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A Very Universal Spirit
Vodka is made all over the world and is one of the most popular spirits out there today. It is very complex with a lot of rich background to it. Many people like vodka because of the fact that it is one of the best mixing liquors of all the basic spirits. It has no distinct color, taste, or smell (unless it's flavored). I personally am a fan of vodka because there is no bar that does not carry it and it has such a range of drinks that can be made with it. If you get sick of one mixing agent just move onto another and it creates a whole new taste.
The complete origins of vodka can not be traced. There are many different stories and different guesses. Although when vodka was first being produced, just like all other spirits, the alcohol content was very low because it was all home made and did not have the technology that we today have. It is said that alcohol content of vodka started out about around 10%. Most vodkas today are around 40% alcohol content and some even higher. Vodka is believed to have originated in the grain growing region that now embraces Poland, Russia, and Sweden. These regions are still very well known for producing superior vodkas such as Russian Standard Vodka and Stolichnaya (both Russian), Belvedere and Sobieski (both from Poland), Svedka and Rokk (both from Sweden). There are many other kinds that come from these regions but these are the most well known. The vodka-belt or grain-belt countries of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe are the historic home of vodka, and also have the highest vodka consumption in the world. Vodka is one of the world's most popular spirits. It was rarely consumed outside of Europe before the 1950s. By 1975, vodka sales in the United States overtook those of Bourbon, previously the most popular hard liquor and native spirit of the country.
Vodka is mainly distilled from grains. The most common are wheat or rye. Most Russian vodkas are made from wheat; however their counterparts from Poland typically make their vodkas from Rye. The standard method of making vodka is by fermenting and distilling grain, although potatoes and a few others are popular alternatives. Vodka is a rectified spirit, meaning it is distilled at least three times and depending on where it is made, it is then filtered through charcoal. Most vodka will say how much they were distilled on their bottles. The distilled vodka is filtered through the charcoal to absorb trace amounts of molecules and products that may alter or give of different flavorings to the vodka. However most of the traditional vodka nations have a very accurate distilling process but minimal filtering because they want their vodkas to have a very slight difference. However being there is not much for taste you can sometimes tell the difference from how it may sit in your mouth. There are different textures that you can tell on your tongue; some are much smoother than others. One major thing you can tell is some vodkas actually burn your mouth and throat when you swallow it, others are very smooth and easy to drink straight.
One last thing I am going to let you know about is Prairie Vodka.
I know many people in these economic times are looking for ways to help support local business and also try to keep some money in our own state if possible. This is a great chance to. Prairie vodka is actually vodka that is made from corn which is certified organic from the USDA. All of the corn used in Prairie vodka is grown by a co-op of about 900 farmers in and around Benson, MN where the vodka is produced. The corn is free of chemicals, is not grown from genetically modified seed and the farmers do not use artificial fertilizers. The co-op of farmers behind Prairie is also stakeholders in the company so you know that they want to succeed and make it the best product that it can possibly be. The bottling is also eco friendly. The glass is recycled and unfrosted and the bottles are packed in cardboard from sustainable wood pulp. Any biomass waste from the corn and other material is converted to energy to run the stills and the distillers dried grains are also used as feed on the farms from which the corn originated.
There is much more information out there on vodka but I summed it up about the best I could. Vodka really is a great universal spirit. It can be used in so many different drinks and if you ever have a party that is one thing you better make sure you have plenty of because so many people enjoy it. Like I said before vodka can be used with almost any mixing agent and if you feel like something sweet or something tart there is a recipe for all of it. There is nothing quite like drinking a vodka cranberry or even a vodka tonic on a hot summers day, which really is not to far off!
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