Top Vodka Myths

Vodka is a favorite drink around the world although it is normally linked to Russia and other Eastern European states. Vodka is always very much misunderstood although it is very widely known. We've broekn down some of the more common myths to help you clear any misconceptions you could have about vodka.

 

All Vodka Is The Same

This is totally not true. The origin of the spirit and what it was distilled from forms the basis of the spirit. The vodka from the west is much softer and welcoming while vodka which is traditionally made especially from the Eastern Europe is very emphatic, robust and takes pride in its ingredients which are normally used raw.

 

Good Vodka Must Be Distilled Several Times

Wrong!  A product distilled using ingredients that are low-grade will eventually end up being low-grade no matter the number of times it has been distilled. If you use the finest ingredients to distill your vodka, you do not have to distill it for more than three times since this will remove its character and flavor.

The traditional way states that the number of times a spirit has been distilled is determined by the number of stills and not the number of plates in a still. Three or four times of distilling are more sensible but when it goes over that, it turns out to be an exaggeration and ends up altering the texture and taste of the vodka.

 

All Vodka is Made From Potatoes

Wrong!  Although vodka can also be made from potatoes, it can be made from beets, grains, soybeans, molasses, corn and grapes. You shouldn’t assume that vodka which is not labeled what it is made from is from grains and definitely containing gluten. Although potatoes can be used in distilling vodka, anything else can also be used to distill vodka. Let your imagination run wild.

 

Cocktails Don't Require a High Quality Vodka

Wrong!  The difference in taste may not always be reflected on the final drink but if you consume a lot of it, the following day you will definitely be able to tell whether it was cheap or not.

 

Don't Let The Price Fool You

The price tag on vodka is not necessarily an indicator of its quality and how much one should pay for vodka is a difficult question to answer. You can taste a lot of vodka with different price tags and come up with the answer for this.

 

All Vodka Is Made In Russia

Wrong!  Vodka can be made anywhere in the world since there is no law regulating where it should be produced. However, known as the vodka belt, the areas with the oldest tradition of making vodka include; Belarus, Latvia, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia, Norway and also Russia.

 

Bad Vodka Can Be Filtered At Home To Make Good Vodka

Wrong!  No amount of filtering will eliminate any impurities that may be contained in the vodka you purchase and this will only end up altering the taste of the vodka. You can just decide to spend a little more money on buying vodka from a brand that is known to produce good quality vodka.

 

Vodka Should Be Tasteless And Odorless

Wrong!  The reason different people prefer different brands of vodka is because every type of vodka has its own character and taste. Saying that vodka should be tasteless is just a misconception.

Always make sure vodka is at room temperature when tasting it. As you reel a small sip around in the mouth, always take note of the vodka’s texture. As you swallow the vodka and breath out your nose, take note of the minerality, sharpness and clarity. Try doing this with 2 brands of vodka side by side.

Although some brands of vodka have a very neutral character, they also have different flavors and texture. Other brands of vodka have unique characters. If you carefully and correctly take notes as you taste vodka, you will conclude that vodka has flavor.

 

Only Pot Stills Can Make Good Vodka

Wrong!  Vodka marketers take pride in vodka that is traditionally made using the pot still. When a pot still is used to re-distil neutral spirit, the finished vodka will improve a lot and also excellent vodka can be produced by a column still. Vodka produced 100 percent using a pot still is usually overly dense. Some brands use a combination of spirit that has been re-distilled using a pot still combined with a spirit made from grain. Although these individual components spirits can produce good vodka by themselves, when blended together the end product is normally better compared to the individual components.

Distillers who use the pot still to make their vodka normally uses the traditional copper pot still or a combination still to redistill third party distilled neutral spirit. The combination still is a pot still that goes up to a mini-column still which is attached or neighboring it. Vodka that has been re-distilled in a copper pot still can have it texture and character altered which on the other hand ends up making it evidently heavier than the normal one.

Hopefully, that helps clear up some of the common misconceptions you may have had around vodka.