5 Things You Should Know About How Vodka is Made

Vodka is a distilled spirit made from a mixture of water and other ingredients which can either be wheat, grapes, barley sugar or potatoes that are fermented to form alcohol.

While some people might assume that they know much about vodka, but it is more than a colorless and flavorless drink as is known to many. Here are some things that you should know about its manufacture.

It’s not always made from potatoes

vodka
Vodka; image source: pixabay.com

Not all vodkas are made from grapes and potatoes. Vodka can be made from any plant or fruit as long as their sugar and starch content is high enough and capable of fermenting. This includes potatoes, grapes, apples and even grains such as rice and wheat. The fermentation process is what results in the product vodka.

Making of vodka

Vodka production entails the fermentation of whichever produce has been used as an ingredient. Whether pineapples, grapes or potatoes are used, the sugars from these are utilized in the fermentation process. Through fermentation, the sugar turns into yeast and finally alcohol.

The next process is distillation which is repeated several times. The distillation is to 90% alcohol or more. This removes any smells and tastes of the ingredients used. Water is then added to the distillate to around 40% alcohol content which is tasty. It is finally filtered before being packaged.

Vodka changes taste with the number of distillations

To get the right taste of vodka, it has to undergo several distillations. the taste that vodka achieves differs depending on the number of times that it is distilled. Vodka that has been distilled more times is clear and pure. Distillation cleans it more bringing out a product of a much higher quality. Multiple distillations affect the overall taste of vodka, resulting in the different brands and tastes of vodka available.

All vodkas have two main ingredients

There is no vodka that lacks water and alcohol. These are two of the main ingredients needed to make vodka. Water is used in various production stages such as mashing to dilution where it’s included in the alcohol taking up to 60% of the whole vodka.

With the right quality of grain, a better quality of vodka is produced. Although other types of plants can also be used, most manufacturers use wheat since it’s easily distilled and brings out a clean and clear vodka.

There is a reason why it’s flavorless

Due to the number of impurities found in the fermented drink, vodka has to be distilled severally to bring out a clean and clear drink. The number of times that vodka is distilled is what affects its overall taste thus making it flavorless and odorless. However, there are some vodkas that still have some flavor and fragrance to them.

The US and the EU both define vodka differently. The US considers it a spirit with a particular taste and odor while the latter a spirit made out of raw, quality materials. However, vodka is a drink that many love despite the varying tastes and characteristics.

 

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