Today, Russians use mostly grains for their vodka, as potatoes do not grow well in the frozen ground. And, thanks to their historical experience with the liquor, both Russia and Poland produce several brands of well-known vodka. You might assume the main ingredient in vodka is potato or grain, but you'd be wrong.
Luksusowa Vodka
Poland- This award winning vodka's recipe remains unchanged since its beginnings in 1928, using pure, locally-sourced water, fresh potatoes from local family farms, and a proprietary distillation process for a rich, smooth finish. Luksusowa is the #1 selling potato vodka in the world.
It's entirely wheat-based.
There are commercial vodkas made from potatoes, grapes, rye, and mixed grains that include barley. Grey Goose uses soft winter wheat sourced from Picardy, a grain-growing region in northern France that's often referred to as the nation's breadbasket.
No, vodka isn't generally made from potatoes. While three percent of the world's vodka supply is indeed made from potatoes, wheat or grain is the most common ingredient used in making this clear alcoholic spirit.
Physically, vodka is composed of ethyl alcohol (fermented grain, rye, wheat, potatoes, or sugar beet molasses) and water. Typically, the alcoholic content per serving is between 35-50%; the standard Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish vodkas, however, are more exactly around 40% (80 proof).
Smirnoff (/ˈsmɪərnɒf/; Russian: [smʲɪrˈnof]) is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov (1831–1898). It is distributed in 130 countries.
But the most popular vodkas in the U.S. – including Smirnoff, Ciroc, Tito's, Absolut, Svedka, Grey Goose, SKYY and New Amsterdam – are not made in Russia. They are made in Sweden, France, the U.K. and the U.S.
Smirnoff vodka: Smirnoff is distilled from corn, and the company's plain vodka should be safe, even if you're sensitive to gluten-grain-based alcohol.
(Of course, if you like to get your buzz and your sustainable on at the same time, you should know Absolut sources its 100 percent winter wheat from 338 local farms.)
Smirnoff Vodka is distilled from corn, making it gluten-free. Smirnoff offers over 35 different flavored vodkas.
Belvedere's production is regulated by the Polska Vodka legal regulation, one of the strictest in the world. As the appellation dictates, all production must take place on Polish soil, the spirit must be made of either grain or potato, and nothing else can be added.
Absolut Vodka is a Swedish vodka made exclusively from natural ingredients, with no added sugar and made from water and winter wheat grown in the fields of Åhus, Sweden.
Belvedere Vodka is crafted from Dankowski rye, a heritage grain with genetics that pre-date intensive agricultural production and scientific plant breeding.
If you're looking for delicious vodka, you may wonder whether Smirnoff is made from potatoes. The answer is no. However, it is made from a grain called rye. Rye is a type of grass commonly used in baking and brewing.
Stolichnaya (Russian: Столичная) is a vodka made of wheat and rye grain.
Hellfire Bluff Potato Vodka | Tasmanian Handcrafted Spirits.
“Potato vodkas have more of a fleshy mouthfeel than a corn- or wheat-based vodka,” says Torres-Cooke, “and they're more savory. They're full of earthy, nutty flavor.” It's a taste, she says, that expresses the terroir of where the potatoes are grown.
Most vodka isn't made from potatoes.
Potatoes have since proven a viable source in vodka production, but all you really need to make vodka is a sugar source (even just sugar). Most modern vodka is grain-based, though some—hey, Puff! —is made from grapes, even milk whey.
GREY GOOSE vodka is distilled in the gastronomy capital of the world, France, using the traditions of the Maître de Chai with only two ingredients – single-origin Picardie winter wheat and natural spring water.
One of the main differences between grain and potato vodka is their texture and flavor. Grain vodka is typically smoother and less flavorful than potato vodka, which is known for its distinctive taste.
Vodka is traditionally made from potatoes or fermented cereal grains. Some brands also make it from other substances like fruit or sugar. One of the most used and loved alcoholic drink, vodka is either consumed neat or as cocktails like Martini, Bloody Mary and Cosmopolitan.
In addition to Russian Standard and Beluga Noble, Russian brands include Husky Vodka, Jewel of Russia, Moskovskaya, Polugar, Ustianochka, and Zyr Russian Vodka.
Belvedere Vodka is a brand of Polish rye vodka produced and distributed by LVMH. It is named after Belweder, the Polish presidential palace in Warsaw, whose illustration appears on its bottles. It is produced in the town of Żyrardów in Poland.