Vodka

What is Vodka?

Vodka is a distilled spirit with a high alcohol content that can be produced from a number of different materials and possesses different characteristics depending on the creator. Most vodka produced these days is made from a grain, though some is still made from potatoes.

History of Vodka

The process of distillation was kept secret for a long time. The first description of a distilling apparatus comes from the 13th century. The device was later described by a university professor in his treatise about wine. To produce beverages containing 60% alcohol with the device, the distillation process had to be repeated several times. The general knowledge about distillation was being slowly developed until 1800, when Edward Adam invented the process of rectification which removed its "bad taste". Further changes were made in 1817 by Johannes Pistorius, a German brewer, who built the first machine which could produce a beverage containing 85% alcohol in just one distillation. In Ireland in 1830 an apparatus was designed that could work continuously and allowed for production of beverage containing almost 90% alcohol. A similar rectification machine, but working periodically, was for the first time used in 1852 in a brewery in Saint Denis by Pierre Savalle.

Kinds of Vodka

There are two basic kinds of Vodka: Clear vodka and flavored vodka. Most flavored vodka contains 30-35% alcohol, whereas clear vodka is normally 40%, with a few brands offering a 50% product on top. Some types of vodka have plants or herbs added to the unflavored vodka to make it taste better.

How to produce?

Vodka may be distilled from any starch/sugar-rich plant matter; most vodka today is produced from grains such as sorghum, corn, rye or wheat. Among grain vodkas, rye and wheat vodkas are generally considered superior. Some vodka is made from potatoes, molasses, soybeans, grapes, sugar beets and sometimes even byproducts of oil refining or wood pulp processing. In some Central European countries like Poland some vodka is produced by just fermenting a solution of crystal sugar and yeast. In the European Union talks about the standardization of vodka the Vodka Belt countries insist that only spirits produced from grains, potato and sugar beet molasses must be allowed to be branded as "vodka", following the traditional methods of production.

How to store?

Hard liquors such as Vodka are "finished products", which means that, once it is distilled, aged, and bottled, it is done, and its flavor will not change. Aging Vodka will not improve the quality of the drink. On the other hand, if you store Vodka in hot temperature, it will go bad. So, if you intend to "store" Vodka, keep it in freezer or cool places.