BET Neat
Sugar beets are an ugly vegetable that, it turns out, makes a very sexy spirit.
Jerad Poling and Ben Brueshoff are the co-founders of BĒT Vodka, and the entrepreneurs we can thank for that discovery. They met first in the spring of 2013, and quickly decided to use their pioneering spirit to start up a microdistillery. Drawing partly on skills Jerad learned while experimenting with a small, homemade still, and secure in the knowledge that Minnesota leads the nation in sugar beet production, they developed the recipe for a high-quality vodka made from 100% sugar beets.
The packaging is beautiful, with a paper top meant to represent the leafy sugar beet plant; the imprint of a sugar beet root on the stopper; and a crisp Scandinavian design aesthetic.
The BĒT guys describe the spirit as having "notes of vanilla, and a peppered warmth and finish down the front, that you don't feel in your head at all." I found the flavor to be round, with a less-astringent finish and smooth and slightly viscous mouthfeel.
The BĒT Neat is a sparing recipe designed for sipping, sharing, and highlighting the inherent flavor nuances.
Recipe:
- 3 oz. BĒT Vodka
- 3 to 4 Drops Orange Bitters
Instructions:
Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with lemon peel.
BĒT is a premium-pour vodka made from the hearts of sugar beets, and distilled in New Richmond, WI through a partnership with 45th Parallel Distillery. It is available in liquor stores throughout the Twin Cities.