Despite the recent success of gin and rum over the past few years, vodka still remains the most consumed spirit world wide; over 4 billion litres are drunk annually and that figure continues to rise due to its excellent mix-ability coupled with the recent explosion in cocktail popularity. In a similar vein to last months Gin 101, I'll be explaining, in as a concise manner as possible, the history of vodka, how it's made and the various organic materials that can be used to create it. Hopefully this will give you guys a decent understanding of this very versatile spirit.
A Brief History Of Vodka
Which country warrants the accolade of first producing vodka? The answer to this question is unclear but the general consensus is that the knowledge of distillation travelled north and then east from Salerno in Italy; this lends some credence to Poland's claim of being the first to distil vodka. No matter who got there first, Russia is the country who can lay claim to the title of being the first to export vodka, with records showing a shipment to Sweden in 1505 and Poland's exports a century later. In 1546 Polish King Jan Olbracht, showing a remarkable degree of egalitarianism for the time, permitted all of his subjects to produce vodka. Sadly for the common folk, 1572 saw the laned gentry revoke this, thus acquiring the sole rights to both production and sale. The 18th and 19th centuries saw two big improvements, namely the discovery of charcoal filtration and the invention of the continuous still. The remarkable young Swede, Lars Olson Smith, emerged at this time; the man was a prodigy, a distilling obsessive and perfectionist. Before he was 20 he had successfully taken on the Stockholm establishment with his Absolut Rent Brannvin, Sweden's first vodka from a continuous still. It was such a triumph that Smith had to invest in more distilleries and wheat fields in order to meet demand. The 20th century heralded the era of state monopolies in Eastern Europe. In 1917 Russia, the Bolsheviks took everything into state ownership, including the distillery which had previously held the Royal Warrant. Its owner, Piotr Smirnov (who late changed his name to the famous Smirnoff) barely escaped with his life and, after a period of exile in both Paris and America, two distinct styles of vodka emerged. Eastern European vodkas retained various characters, a taste of the raw material that they were distilled from. Smirnoff's new set up in America produced completely neutral vodka which ultimately found huge success as a mixer in the post war Moscow Mule cocktail. Over the course of the last thirty years, and especially since the re-privatisation of the Russian and Polish distilleries, the global market for vodka has expanded. During this time we have also been privy to the birth of premium and super premium vodkas from traditional countries and others, namely the US and France.
Overview Of Vodka Production
The first requirement is to convert starch to sugar in order to effect an alcohol fermentation. Grains are milled and potatoes shredded in order to release the starch. No matter what raw material is used, it is then cooked in hot water so that the starch is broken up; enzymes then convert this to sugar. Yeast is added which converts the sugar to alcohol resulting in a wash that's normally below 10% ABV. Primarily this wash contains ethyl alcohol but aldehydes, fusels, esters and acids are also present; these combine to form the nose and the palate and are known as congeners. Today, the vast majority of vodkas are produced in column stills. Alcoholic distillation works on the basis that alcohol, with a boiling point of 78.3°C, is more volatile than water and thus when an alcoholic wash is heated, the alcohol vaporises first. The wash is introduced into the rectifier and heats up as it flows downwards. It then enters the analyser where it meets the hot steam and begins to vaporise. The vapours then flow back into the rectifier where the distiller collects the portion they want at the un-perforated spirit plate. It's worth noting that the congeners have different boiling points too and as the vapours rise through the rectifier, the congeners are separated. This means that the higher the number of rectifications, the purer the spirit may be.
Filtration
Filtration is the vodka equivalent of cask maturation; it tames the spirits power, ideally replacing it with with mellowness and balance. Generations of experience have shown that charcoal from either silver birch or alder, which has been treated, is one of the best mediums and is very absorbent. Limousin charcoal, however, has been used to very good effect in France and quartz sand is also used in many countries. Filtration is undertaken by pumping the spirit through columns containing the filtering medium although some cheaper vodkas may simply gravity feed through a tank containing the medium. Although the cost if less using this method, channels start to form thus compromising the filters effectiveness. The vodka can also be reduced in many stages during the filtration process to help marry the demineralised water and spirit together.
Flavoured Vodka
Flavoured vodkas are often thought of as a modern trend. However, this was how vodka was originally drunk as centuries ago the understanding of distillation was not what it is today. Consequently, this resulted in a virtually undrinkable spirit full of toxic elements and excessive fusels. Flavouring was one way of making it palatable and more pleasing aromatically. Nowadays, in order to flavour vodka a producer can either choose the cheaper option of adding extracts or the quality route of macerating the flavouring ingredients in the vodka at an ambient temperature. Some ingredients yield unique flavours and even those vodkas who share the same flavour may be totally different to one another.
What's Vodka Made From?
In theory, vodka can be made from any material which ferments. Traditionally, the material selected for making vodka was determined by what was grown in the various producing regions. It was due to this that different countries ended up with different styles and methods of vodka and vodka production. Economics also often played a role in deciding what was used to make vodka; wheat, for example, has more starch than other options, thus producing more alcohol which results in lower production costs. Wheat: Most in Sweden and some parts of Russia giving vodkas delicacy with undertones of aniseed and a subtle, layered, almost textures, creaminess. Rye: The grain of choice in Poland and some parts of Russia giving more pungent vodkas with a distinct peppery kick on the finish; they have a subtle nutty middle palate with good body. Maize: Used in The USA and other countries, often when a distillery also produces whiskies. Smooth and light on the palate with a sweet finish. Barley, Oats And Sorghum: Used singly, these grains impart a smooth and nutty character to the vodka. Mixed Grains: A blend of different grains whose sum is, in the opinion of the producer, greater than the total of its parts. Potatoes: Comparatively new to Europe; by the 19th century special high starch varieties were grown near the Baltic Coast for the purpose of making vodkas. They have a rich, oily creaminess and are full bodied. Molasses: Obtained from sugar cane or sugar beet and used in many neutral and inexpensive vodkas. Grapes: Wine rectified through distillation until neutrality is achieved, creating a fresh and smooth taste.