Vodka consists mainly of water, ethanol, flavorings and impurities. It is a distilled beverage produced by distilling fermented substances such as potatoes, grains, sugar or fruits.
The standard vodka produced in Poland, Belarus, Russia and Lithuania are 40% ABV (alcohol by volume) or 80 proof. Meanwhile, vodka produced in the United States are required to have 30% ABV.
Is Justin Bieber drinking vodka? He posted this picture of him and his friend Lil’ Twist pouring Grey Goose vodka in a glass. The question is, did he take a sip?
If he did, he could have broken the law. Justin Bieber is only 18 years old. Unless he is in Mexico where the legal age for drinking alcohol is 18, then Bieber could be in for a fine this early part of the year.
What is vodka?
Vodka is made by distilling starch-based or sugar-rich plant. Currently, vodka is made from sorghum grains, rye, corn or wheat. Among vodkas made from grain, it is wheat as well as rye that are considered superior.
A few vodkas are produced from molasses, potatoes, grapes, soybeans, sugar beets and rice. At times, vodka could be had from refining oil or through processing wood pulp. In a few countries in Central Europe, specifically Poland, vodka is made by fermenting a crystal solution of yeast and sugar.
The European Union is looking at standardizing vodka. Countries situated in the Vodka Belt believe that spirits made from potato, grains, sugar beet molasses must be permitted to be labeled as vodka as according to standard production methods.
In the US, numerous vodkas are manufactured from 95% ethanol and made in large quantities.
Distilling
US-made vodkas use extensive filtration before any added processing. Filtering is done inside a still during and after the process of distillation. The distilled vodka is then filtered through activated charcoal and other media. Its purpose is to absorb any trace quantities of substances that change or influence off-flavors onto the vodka.
Countries that traditionally produce vodka prefer to utilize accurate distillation but little filtering thereby preserving the unique characteristics of the drink.
It is the master distiller who is responsible for distilling the vodka and directing the filtration process. This includes removing the “heads,” “fore-shots,” “tails.” These need to be discarded as they affect the clean taste of vodka. They also contain ethyl lactate, ethyl acetate and fusel oils.
Through numerous distillations and the utilization of a fractioning still, the taste of vodka is then made clearer. When producing rum, whiskey and baijiu, distilleries usually allow the “tails” and “heads” to stay thus giving these drinks a unique taste.
Repeated vodka distillation allows its level of ethanol to increase at a level that most drinkers would find unacceptable. The distilled and finally filtered vodka could possess as much as 95-96% ethanol. Usually, vodka is then diluted with water before it is bottled and distributed.
About the Author:
Jason Stone is the owner of Whiskey Still, a company which manufactures different still products such as whiskey still and moonshine still. The company is located at Houston, Texas. They provide quality and effective products for Scotch, Rum, Bourbon, Cognac, Schnapps, Tequila and Vodka production. Visit the website and find out how the company make the finest moonshine.
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