Grey Goose vodka is often touted as a “premium” vodka that does not cause hangovers. There are a few reasons why some people claim Grey Goose causes less severe hangovers than other vodkas:
Higher Quality Ingredients
Grey Goose is made from French wheat and pristine spring water from Gensac in the Cognac region. The wheat is distilled in a traditional copper pot still, like many fine Cognacs and Armagnacs. Grey Goose promoters claim these high quality ingredients result in a “smoother” tasting vodka that contains less impurities than cheaper vodkas made from inferior grains and water.
It’s true that cheap vodka made from substandard ingredients can contain higher amounts of impurities and byproducts from the distillation process called congeners. Congeners are thought to contribute to hangovers. So vodkas made with higher quality ingredients like Grey Goose tend to be more purified and contain lower congener levels.
Multiple Distillations
Grey Goose undergoes multiple distillations during production. Vodka can be distilled 3 times or more, while cheaper vodkas may only be distilled once or twice. With each successive distillation, more impurities are removed, leaving behind a “cleaner” tasting and smoother spirit.
Grey Goose is distilled a total of 5 times. The extra distillations are believed to remove more hangover-causing congeners versus vodkas with fewer distillations. So there may be some truth to the claim that the additional distillations make Grey Goose less likely to result in hangovers.
Myth of No Hangovers
While the higher quality ingredients and extra distillations help remove impurities during production, Grey Goose can still cause hangovers in susceptible individuals. There are no scientific studies proving Grey Goose or any other vodka eliminates hangovers entirely.
Hangovers are caused by several factors beyond congeners, including:
- Dehydration – Alcohol is a diuretic causing you to urinate more and become dehydrated.
- GABA Inhibition – Alcohol enhances GABA neurotransmission and inhibits glutamate, causing fatigue and foggy thinking the next day.
- Inflammation – Liver metabolizes alcohol into toxic acetaldehyde causing inflammation.
- Methanol – Trace amounts of methanol in some alcohols contribute to hangovers.
- Congeners – Impurities formed during fermentation and aging of some alcohols.
While Grey Goose’s extra distillations remove more congeners than cheaper vodkas, you can still experience dehydration, inflammation, and other effects leading to hangovers if consuming excessive amounts.
Tips to Prevent Hangovers
Here are some tips to help prevent or minimize hangovers from Grey Goose or any alcohol:
- Drink in moderation – Excessive alcohol intake increases hangover severity no matter the type of liquor.
- Stay hydrated – Drink water between alcoholic drinks to counteract dehydration.
- Avoid dark liquors – Dark rums and whiskies contain more congeners than clear liquors like vodka and gin.
- Eat before/while drinking – Food in stomach slows alcohol absorption.
- Choose quality liquor – Premium brands are less likely to have impurities.
- Take it slow – Rapid binge drinking leads to more severe hangovers.
- Get rest – Lack of sleep exacerbates hangover symptoms.
Conclusion
In summary, Grey Goose is less likely to cause hangovers than cheap vodka due to its higher quality French ingredients and multiple distillations to remove impurities. However, it does not eliminate hangovers entirely, as excessive consumption can still lead to dehydration, inflammation, and other after-effects. Drinking any alcohol in moderation and staying hydrated are the best ways to avoid a hangover, no matter your vodka of choice.
