Everyday vodka in Westford, MA at CBC Liquors

For everyday vodka in Westford, start with the vodka shelf at CBC Liquors, where Tito's Vodka and New Amsterdam Vodka are among the shop's best sellers and in stock now. A clean, well-made bottle is all most mixed drinks need, and this guide explains how to choose one, when a flavored bottle makes sense, and how to get it by pickup, delivery or shipping.

What makes a plain vodka a good everyday bottle?

Vodka is meant to be neutral. Most standard bottles sold in the US are 80 proof, which is 40 percent alcohol by volume, and they are filtered so the spirit tastes clean rather than loud. That is why the quieter bottles on the shelf work so well with soda, tonic, juice or ginger beer.

The base can be grain, potato, corn or grape, and each leaves a faint character behind. Grain tends to read slightly sweet, potato a little fuller and rounder. In a mixed drink you will rarely notice the difference. Served cold and straight, you will.

So the useful question is how you plan to drink it. If it is going into a highball with lime, any clean, well-made bottle does the job. If you plan to sip it chilled, it is worth tasting two or three styles side by side before settling on one.

Which vodkas at CBC Liquors suit everyday mixing?

Tito's Vodka and New Amsterdam Vodka are both among the shop's best sellers and both are in stock now. They are straightforward bottles for vodka sodas, Moscow mules, screwdrivers and anything built on lemonade or cranberry.

Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka is the familiar red-label bottle, a steady choice for punches and party drinks where several people are sharing one base spirit.

Ketel One Vodka is the one to look at if you like vodka cold and neat, or in a martini where the spirit is the main thing in the glass.

The shop stocks 1,888 brands across 4,613 products, so the vodka shelf runs well beyond these four. Come in with the drink you are making and you can compare bottles in person.

Do you need a top-shelf bottle for cocktails?

No. Once vodka has been shaken with lime and ginger beer or topped with soda, the gap between clean bottles gets small. Your attention is better spent on what goes into the glass with it.

Fresh citrus, a good ginger beer, tonic that still has its fizz and plenty of cold ice change a drink far more than the label on the vodka does. CBC Liquors carries a mixers section for exactly this, so you can pick the spirit and the mixer in one trip.

Where the bottle matters more is in a martini or a vodka served very cold on its own. There the spirit is the whole drink, and a smoother, rounder style is worth looking for.

What about flavored vodka?

Flavored vodkas are already seasoned, so they need less from the mixer. New Amsterdam Pink Whitney and Smirnoff Raspberry are both in the range, and both are easy to pour over ice with soda or a splash of juice.

The usual rule is to match the flavor to the mixer rather than fight it. Raspberry works with lime, soda water and lemonade. A fruit-forward bottle needs only something plain and fizzy alongside it.

If you do not want to mix anything at all, the ready-to-drink section holds canned and bottled drinks that are already made.

How do you serve and store vodka at home?

For a basic highball, fill a tall glass with ice, pour a standard measure of 1.5 ounces, and top with soda water and a wedge of lime. For a Moscow mule, add lime juice and ginger beer. For a martini, stir the vodka with a little dry vermouth over ice and strain it into a chilled glass.

Vodka does not need a cellar. An unopened bottle keeps at room temperature for years, and many people keep a bottle in the freezer because the high alcohol content stops it from freezing solid and it pours cold and slightly thicker.

An opened bottle with the cap on tight holds up for a long time. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heat, and it will taste the same next month as it does today.

Can you get vodka from CBC Liquors without coming into the shop?

Yes. Besides walking in, the shop does pickup, delivery and shipping. Pickup runs Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Delivery hours are a little shorter: Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. The delivery areas page shows which towns are covered, and the shop serves Chelmsford, Acton, Littleton and Lowell among others.

For shipping, read the shipping policy first so you know what applies to your order.

Where is the shop and when is it open?

CBC Liquors is at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford, MA 01886. The doors are open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The shop has a 4.7 out of 5 rating from 339 Google reviews, and it also serves customers coming from Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Acton, Tyngsborough, Lowell, Billerica, Boxborough and Dunstable.

If you are stocking up for a gathering, the party planner page is a good place to start, and you can pick up vodka, mixers and the rest in one stop.