Vodka 101

Despite the growing popularity of gin and rum, vodka remains the world's most consumed spirit, with over 4 billion litres consumed annually—a figure that continues to rise. Vodka’s excellent mixability, combined with the recent explosion in cocktail culture, keeps it at the forefront of drinking trends. In this guide, following last month’s Gin 101, I'll provide a concise explanation of vodka’s history, production process, and the various ingredients that can be used to create it.

A Brief History of Vodka

Which country first produced vodka? While the answer remains unclear, the general consensus is that the knowledge of distillation travelled north and east from Salerno, Italy, lending credibility to Poland's claim as the first to distil vodka. Regardless of origin, Russia holds the distinction of being the first to export vodka, with records showing shipments to Sweden in 1505, followed by Poland a century later.

In 1546, Polish King Jan Olbracht granted all his subjects the right to produce vodka—a remarkable degree of egalitarianism for the time. However, in 1572, the landed gentry revoked this privilege, acquiring exclusive rights to both production and sale. During the 18th and 19th centuries, two major innovations—charcoal filtration and the invention of the continuous still—helped refine vodka production.

One of the most significant figures in vodka’s history is Lars Olson Smith, a prodigious young Swede. By the age of 20, he had successfully challenged the Stockholm establishment with his Absolut Rent Brännvin, Sweden’s first vodka made using a continuous still. His vodka was so popular that he had to invest in more distilleries and wheat fields to meet demand.

The 20th century saw Eastern Europe’s vodka industry become nationalized. In 1917 Russia, the Bolsheviks took control of all production, including the distillery with the Royal Warrant. Piotr Smirnov—who later changed his name to the famous Smirnoff—barely escaped with his life and spent years in exile in Paris and America. This led to the emergence of two distinct styles of vodka: Eastern European vodkas retained characteristics of their base ingredients, while Smirnoff’s production in America resulted in a completely neutral vodka, which gained popularity as a mixer, especially in the post-war Moscow Mule cocktail.

Over the last thirty years, the vodka market has expanded dramatically, with the re-privatization of Russian and Polish distilleries fueling the rise of premium and super-premium vodkas from traditional producers and newcomers, including the U.S. and France.

Overview of Vodka Production

The first step in vodka production is converting starch into sugar to facilitate alcohol fermentation. Grains are milled and potatoes shredded to release starch, then cooked in hot water to break down the starch. Enzymes convert the starch into sugar, and yeast is added to ferment it into alcohol, resulting in a wash with an ABV typically below 10%.

This wash primarily contains ethyl alcohol, but it also includes aldehydes, fusels, esters, and acids—compounds known as congeners that contribute to vodka’s aroma and taste. Today, most vodkas are produced in column stills. Distillation works on the principle that alcohol, with a boiling point of 78.3°C, is more volatile than water. When the wash is heated, the alcohol vaporizes first.

During the process, the wash is introduced into a rectifier, where it heats up as it flows downward. It then moves into an analyser, where it encounters hot steam and begins to vaporize. These vapours return to the rectifier, where the distiller collects the desired portion at the unperforated spirit plate. Different congeners have unique boiling points, allowing separation and refinement. The greater the number of rectifications, the purer the spirit.

Filtration

Filtration in vodka is akin to cask maturation in whiskey—it mellows the spirit, balancing and refining its character. Generations of experience have shown that treated charcoal from silver birch or alder is one of the best filtration mediums due to its high absorbency. Some producers use Limousin charcoal or quartz sand. Filtration is typically performed by pumping the spirit through columns containing the filtering medium. However, cheaper vodkas may rely on gravity-fed filtration, which can lead to channel formation and reduced effectiveness. Some distilleries gradually dilute vodka during filtration to help marry the demineralized water with the spirit.

Flavoured Vodka

Flavoured vodkas may seem like a modern innovation, but historically, vodka was almost always flavoured. Early distillation techniques were rudimentary, resulting in spirits that contained toxic elements and excessive fusels. Flavouring was used to mask these defects and enhance palatability.

Today, vodka can be flavoured by two methods: producers can add extracts, which is more cost-effective, or they can use a traditional approach by macerating ingredients at ambient temperatures. Some ingredients yield unique flavour profiles, resulting in distinctive vodkas even when using similar base components.

What Is Vodka Made From?

Technically, vodka can be made from any fermentable material. Historically, base ingredients were chosen based on what was locally available, leading to distinctive regional styles. Economic considerations also played a role—wheat, for example, has a higher starch content than some alternatives, producing more alcohol at a lower cost.

• Wheat: Used in Sweden and parts of Russia, yielding vodkas with delicacy, subtle aniseed notes, and a creamy texture.
• Rye: The preferred grain in Poland and some parts of Russia, resulting in pungent vodkas with a distinct peppery finish and nutty body.
• Maize: Popular in the U.S. and used in distilleries that also produce whiskey, creating a smooth and light vodka with a sweet finish.
• Barley, Oats, and Sorghum: Used separately, these grains impart smooth, nutty characteristics.
• Mixed Grains: A blend of grains used to achieve a balanced or unique flavour profile.
• Potatoes: A relatively recent addition to European vodka production. High-starch potato varieties cultivated near the Baltic Coast in the 19th century yield rich, full-bodied vodkas with an oily creaminess.
• Molasses: Derived from sugar cane or sugar beet, commonly used in neutral and inexpensive vodkas.
• Grapes: Wine-based vodka made by rectifying fermented grape juice through distillation until achieving neutrality, creating a fresh and smooth spirit.