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
