What Is New Amsterdam Vodka?

Affordable Vodka With Great Flavors

New Amsterdam Vodka and Frozen Melon Cocktail

New Amsterdam Spirits Company

New Amsterdam Spirits Company offers a line of vodkas that are worth tasting. These liquors have a clean, crisp taste at a surprisingly affordable price. When you're seeking an inexpensive vodka to mix into your favorite cocktails, New Amsterdam is an excellent label to look for at the liquor store.

Fast Facts

  • Ingredients: corn and other American grains
  • Proof: 70 to 100
  • ABV: 35 to 50 percent
  • Calories in a shot: 98
  • Origin: Modesto, California
  • Taste: clean, crisp
  • Distilled: 5 times
  • Filtered: 3 times
  • Serve: shots, straight up, on the rocks, cocktails

What Is New Amsterdam Vodka Made From?

New Amsterdam is a Modesto, California, producer that launched its gin in 2007 and vodka in 2011. The gin was a nice budget-friendly option on the market, but the brand really took off with New Amsterdam Vodka. It quickly turned heads because it was one of the cleanest vodkas available in the $15 price range. Over the years, the brand released a number of flavored vodkas that rival any of the larger vodka brands.

The base for New Amsterdam Vodka begins with vodka distilled from Midwest grains. Sourced from two neutral spirit distillers, the vodka is comprised of 95 percent corn, with the remainder made of other cereal grains. The vodka is distilled five times and filtered three times through a "proprietary charcoal material." This results in a surprisingly smooth vodka that is easier to drink than the majority of competitively priced brands.

Types and Flavors

The foundation for the New Amsterdam Vodka portfolio is a clear, unflavored vodka bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV, 80 proof). It is silky smooth and enjoyable to drink on its own. For a stronger option, look for New Amsterdam 100 Proof Vodka. At the higher strength, it is not as smooth, though it remains a nice option for heavily flavored mixed drinks.

All of New Amsterdam's flavored vodkas are 35 percent ABV (70 proof), which is standard in the industry. The full portfolio does change, so these flavors may not always be available.

  • Gluten-Free Vodka: Grain-based vodkas are not gluten free unless they are processed in a way to remove or reduce gluten. New Amsterdam offers a vodka for drinkers who need to eliminate gluten from their diet. It is bottled at 80 proof.
  • Apple Vodka: Clear in color, this apple vodka is naturally flavored and leans toward the taste of bright green apples.
  • Citrus Vodkas: Many vodka brands release a citrus vodka that incorporates a mix of citrus fruit flavors. New Amsterdam followed this trend for a few years with their Citron expression but have since revamped the portfolio and dropped the blend. Instead, they now offer individual flavors of grapefruit, lemon, and orange vodkas.
  • Coconut Vodka: Coconut is a tricky flavor in vodka, but New Amsterdam does it well. The coconut is not overly sweet and has a nice creamy aspect.
  • Mango Vodka: Mango is a popular flavored vodka option that's excellent with soda. This is a nice example of the tropical fruit in a refreshing vodka.
  • Peach Vodka: In this vodka, the flavor is handled with delicacy, and the brightness of the peach flavor shines through nicely. It rivals the peach of some of the higher-end brands.
  • Pineapple Vodka: Pineapple vodka is a great way to add a tropical background to vodka drinks. This one has a crisp pineapple flavor, with the slightest hint of coconut.
  • Raspberry and Red Berry Vodkas: For berry-flavored vodkas, there are two options. Raspberry is a single fruit vodka, while Red Berry combines raspberries with blackberries, boysenberries, and strawberries.
  • Watermelon Vodka: For a taste of summer, the watermelon vodka is bright and slightly sweet. New Amsterdam is one of the few brands to offer the flavor.

How to Drink New Amsterdam Vodkas

New Amsterdam Vodka can easily become your new "well" vodka, the affordable bottle that you use as an everyday mixer. It's perfect for vodka-soda mixed drinks, any cocktail with fruit juice, and savory drinks like the bloody mary. Many drinkers also find it smooth enough to enjoy on its own over a couple of ice cubes.

The flavored vodkas are equally versatile and enjoyable. Have fun pouring them instead of regular vodka in drinks like the vodka tonic or fruity highballs like the bay breeze. Some of the vodkas can replace rum as well; try New Amsterdam Pineapple or Coconut (or a combination of the two) in a piña colada.

You'll also find a number of cocktail recipes that call for specific flavors. For instance, New Amsterdam Coconut is an excellent option for any coconut cocktail, while the lemon and orange flavors can find a place in recipes that call for citrus vodka.

Cocktail Recipes

In comparison to other names in the vodka industry, New Amsterdam is a pretty young brand. It has enjoyed great success, and part of that is owed to its development of original, creative cocktail recipes. These are fun options to mix up while exploring the brand's flavors: