Last Updated on May 19, 2023 by River Tree Farms
The myth that true vodka is a type of alcohol that can only be produced from potatoes persists. In fact, alcohol created from potatoes has a rich history, particularly in traditional “potato countries” like Russia and Germany. Ever since the nineteenth century, potatoes have been used to distill vodka. The reason for its use is its availability and cost.
Why potato Vodka as compared to other vodkas?
The taste of potato vodka is savory, and distillers have discovered it is easily flavored. Modern drinkers prefer drinking flavored Vodka while relaxing. Potato vodka has a natural feel, flavor, and distinct aroma.
What are the available brands in the market?
| Vodka name | Alcoholic Content | Distillery Location | Flavor |
| Wood Creak | 40% | Colorado (U.S.A | Earth Vanilla Potato |
| Monopolowa | 40% | Austria | No flavor (Good with cocktails) |
| Chase | 40% | England | Butter Apples Stone Vanilla |
| Luksusowa | 40% | Poland | Asparagus Fennel Potato skins |
| Blue ice | 40% | U.S.A | Nuts Pepper Minerals Potato |
| Chopin | 40% | Poland | Vanilla Green apple Potato Bread |
How does vodka Made from potatoes taste?
Potato vodka is typically heavier, sweeter, and more intense in flavor. These are not, however, the qualities that many consumers expect from modern vodka. For many years, the general consensus has been that a good vodka should have as little flavor as possible. The higher the quality of the vodka, the more neutral and mild the aroma.
Can potatoes be turned into alcohol?
Certainly, here are the steps followed in processing alcohol made from potatoes.
- Peeling the potatoes
- Cutting too small sizes to increase the surface area.
- Mashing with water to make a paste
- Introducing enzymes amylase to break down the starch into sugar.
- Yeast is added to start fermentation to convert sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
- The resulting liquid is filtered through a strain.
- The filtrate is then distilled to obtain potato alcohol
Is Smirnoff vodka made from potatoes?
Smirnoff is a popular vodka brand owned and manufactured by the British company Diageo. Smirnoff Vodka is not made from potatoes. It is manufactured from corn which is why it is Gluten-free.
The world’s best-selling premium distilled spirit follows in the footsteps of Pierre Smirnoff, purveyor of the Imperial Russian Court from 1886 to 1917, and is a vintage Russian-style vodka with a smooth taste, gentle fragrance, and great finish.
Is absolute vodka made from potatoes?
Absolut Vodka’s major constituents are winter wheat and Water
Absolut vodka brand was founded in Sweden in the year 1879 and was known for being “clean and pure. It is manufactured from grains and is not potato-based alcohol.
It was not permitted for sale in Sweden but only allowed for export, with the destination being the United States of America.
Is Tito’s a potato vodka?
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is composed chiefly of corn and not potato alcohol. Tito’s is gluten-free as a distilled spirit. It is based in Austin, Texas. Some distilleries add a small amount of concentrate back into the spirit upon distillation, which would introduce gluten into an otherwise gluten-free distillate (if wheat is used as the foundation), but this is not the case with Tito,s handmade Vodka.
Is Gray Goose vodka made from potatoes?
Grey Goose vodka is categorized as a clear vodka from France. It has an alcoholic content of 40% and is not made from potatoes but from various grain types.
Is vodka a potato?
Historically, vodka is distilled from grains in European countries. Other grains, such as wheat or barley, are used to make vodka. Grains like maize or rice, on the other side, are rare, but they would not be barred. Vodka is also made from grapes in France. In addition, vodka made from quinoa is available in Germany. As a result, it is a common misunderstanding that vodka can only originate from potatoes. On the opposite, only a very small portion is still made from potatoes.
Conclusion
Potato alcohol was initially very popular after its invention; however, it lost to grain Vodka due to the difficulty of producing potato-based alcohol.
The potato-producing countries’ supply declined, and the supply of grain increased.
In recent years drinking habits are gradually tilting back to alcohol made from potatoes due to its flavor, texture, and natural coolness compared to the clear, no aroma and pure nature of the grain vodka. Distillers have also devised new cost-effective manufacturing methods and discovered it is easy to flavor compared to grain vodka.