or above 190 proof, reduced to not more than 110 proof and not less than 80 proof and, after such reduction in proof, so treated as to be without distinctive character, aroma, or taste.". It is my understanding that flavor/color part has been removed since its 1949 inception but its still basically rubbing alcohol and ruined.
@@antiKhaos wow, that's really interesting thanks! I'll look into this
@@antiKhaos I think I learned that on Good Eats way long ago. US Law for food products is hilarious and beautiful. The differences between what an energy supplement vs an energy drink legally, for example. The legal definition of ham cracks me up. Leaving that tangent aside, it's amusing to think when you add vodka to a drink that the only thing you are adding to it is alcohol.
I’ve watched Morbius. Twice. And unironically liked it.
That’s obviously a terrible comparison, but Greg’s got the better villain origin story. His Joker impression had me dying! 😂
ANOTHER ONE PLEASE! this was sooooo much fun and im making a few of these whenever i have the chance
"That actually may not be... that might not be... it might not be good-" Strong words coming from a man in the bargaining stage of denial. Love this dude
I think the strawberry lemonade bloody mary could work in a "fruit salsa" way, but you'd have to pull the horseradish to taste anything else... Same with the bison grass mule, lean into the grassy/herby flavors. Now, the dirty blue martini, I'm stumped. That sounds like a prank on new pledges at the world's bougiest frat house
Bison grass is great when chilled. Worled with a polish guy for a couple of weeks and every shift would end with a clove of gralic and a shot of chilled bison grass. Good times.
I'm very glad you made that Mango Pineapple White Russian because I have a drink I guess I invented one drunken night at a party and have since been trying to convince people that it is a solid drink for a long, long time.
It's a combination of Grape vodka and whole milk. I was originally taken as a pull from a plastic bottle of Grape vodka and a strangers gallon of whole milk I took from their fridge at a party in college. It's called the "Creamy Concord" and it's shockingly delicious.
I've since tried to do it as a proper shot and a shot with a chaser and as an actual cocktail and I've had varying degrees of success. Regardless of preparation, it basically feels like drinking a milkshake and it's not bad in the slightest. I highly recommend trying it out and once again, thank you for vindicating me with the fruity flavored vodka and dairy combination.
Love it when Meridith gets involved in this type of fun stuff.
greg’s reactions to the cocktails in this video and the customer is always wrong videos continues to kill me
I believe real bison grass vodka is illegal in the US due to coumarin, the same compound which outlawed the culinary darling tonka bean. I wonder if the lack of coumarin in the US versions plays some part in the quality of what we can source?
Yes. Bison grass vodka in the states, afaik, works around the banned compound with flavorings, which makes an inferior product. When I was abroad, I picked up a bottle of authentic Zubrowka and it was divine. I haven't bothered with any of the analogues in the States.
That's interesting, because zubrowka bison vodka is actually quite nice. Certainly far from tasting like diapers. I'd assume the US version just isn't good
@@crispycarrots I'm American and haven't been abroad and I quite like what they sell here, maybe I'm just tasteless though lmao
I did this exact same concept at a D&D party with 1-D20 of mixers and 1-D20 of liquor. It was VERY rough at times, but I discovered that coffee bitters goes great with Mezcal
When you decribed the Moscow Mule, and you described it as "weird", play dough was somehow what came up in my mind right before you said it. I remember drinking a liqueur that was literally play dough flavored. A lot of people were surprised that I had once tried to put play dough in my mouth
Is trying to eat play dough not something common for little kids? I know I tried it once. Kids gnawing on things they aren’t supposed to is pretty normal.
@@jacobschott6955 ive tried to eat a shelby cobra and a lamborghini or 2, cars arent very delicious, dont eat hotwheels kids 🤣
Greg turns into a cartoon when he's had a few drinks and it's incredibly entertaining
I actually had a fantastic cocktail with bison grass vodka a couple days ago in the Centurion lounge of the Denver airport. It had vodka, cachaca, dry vermouth, Suze, and a lime peel twist
"A New Kind of BAD"! Your reaction to blueberry dirty martini was Priceless!!!
I love bison grass vodka, had quite a bit of it when visiting Poland.
I agree with Meredith. Knowing the drink first is more fun.
The tasting notes are consistently fantastic in this show, but today, for the blue martini, they were flawless. 🍸
Oh god that bison grass vodka is super good! It's quite popular in Poland from what I hear.
Its a staple of our culture (:
Good with apple juice
It's the third-best-selling vodka in the world, trading places with Khortytsa!
Apparently a flavor in it is illegal in the US, so what they tried here is the company's attempt to recreate the flavor artificially. No wonder they didn't like it.
@@nevadanate4957 I mean I've only had the American version and I enjoy it
You should've shown Meredith's reaction to the blue martini because she's the one that wanted you to add so much olive juice.
I really like Meridith being more involved, it gives the show a sort of casual cocktail vibe where the bartender is chatting with the customer.
I've really loved having more back and forth between Meredith and Greg. You guys are killing it!
Definitely my fav episode, Meredith adds alot to the show.
Honestly, I think Bison Grass vodka is pretty nice. I've only ever had it straight though.
Imo it makes very good white Russians and espresso martinis
agreed. Most vodka, especially Russian vodka, tastes and feels like "I am here to get you drunk to survive Russian Winter; nothing more". Zubrowka is actually pleasant to drink.
It tastes great with apple juice as well
@@ericguse1967 Yeah, tastes like cinnamon apple cake.
@@ericguse1967 Agree! It tastes the best with a little splash of apple juice
Before 2010 Żubrówka (bison grass vodka) was illegal in the United States because the grass it is made from contains coumarin which the FDA classifies as a "substances generally prohibited from direct addition or use as human food. Since 2011 the manufacturers have made a version of Żubrówka from rye grain which aims to have a flavor similar to the original.
Similar is a strong word. I've tried them side by side and it's night and day.
@@PamPallett Similar comes from the makers of the spirit.
I must agree that cocktail first then spin the wheel would be better. You're taking the good cocktail, THEN bastardizing it. You start off good, then go terrible.
I agree - vodka first, then recipe kind of ruins the surprise/suspense.
I love Meredith's input, I wanna see her in more of the shows! Make her taste some of the cursed creations she makes greg drink
I love this show and I don't even drink anymore. Everything about this show cracks me up and puts a big smile on my face.
Bear in mind that I don't drink anymore and therefore haven't tried any of these. But, going off of my culinary palette which is still very well-tuned, I think the Bison Grass would be perfect in a dirty martini because of the vegetal grassiness in both the olive brine and the vodka. Then, the dairy in the blue cheese would smooth it out.
If I were to make a drink using the blueberry one I'd probably start by steeping Tulsi Tranquility by David's Tea---maybe 4 perfect spoons in one 8-ounce jar filled with hot water left to steep for thirty-six hours and use that as the base, a splash of Ocean Spray Cranberry Grape Cocktail, 1 shot of the blueberry vodka, and maybe either 1 bar spoon of simple or 2 bar spoons of honey dissolved in water; And, probably a twist of lime.
So, you get the sour herbal notes from the tea matching the sourness of the cranberry juice, the lime and the fake blueberry flavour both have floral notes to them, then fake blueberry and grape are rounded sweetness so they pair, and the bitter sourness of the lime would keep it from tasting flat. I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, but that sounds good to me.
I love myself some Bison Grass Vodka, either straight and ice cold or mixed with some cloudy apple juice.
The disrespect towards the Zubrowka is so rough. It's got a nice pleasant herbal flavor that cuts the edge off the vodka. It goes really wonderfully in fruity drinks. Traditionally in Poland it's drunk with apple juice or ice cold.
IKR? Zubrowka is a little weird, but definetly not bad at all.
It may help to note that another commenter pointed out that in the US our Zubrowka is not the original formula, since part of the flavoring is illegal here. They tasted a version made with artificial workarounds that probably do not live up to the real thing.
I love the stuff, I prefer up no ice.
I don’t drink(Straight edge). Yet, this is some of the best content on RUclips. Thanks Greg!
Firstly, wanted to say I always learn something even from you. Im ignorant of most drinks but your format has helped me broaden my tastes.
Second, your joker impression is really good!
Very interesting reaction to Żubrówka. I've had it neat and chilled both in Poland and the US and I love it. Actually prefer it over a lot of other vodkas. Tends to have some cinnamon flavors without the horrible rubbing alcohol flavor you get in most name brand vodkas. But, could just be a matter of opinion. Love the show!
I love Żubrówka, too. I think, for Americans, it helps to approach it not as flavored vodka but as it’s own unique national drink, tho.
It's very popular in my bar in England, I tend to mix it with apple juice which works great!
I came here for this comment. I LOVE Zubrowka. I’m really sad they both hate it. I find it tastes more like cinnamon/ vanilla, but in a really complex way.
I usually drink Grasovka neat and for me it’s just a softer vodka doesn’t really taste like much. I always thought Zubrowka was the same?
I'd have assumed strawberry anything in a bloody mary is gonna make it literally taste like bile. That particular kind of fruitiness just clashes unbelievably hard with tomato.
It was bad.
Strawberry can have a weak flavor so it was probably overpowered by horseradish
It's kinda like that drink in the Venture Bros episode he did that was mostly grenadine and tomato juice...
Also, I think it would have been worse had it been a syrup or juice of some kind. That would include sweetness, viscosity, tartness... this was just flavored vodka which at most is adding some fruit esters or oils and whatnot
Another saving grace is probably that it was not a strawberry flavoured vodka but a strawberry lemonade. The lemonade half of that pairing tends to be stronger than the berry.
i’m not a vodka person at all but there’s a jersey distillery called claremont in fairfield that makes a delicious blueberry vodka and spiced peach vodka
Yo spiced peach vodka sounds awesome.
@@JonnyViper it’s peach and ginseng
Oooh spiced peach?? I'd say that with some ginger ale, maybe a bit of amaretto? Yeahhhh....
I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder at anything than when “where is your god now?” Popped up on screen. Hilarious video dude. You are a genuinely funny human.
This needs a second episode, I’m crying from laughter
I often drink the bison grass one, it's Zubrowka i think. Good vodka to drink neat or mix drinks with, can recommend.
When i buy it here in Europe, it has a very slight "fresh" and herby smell / taste to it, very neutral. Methinks his bottle was a bit of a fluke or a bad export or whatever.
I've seen a few similar comments, which makes me wonder if the piece of grass in the bottle has a different profile depending on the time of year or location harvested. Or, if it's simply sat in the bottle longer than it normally would so it drew out unwanted flavours, like there may be a best time to drink it just because of the existing plant matter
The US has a slightly different version which can't contain coumarin. I think in Canada we get the real thing
Feels like anything that'd make a decent milkshake could go in a white russian. I'll also point out that I've had myself a fair share of peppermint white russians in the past and those work pretty darn well.
If you want to try something good using the Zubrowka: Zubrowka, apple liqueur, and lime is a great combo. I can't remember the spec I used the last time I made it, it's been a while. I think I also included simple and Bittermens' winter melon bitters.
I'm sure that would be good if he could get the real stuff. The Zubrowka you get in the states is nothing like the real stuff and absolutely gross.
There was a real chaotic energy in this video and I am totally here for it
Also, I love how much Meredith was in this episode!
I would definitely like to see more of these! Flavored vodkas have come a long way since the 80's. Some are quite good now.
I love Bison Grass vodka - mix it with Martinelli's and it's like an apple cake.
I would love an episode where you give Greg the tasting notes from a drink made in an old episode and he attempts to recreate it with either limited or zero info regarding the original ingredients
Aw man, I was disappointed that Western Son's blueberry vodka was the one you hated. That distillery is by me and is great. Haven't tried the blueberry though, and certainly not in a dirty martini.
Man, same here. Simply lemonade and WS blueberry. So good!
Yes! It can be good when used correctly! Great for fun fruity cocktails in my opinion
The blueberry one is easily the worst of their flavored vodkas IMO. The second I saw him pull out that bottle I cringed cause their stuff is usually pretty good. Their gin was surprisingly good as well IMO, it's very cucumber-y tho.
I love when it seems like the second, third (or dare I say fourth) episode you've filmed in a day...
and my husband puts up with the fact I have a mancrush...Love the videos! :)
The Cosmopolitan break in the middle was my favorite part!
I KNEW the pineapple mango thing would be good! I lowkey really wanna try it
And we need more Meredith, btw!
Love watching Greg and Meredith get progressively more drunk as the episode goes on,
Not here for the Zubrowka slander - chill it, then try it. It's an amazing botanically-leaning vodka. On its own it's delightfully pleasant. also pls tell me where you found it
💯. A beautiful tipple
I Cant believe i Found this channel when it was just under 10k subs. It's fantastic seeing how much the content changed in Quality but still remains te same chill vibe. You got me in cocktails and I would love you have a bar like yours at my place
The Blue Cheese Olive in the Martini being a Chicago thing is spot on and I love it
There are plenty of tropical cocktails with pineapple and coffee. I could've guessed the mango-pineapple White Russian might have been decent. Haha.
You should get 2 wheels, one for type of liquor/booze; the other for what brand/ make and and have certain ingredients in the side. Then have to think if a cocktail works within the stuff you get. It's a nice idea in my opinion, but plz reply with what u think
This looks like the perfect bartender party game!
Episode idea: I feel like there's a certain class of cocktail bar (often associated with a small, local distillery) with a very 2022 style. Lots of vegetal flavors (beet, thyme, cucumber, jalapeño, rhubarb, basil), a weird proccupation with aquafaba, sometimes weird garnishes. Do people know what I'm talking about, or is this only in my town? I don't always love the style, but at least they're trying new things. I've love to see Greg exploring some of that stuff, just for a change of pace.
I love Greg's joker laugh. It has such range and feels Hamill-esque
What a perfect thing to watch while ignoring my finals!
Have you considered just having Meredith behind the bar for a shoot? Or does she not want to? Because honestly, she adds a lot to some of these episodes, this one especially, and I think she would make for a good legitimate co-host for an episode or two.
Thank you for saying Worchestershire Sauce correctly, so many people butcher the pronunciation and it really grinds my goat. You can shorten it and pronounce it like "Wooster Sauce" too.
This whole episode is chaotic and I love it.
And yes I fully endeavor to try a mango pineapple white Russian.
I LOVE when ya do videos like this! I also like when ya take a specific alcohol and try it in different kinds of cocktails it's wonderful
When I was a kid my sister triple dog dared me to take a bite out of a blueberry Lip Smackers. It tasted like awful artificial blueberry and wax and it was weirdly bitter. That’s what I imagine that blueberry martini tasted like.
Oh man I love zubrowka. Grassy, herby goodness. Only vodka worth drinking straight
Next iteration: choose one cocktail to make, make it with all 12 vodkas, rank them worst to best.
Why stop with one drink? Do a 6x12 matrix! 72 different drinks!
Blueberry vodka with some lemonade and la croix is one of my go to summer sips!
Definitely skull first and then the wheel! Awesome episode!
When I was younger I'd enjoy taking shots of Ciroc pinapple or coconut with my non-whisky drinking cohorts, and vanilla vodka can be used for certain cocktails like a key lime martini. That's about all I think they're good for. Well, and now apricot cosmos and tropical white Russians (Cuban Missile Crisis?)
Once had a roommate follow the logic that, since vanilla extract is concentrated vanilla flavoring in alcohol, an increased amount of vanilla vodka would serve the same purpose.
Fun science fact! Vanilla vodka is not an acceptable substitute for vanilla extract. Especially in large, flammable quantities.
Greg: we make the second drink right after this.
Me with youtube premium: right after what?
I just now realized that's what that is, I've been watching his stuff for ages and always wondered why that was in there
This latest series has me dyin' laffin'. I love them all even though I think you must be suffering making them. My idea of flavored vodka is using it to make cranberry liqueur or limoncello. Adding flavors from somebodies chemistry set is a huge no-no yet, as you mention, there are so many of the disgusting things. There is no cocktail that can't be improved using regular vodka with the appropriate fruits rather than flavorings.
Another alternative would be for you to spin the wheel 5 times and then use those flavored vodkas to make the best drink you can from them. Not something you would ever do BUT you might stand a better chance of figuring out a balanced drink you might not wince at too much.
Always love when Greg surprisingly loves a drink.