Vodka is a popular distilled neutral spirit that people enjoy drinking straight and chilled, in cocktails, or infused with other complementary flavors. Despite its popularity, few people know what is in vodka or how distilleries make it. Before heading to your local bar or restaurant to sample this alcoholic beverage, take a moment to learn more about the drink below. 

What Are the Ingredients of Vodka?

It's possible to distill vodka from any fermented material that makes alcohol. However, most manufacturers make the drink using potatoes, cereal grains, and sugar beet molasses. Potatoes with a starch content of over 25% are ideal for distilling. The starch converts into sugar, which eventually ferments into a clear, odorless spirit. 

Other raw ingredients in vodka include wheat, which produces a peppery, lemon zest flavor. Barley has a favored sweet, nutty flavor, but grapes give vodka a subtle lemon taste. However, potatoes give the drink a creamy texture packed with flavor with only a hint of vegetable notes. 

How Is Vodka Made?

Producing vodka involves starch, which is usually wheat for commercial manufacturing. Next, waters and enzymes combine with the starch to make sugar. After the conversion from starch to sugar, yeast is added to trigger fermentation. 

Vodka has to be distilled, so fermentation isn't the last step. To distill the spirit, it goes into a straight column, where the liquid will vaporize to remove unwanted components and increase the alcohol content. The fermentation process only produces about 10% alcohol, but the liquid turns into 90% pure alcohol after several days in the column. 

Vodka is about 40% alcohol, so distilleries mix the liquid with water to dilute it. The product goes through a final filtration process to make vodka.

For an up-close look and sampling of high-quality vodka and other distilled spirits, head to Anderson Distillery & Grill in Roanoke, TX. At this distillery, you can enjoy delicious meals using high-quality ingredients made fresh in their scratch kitchen and pair your dishes with various craft cocktails. Choose from salads, sliders, breakfast foods, and several vodka, gin, whiskey, and bourbon options. Call (817) 203-0623 or visit them online for more details about their offerings.