Vodka is very high purity liquor.

As mentioned earlier, in order to refer to liquor as “vodka”, the ethanol

must be distilled to 190 proof, or 95% ethanol, then diluted to 70-80 proof for distribution. If the
product is not distilled to this high proof, then it is not technically considered vodka. Vodka is a spirit
containing ethyl alcohol distilled from potatoes, grain or other agricultural raw ingredients and
combinations thereof. The spirit can be made from any fermented raw ingredient, though there is a
condition that when vodka is not made from potatoes or grain, that must be stated on the label. Vodka
is distilled to a maximum strength of 95% and then diluted with water. The alcohol percentage is then
between 37.5% and 70%.

Raw Materials

The most commonly used raw ingredients for vodka are grains, potatoes and molasses. Although vodka
is often deemed to be odourless and tasteless, there are some noticeable nuances. The raw ingredients
used have a considerable effect on the taste and the aroma of the distillate. The United Kingdom,
Western Europe and the United States produce traditional neutral vodkas that are intended for mixing.
The characteristics of the raw ingredients that were used can be found more in Polish, Russian,
Scandinavian and Baltic vodkas. Additionally, some crops grow better in certain climates and distillers
inevitably often fall back on what is available in their surrounding area.

1. Grain

Grain is (and to this day remains) one of the most important ingredients of vodka. The grain is allowed
to germinate, resulting in sugars that are then fermented with water. As well as those that use one type
of grain, single grain vodkas, there are also vodka brands that use a mix of grains for a more complex
finish. Sometimes the term single estate vodka is used when the producer uses only grain types that are
sourced locally, from their own estate or region.

2. Wheat

Wheat and its variant spelt are cheaper and easier to obtain than rye, so that type of grain dominates
vodka production. In addition, wheat can be processed faster because the starch can be converted to
fermentable sugars very easily.

3. Rye

Rye is mainly used for producing vodka in Eastern Europe and it adds a nutty sweetness. The crop has
very robust grains and demands little from its environment. That is why this type of grain is mainly used
in Northern European countries where winters are long and summers short. Even temperatures down to
-25°C cause little damage to this grain [Link] Russia in particular, rye is popular and it is still the main
ingredient of the best Russian vodkas. Poland also favours rye. This crop is often also combined with
small quantities of other grains. Rye then adds a robust and spicy character. A full rye vodka has a rich
grain flavour.
 Manufacturing Process

Vodka may be distilled from any starch/sugar-rich plant matter; most vodka today is produced from
grains such as sorghum, corn, rye or [Link] grain vodkas, rye and wheat vodkas are generally
considered [Link] choice of pot or column still has a fundamental effect on the final character of
Vodka. All Vodka comes out of the still as a clear, colorless spirit. Vodka from a more "efficient" column
still is usually a neutral, characterless spirit. Except for a few minor styles, Vodka is not put in wooden
casks or aged for an extensive period of time.
The grain (in the form of wheat for example) is put inside a mash tub. The tub rotates and it breaks
down the grains. Ground malt is added to the compound as it eases the conversion of the starches to
sugar. The mash is heated until it reaches boiling point;- Lactic acid bacteria is now mixed into the mash.
The purpose of this, is to increase the required acidity level needed for the vodka fermentation process.
The sterilized mash is then streamed into stainless steel tanks. At this point yeast is added and the tanks
are sealed. The yeast contains enzymes that in the next four days will turn the sugars in the mash to
ethyl [Link] ethyl alcohol is injected to a column or pot still. The stainless column still is comprised
of vaporization chambers stacked on top of each [Link] alcohol is continuously heated up with steam
while it cycles up and down. This cycle continues until the vapors created from the heat are released and
condensed. At this point the vapors created by the distillation process also called, fine spirits, contains,
between 95%-100% alcohol. At this point distilled water is added to dilute the alcohol concentration
from 100% to 40%. Vodkas are normally reduced in strength without maturation. For filtration the
alcohol is passed through activated charcoal to remove any remaining traces of color and [Link]
producers also used fine quartz sand. The final stage of the production process, is bottling the
[Link] Vodka tends to be a neutral spirit, it lends itself to blending with flavors and fortifying other
beverages.
The two major types are:

o Unflavored Vodka
o Flavored Vodka

Some of the better known types are:

 Kubanskaya - Vodka flavored with an infusion of dried lemon and orange peels
 Limonnaya - Lemon-flavored Vodka, usually with a touch of sugar added.
 Okhotnichya -"Hunters" Vodka is flavored with a mix of ginger, cloves, lemon peel, coffee, anise
and other herbs and spices. It is then blended with sugar and a touch of a wine similar to white
port. A most unusual Vodka.
 Pertsovka -Pepper-flavored Vodka, made with both black peppercorns and red chili peppers.
 Zubrovka - Zubrowka in Polish is a Vodka flavored with buffalo (or more properly
"bison") grass, an aromatic grass favored by the herds of the rare European bison.

Approximately 500 pounds of grain or other starch source is ground to a granular texture in the hammer
mill. A portion is brought to the still and mixed with enough water to fill the pot. The mixture is brought
up to a temperature of 85 C with continuous mixing and allowed to cook for about an hour, varying by
recipe. The heating unit is turned off, and enzymes are added at various high temperatures according to
the recipe. The mash is allowed to cool further to around 30 C, when the yeasts are added to begin
fermentation. Once fully mixed, the mash is transferred via the mash pump to the fermenter. This
process is repeated until all grains have been used, and the fermentation tank is full. The pot is cleaned
thoroughly to prepare for later use in the process. The fermentation takes place over a period of 5-7
days, at around 30 C and should produce a mash of approximately 10% ABV. Using the mash pump, the
fermented mixture is transferred to the still. A stripping run is performed by heating and stirring the
mixture until a 35% ABV vapor is condensed and collected in a receiver tank without the use of the tray
column. The run is considered complete when the temperature of the pot reaches 99 C, as most of the
alcohol should have been removed by that point. The remaining mash in the pot is discarded as waste or
collected for farm use. This is repeated until the entire 10% fermented mixture has been stripped and
collected. After the strip process is complete, the still and fermentation tank should be thoroughly
cleaned prior to next use. The stripped liquor is transferred with the clear liquid pump back into the still.
The agitator and heating element are turned on to begin the distillation run. At around 80 C, product will
begin to flow, and an initial few gallons should be condensed and taken off as waste, as it will contain
potentially dangerous amounts of methanol and will have a very foul odor and taste. The dephlegmator
is provided with cold water, and the reflux will greatly increase, causing the alcohol percentage to rise.
Slowly, more liquor will be fully condensed and taken out of the system as heads. In total, up to 5
gallons could be removed as heads. After the heads have been removed, the flow will begin to reach top
quality, and can be taken into the receiving tank as product. The stream must be closely monitored for
quality and proof. If the desired proof has not been reached, an increase in the flow of cold water to the
dephlegmator will increase reflux and result in a higher proof product. As distillation continues and
quality and proof decline, the receiving tank is removed, and the still is shut off and allowed to cool. The
waste liquor is drained from the still and the pot and tower are cleaned thoroughly. The final product is
held in a receiving tank, where distilled water is added to dilute the liquor to desired proof. This final
product is then put in a storage tank connected to the bottling unit, and then packaged for sale.

Distillation

The liquor from the stripping run is put back into the pot of the still and the agitator turned on. The
cooling water for the condenser is turned on, and the pot is allowed to heat to 79C, the boiling point of
ethanol. This will remove more volatile components, such as methanol, as heads and discarded. Once
the initial flow of this is collected, the dephlegmator cooling water is turned on to increase the proof of
the product. The heating element is kept on to provide the heat necessary to raise the temperature to
match the boiling point of the mixture. Once the desired proof, such as 190 for vodka, is achieved, the
liquor is collected as hearts in the receiving tank. The dephlegmator is adjusted throughout the process
to maintain the desired proof. Once the distiller is satisfied with the product, the heating element is
turned off. Once the remaining product, collected as tails and discarded, has stopped flowing, the
cooling water for the condenser and dephlegmator are turned off, as well as the agitator. The remaining
low proof liquor in the pot is discarded and the still rinsed with water.

Waste Removal
The distillation of liquor produces a large amount of waste, as is the nature of a separation process.
There are three types of waste produced in this process, and they all need to be dealt with in a
responsible manner. After a stripping run is performed, the mash left in the pot will be a thick, soupy
mash with a low alcohol content. This waste can be dealt with in several ways: It can be collected and
fed to local farm animals since the raw material is a grain, it can be dumped outside to be used as a
fertilizer, or it can be disposed of through the drain, provided it is thinned down with enough water. The
other two main waste products are the heads and tails of the final distillation. Both of these are high in
alcohol content, but can be disposed of down the drain. Additionally, the heads may be used as a floor
cleaner, as they are nearly pure ethanol, and will sanitize the floors, and evaporate.