Did you know you can support our veterans by purchasing … alcohol?
The folks behind this unique concept known as Salute American invited me to try their vodka, which was made available in Wisconsin last month. For every 750 ml bottle that’s purchased, $1 is donated to approved veterans’ charities.
One of those charities is Work Vessels for Veterans, which helps veterans start a business or complete career education. Since Salute American’s 2011 launch, more than $60,000 has been donated to veterans’ charities, according to a release.
“Salute American is more than a name–it’s our mission,” Better Brands Beverage Co. CEO Pete Kelly, the creator of Salute American, said in a statement. “We prove our patriotism by giving back to U.S. veterans who have proudly served their country.”
You can definitely tell the quality of the vodka, which I enjoyed both neat and in a martini. It has little aftertaste and no bite, the result of being four-times distilled. I’m not surprised Salute American received an 87-point rating from the Beverage Testing Institute in the category of “Best Value Vodka $20 and under.”
Of course, a vodka that supports Americans needs to look and act the part. Salute American has a red, white and blue color scheme; its corn and wheat are sourced from Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa; the vodka is distilled in New York; and the bottle is shaped like a canteen.
Salute American can be purchased at Steve’s Liquor in Madison and both Le Cork and Trollway Liquor in Mount Horeb.
I’ve always appreciated generic versions of brand-name goods. For example, any of Walgreen’s “Wal-” clones, especially medicine, are the same as the original but less expensive.
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