Arby’s is a world-famous fast-food chain founded in the 60s and is still playing hard today. In October 2017, it became a food and wine company, and in 2021 it launched its vodka.
At first glance, it may seem a little odd, a fast food chain going into the vodka business, but when you think about it, vodka is a potato-based spirit, and Arby’s sells fries, so it makes perfect sense.
Arby’s hit the bullseye with this business venture, using Americans’ deep love for French fries, and launched a fry-flavored vodka. As part of the limited edition series, they sold out their initial batch of vodka in a matter of minutes.
However, the Arby’s vodka is still in its infancy, so there is still much to know about it, as it hasn’t been established among its competitors yet. We know that it is fry-flavored, and we know it’s Arby’s. But how much do you really know about Arby’s vodka?
In the following article, I will talk about Arby’s vodka, the history of the Arby’s company, the way of making, flavors, and competition. So, keep reading to find out more about this spirit, as you just may like it.
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History
Arby’s is America’s second-largest sandwich chain, Subway being the first. The Rafel brothers founded this very successful food chain in 1964 without knowing that it would skyrocket its way to the top over the first decade of its existence.
The initial idea was to offer the American consumers a slightly different fast food chain. They didn’t sell the good old hamburger or hot dog, but they decided to go in a little different direction.
With the intention of attracting a little more sophisticated clientele, they decorated their first restaurant differently than what you would expect from a fast food chain.
The interior looked fancier, and the prices were higher compared to the regular fast food stand sandwiches.
While the average sandwich price elsewhere was about $1.5, Arby’s sandwiches were around $6.9. They named their fast food restaurant, which turned out to become an entire chain, Arby’s after themselves- Rafel Brothers.
Over the next ten years, the business would explode, expanding with about 50 stores a year. They initially started with a restricted menu, selling only roast beef sandwiches, but they expanded their offer over time.
They included curly fries, beef and cheddar sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, and their two signature sauces- Arby’s Sauce and Horsey’s sauce.
Even though Arby’s changed ownership, as the brothers sold the company for $18 million, one of the brothers, Leroy Raffel, remained as the CEO of the company until his retirement, two years after selling.
Considering that they opened the first restaurant in 1964 and sold the company in 1976, what they did was beyond a miracle. The Raffel brothers managed to start, develop and sell an $18 million company in just 12 years.
The company has been blooming from its conception until today, and in 2021 it started venturing into the spirit industry, launching two fry-flavored vodkas. The first batches of these vodkas sold out within the first minutes of their initial market release.
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Making
Since Arby’s is a fast food chain and has an endless supply of potatoes, the Arby’s vodka is potato based.
The original vodka spirit was made from potatoes, but when vodka became the world-famous spirit that it is today, the manufacturers found that grain-based vodka is cheaper to make while still delicious.
However, making the vodka from potatoes is a big plus in the Arby’s column, as they respect the authenticity of the spirit’s origin.
By making their vodka, Arby’s intended to honor their long-lasting tradition and commitment to the fast food industry, delighting their customers with the possibility to get vodka-to-go in addition to their food.
Of course, they are very careful who they sell to, and they mandatorily sell only to their customers that are of drinking age.
The Arby’s vodka-making process is no different than that of any other vodka spirit. However, the magic, originality, and the Arby’s essence are contained in the spices they add to make their vodka unique.
Arby’s launched two vodkas, the Curly Fry Vodka and the Crinkle Fry vodka. Both vodkas are infused with the recognizable Arby’s flavors and spice combinations, and both have distinct intentions regarding their flavor.
The Curly Fry Vodka is infused with cayenne pepper, onion, garlic, and paprika during distillation. It uses pure water and doesn’t age. The Curly Fry Vodka is said to taste like the Arby’s sauces, filled with flavor and very delicious.
The Crinkle Fry Vodka honors the classic simple salty French fry and is infused with only salt and pepper while distilling.
Taste
Both Arby’s vodkas are complex in taste as they are infused with spices upon distilling. The Curly Fry Vodka is more complex and more colorful than the Crinkle Fry as it is infused with more spices.
On the nose, both of Arby’s vodkas are just as intense as rubbing alcohol. There is no special aroma about them when you initially smell them. The aromas come later, combined with the palate.
The Arby’s Curly Fry Vodka is complex-flavored due to the complexity of spices infused during distillation. It is best described as profound and pungent. It starts with notes of cayenne pepper and paprika, which continue to transpire during the palate.
Mid-palate, it gets more zesty and edgy with noticeable tones of onion spice, ending sharply with a garlic flavor.
It is definitely not the vodka you are used to, as there are no citrus or vanilla notes. The finish is smooth, and the burn is intense, primarily due to the garlic-flavored solid finishing touches.
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The Crinkle Fry is the simpler of the two Arby’s vodkas. It is fiercer but more discrete. It is nevertheless a potent spirit, with a strong alcoholic smell at first. Just like the Curly Fry vodka, this one, too, is not particularly seductive on the nose.
This vodka is more like the ones you have previously tried. It is intense and fiery, with an expressive salty and peppery note from the beginning up until the end of the sip. However, as the sip unravels, it takes you on a refined journey composed of two dominant but perfectly balanced flavors.
Mid-palate, the salty notes are more expressive, while pepper takes the spotlight in the end. The finish is short but intense, leaving somewhat of a dry burn due to the salt and pepper combination.
The Curly Fry Vodka is definitely the more easily palatable one of the two and more flavorful. Considering that Arby’s mostly sells to the average Joe, but the collectors’ are also teased by these vodkas.
Still, since it makes vodka for the everyday people, Arby’s factored in the fact that their average customer might not even notice another difference except in terms of sharpness.
However, a more experienced vodka drinker would definitely notice the different moods set by these two vodkas, and an expert vodka enthusiast might even discover where the inspiration comes from.
Arby’s has definitely succeeded in replicating its intentions in the vodkas, as they do reflect their long-lasting successful work. However, one must be both Arby’s and vodka lover to know what truly stands behind these spirits.
The Curly Fry vodka is a representation of the Arby’s creativity and lust after innovation, while the Crinkle Fry vodka mirrors their ambition and pursuit of success. Even though Arby’s is known as a fast food chain, its vodkas still represent the essence of the company.
Alcohol Content
Arby’s vodkas, the Curly Fry Vodka, and the Crinkle Fry Vodka are potent spirits. They both contain 40% alcohol and are 80 proof. Considering that the highest alcohol percentage found in vodka is 96%, and proof of 192, the Arby’s vodkas’ number seems very tame.
However, don’t let that fool you, as both Arby’s vodkas are very potent and strong spirits, so know your tolerance and, most importantly, know your limits.
Competitors
Considering that Arby’s makes its vodka from potatoes, it definitely plays in the big leagues. Its competition is very strong, especially since potato vodka is not an innovation but a century-old spirit.
Therefore, there are potato vodka brands that specialize exclusively in producing potato vodka that have developed and perfected the production process and knows all the production and marketing hacks.
Arby’s, on the other hand, is a fast food chain that specializes in sandwiches, fires, and sauces, so at first glance, it is impossible for Arby’s to have the same playing field as the big boys in the vodka department.
Nevertheless, even though Arby’s isn’t primarily a vodka producer, it is definitely a booming business, so they must know a thing or two about expanding to new and uncharted territory. Therefore Arby’s vodka stands tall among its competition and doesn’t give up that easily.
Priced anywhere from %60 to $70, it definitely isn’t a cheap vodka college kids drink at dorm parties, but an affordable, sophisticated spirit. Granted, there are vodkas that are far more expensive, but also there are those that are far more cheaper.
Even though the price doesn’t say everything there is to say about the quality; it still says a few things. As I already said, Arby’s sells to the everyday people, so it isn’t exactly a collector’s edition but is nevertheless limited, making it somewhat exclusive.
Nevertheless, even though you can find cheaper vodka, Arby’s is still affordable enough to buy it comfortably but not that cheap to make you think you are drinking garbage. So, the pricing is another smart move that the company made, placing it somewhere in the middle.
Arby’s paired with Tattersall Distilling Co. for the distillation of the vodka, whereby the recipe of the seasonings and spices is an Arby’s original.
The competitors of Arby’s vodka are potato vodka-producing brands in a similar price range. For example, Chopin Vodka and Leopold Vodka are priced below Arby’s vodka but are still decent competitors in terms of quality.
Luxuowa, Blue Ice, Monopolowa, Vesica, and Bakon vodkas are also within a similar quality range.
You will find many potato vodkas that are cheaper than Arby’s but still in the same range of competition. That is because they are not limited editions but intended for regular sale.
Is There Really an Arby’s Vodka?
Yes, there is really an Arby’s vodka. The Arby’s company paired with Tattersall Distilling Co. to distill both Arby’s vodkas. The flavor recipe belongs to Arby’s.
In 2021 Arby’s released two limited edition vodkas, the Curly Fry Vodka and the Crinkle Fry Vodka. Both are intended to reflect the essence of the Arby’s company and mirror their love and devotion to making excellent fast food.
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The Curly Fry Vodka by Arby’s is more flavorful, cheerful, and colorful, bursting with perfectly balanced flavors. During distillation, it is infused with cayenne pepper, red pepper, onion, and garlic spices.
The Crinkle Fry Vodka is infused simply with salt and pepper.
Both vodkas taste different, but the differences are hardly noticeable for the inexperienced drinker. However, to a seasoned palate, the Curly Fry vodka is flavorful, with strong notes of cayenne and red pepper, with explicit onion tones in the middle and garlic in the end.
The Crinkle Fry is sharper and stricter and significantly harder to drink. Both are recommended for cocktails, while the Curly Fry can also be enjoyed for slow sipping.
How Much Will Arby’s Vodka Cost?
Arby’s vodka isn’t too expensive but isn’t cheap, either. Priced at an average of $60 to $70 per 750 ml. bottle, it is in the golden medium on the price scale.
Since they sell to the average person with an average income, Arby’s knows that their consumers aren’t too much of a vodka enthusiast, but they do love the brand in general.
Since Arby’s has always gone a bit higher with their prices compared to the other brands in their field, they price the vodka a little higher than their competitors.
It isn’t that the Arby’s vodka isn’t worth the money because it is worth even more, but with the few extra bucks, the company shows a little more class.
Their sandwiches were initially priced at $6.9, while you could eat for only $1.5 elsewhere with the very same purpose of showing class.
Also, the Arby’s vodka comes in limited quantities, so not everyone can find it, which gives the spirit a dimension of mystery and exclusiveness.
It is definitely an affordable drink, so that the average Joe can afford it, but not that cheap to make you think that it is low class.
On the other hand, if we consider the fact that Arby’s vodka is limited, the $60 to $70 price isn’t high at all since limited editions, by default, cost more than the widely available products.
Will There Be Arby’s Vodka in the Stores? Where to Buy?
You can’t buy Arby’s vodka in just any store, as it isn’t available. However, Arby’s has authorized distributors for their vodkas, and they are liquor stores. You can buy Arby’s vodka at Sugyk’s Cheese and Liquor Shops, which is the official distributor for Arby’s vodka.
You can also order it online from their online shop at https://arbysvodka.com/, but it is currently out of stock. Note that ordering Arby’s vodka online will incur additional costs due to shipment, so if you can, buy it directly from the store.
Is Arby’s Curly Fry Vodka Real?
Yes, Arby’s Curly Fry Vodka does exist, but if you expect the taste of curly fries while drinking it, you will be disappointed. It is indeed seasoned with curly fries seasoning, but it doesn’t taste like curly fries because it is vodka.
Nevertheless, the Arby’s Curly Fry vodka is creative and innovative. It includes the seasoning used for Arby’s curly fries, and it does remind of them.
It tastes like cayenne pepper and red pepper at the beginning continuing with onion notes in the middle, and ending with a solid and intense garlicky finish.
If you are an inexperienced vodka drinker, you may want to read a thing or two about vodka in general and Arby’s vodka in particular, so you know what you are looking for. Without any knowledge, you may be in for a disappointment, as you won’t pay attention to the important things in the spirit.
Although it doesn’t taste like curly fries, still Arby’s Curly Fry vodka successfully captures the essence of the curly fires, and the brand has succeeded in showcasing its fun and playful side through this vodka. It is a genuinely creative spirit that has Arby’s written all over it.
Resources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arby%27s
- https://arbysvodka.com/
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/11/10/arbys-vodka-crinkle-fry-curly-fry/6367852001/
- https://www.eater.com/22786319/arbys-curly-krinkle-fry-tattersall-distilling-vodka-review
- https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/arbys-french-fry-vodka-lays-vodka-taste-test
