The Bite Magazine - issue 16

D espite its name, you’ll be mistaken for thinking that New Amsterdam is pro- duced in the capital of the Netherlands, but given its eye-catching cityscape seen through the clear glass bottle, you will then realise that it is actually made in the United States. The brand says the story behind their premium vodka and gin isn’t history but rather a story that celebrates what’s next. It’s also not about where you’ve been either as long as you make an entrance. New Amsterdam craft spirits for “the places that move fast and don’t look back - the places where the city is celebrated.” They also encourage people to enlist their friends to own the city and take the night because basically “it’s your town”.The amazing thing about the 80-proof original New AmsterdamVodka is that it is distilled five times from the finest grains and then filtered three times to create a smooth spirit perfect for a cocktail or simply to be drank straight. Through its multi-million pound ‘It’s Your Town’ campaign, the brand aims to com- municate with city-minded millennials who are driving growth across spirits categories and the cocktail culture. It also collaborates with a range of influ- encers in key urban centres around the UK who specialise in areas such as street art, street food, music and style. Since its launch in the United States in 2011 by Californian wine producer E&J Gallo, New Amsterdam Vodka became the fastest spirits brand in history to sell more than one million cases in its first 12 months in the market. “We are thrilled to have met the one million case mark so quickly and are grateful to our distributor network and retail partners for all their effort and commitment in helping us reach this achievement,” said Gerard Thoukis, Senior Director of Mar- keting, New Amsterdam Spirits Company. “Accomplishing this feat has strength- ened our commitment to growing the New Amsterdam brand and we are extremely excited about what the future holds.” The vodka was then introduced to the UK in 2013 in two size formats: 20cl and 70cl bottles. And this year, it was recently announced that E&J Gallo will launch a 35cl size bottle in the UK. Using the original vodka as a basis, New Amsterdam offers several different fla- vours to enhance your American vodka experience. Peach vodka refreshes your drink with a subtle sweetness that helps the summer season come early and stay late.Why not get your taste buds tanta- lised with NewAmsterdam Peach Sunrise comprising of two and a half parts of New Amsterdam Peach, four parts of orange juice and one part of pineapple juice? To make this cocktail, shake the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes, then strain into a martini glass and serve, or strain into a classic highball glass filled with ice cubes and serve. Or there is Peach Punch with two parts of New Amsterdam Peach, a half part of fresh lime juice, orange juice and elderflower liqueur. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice, then strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon wedge or a slice of peach when in season. Two other cocktails that you can make with the peach flavour are Hook & Ladder and New Peach Fizz. New Amsterdam Pineapple is designed to stay crisp and fresh under situations of extreme pressure, much like doing the limbo and is perfect for the weekend. Try the crisp and clear New Amster- dam Sidewinder with two parts of New Amsterdam Pineapple, two parts of tonic, dash of Absinthe and a squeeze of fresh lime. Simply build all the ingredients in a glass, add ice, stir and then enjoy. Pine- apple Gimlet adds more colour to your cocktail with two parts of New Amster- dam Pineapple, one part of lemon juice and simple syrup. To make this cocktail, pour the ingredients into a glass, then add ice and shake. Finally, double-strain the liquid and garnish with an expressed orange peel. How about creating your New Amsterdam Vodka With an attractive looking clear bottle, Jada Brookes explores the different flavours that New Amsterdam Vodka has on offer to make the perfect cocktail. bite drinks