8 - Vodka Flashcards
What can be used to make Vodka?
In theory, anything of agricultural origin
Why do vodka producers choose from a narrow range of raw materials?
Commercial pressures and consumer expectation
Where are grain-based vodkas most important? Why?
Eastern Europe
Grains are the most important crops here
What grains are most commonly used to make vodka in eastern europe?
Barley, wheat and rye
What is the role of enzymes in vodka production?
Enzymes created by malting barley can be used
Commercially prepared enzymes are more commonly used
Potatoes are a traditional raw material for making vodka in…
Poland
How many stages are required to convert potato starch to fermentable sugars? List them
Two
Cooking the potatoes in water
Adding enzymes to the starchy water
Why might a vodka producer use an alternative raw material?
As a point of difference
To reduce costs
Give a notable example of a material which creates a point of difference in vodka production
Grapes
Why must column stills be used to produce vodka?
It’s the only still capable of producing spirits with the necessary abv
What is the necessary abv to create vodka, prior to dilution?
95% or 96%
How may the initial distillate in vodka production be known?
Neutral spirit
Vodka distillation is typically a … process
Continuous
Are pot stills used to make vodka?
Sometimes
How might a pot still be used to create vodka? Who might use this process?
To create the low wines, followed by a column still distillation
Small producers who produce in batches
…is a widely traded commodity
Neutral spirit
What is the potential flavour disadvantage of buying in a neutral spirit and diluting it?
How might this problem be overcome?
The resulting vodka may have a slightly rough texture
By running the mixture through a pot still
If a producer re-distills a vodka through a pot still, what is the result on the vodka’s character? Describe the still that is used
It gives it a smoother, silkier texture
It’s a hybrid pot/column still
Why is there a column still attached in a hybrid still?
To further purify the spirit
Besides distillation, how else might a vodka producer improve the purity and texture of their spirit?
Passing through activated charcoal
Additives
Describe what activated charcoal does toa vodka
It can remove any unwanted congeners and textures
Describe the use of additives in improving vodkas
Bought in from specialist suppliers
Create the required texture
Sometimes lightly aromatise the vodka
Most vodka is sold at …abv
40%
Why is the choice of water so important in vodka production?
It accounts for around 60% of the bottle usually
Name the three main styles of vodka
Neutral
Characterful
Flavoured
Describe how a neutral vodka should be. What is the best known example of this style?
Smooth, light and dry
Smirnoff
Describe the characterful style of vodka
Slightly more flavour and more mouthfilling than the neutral style
If flavours in a vodka cannot be described as neutral…
They will in all probability, have been added after distillation
With which countries is vodka historically associated?
Russia, Poland, Finland, Sweden
In…there exists outstanding expressions of vodka
Almost every vodka producing country
