CSS Vodka

Taste and Style of European Vodka

Bottled at lower alch than US Allow for small quantities of flavorings Richer mouthfeel compared to American Vodka

Shochu

Japanese spirit, 'burned liquor' Common varieties use barley, buckwheat, rice or sweet potatoes as base 25% abv for single distilled version, 35% for double distilled Aging can vary from 1 month to 3 yrs+ Uses koji mold for fermentation

Most popular brand of Soju

Jinro among best selling spirits brands in world

Soju

Korean distilled spirit Made from rice, barley, wheat, sweet potatoes ABV varies from 16% to 45% Most commonly produced with continuous distillation

Flavored varieties of Baijui

Made with flowers, tea, honey, Chinese medicinal herbs, may be sweetened

Most common single distilled form of Shochu

Moromitori Named for two-stage fermentation method that produces the moromi - the low alcohol mash that is then distilled.

Popular versions of Baijiu

Moutai - served to Nixon on visit to China, sorghum and wheat, 7 cycles of ferment/distil. Ergoutou - most commonly associated with Bejing. Bottled under brand Red Star. Cheap, high alcohol Luzhou Laojiao - known for complexity and aromas, attributed to yellow clay cellars Wuliangye - five grain drink, produced using sorghum, corn, wheat, rice and glutinous rice

Primaspirit

Neutral grain spirit produced in Germany 191.2 proof Sold primarily for the use of homemade liqueurs Also known as neutralalkohol

Required distillation method

None for US or EU - can be column, pot, or alembic

Starka

Poland and Lithuania Oak aged vodka, flavored with spices and herbs Literally means 'old woman' Birthing tradition of burying vodka

Krupnik

Polish Vodka flavored with honey and herbs Sometimes served warm

Zubrowka

Polish vodka Flavored with bison grass Tinged yellow Not grassy, but herbal and sweet

Spirytus Rektyfikowany

Rectified spirit from Poland Made from grain or potatoes Commonly used for homemade liqueurs 192 proof

Common types of Shochu

Rice Shochu Sweet Potato Shochu Barley Shochu Soba Shochu (buckwheat) Blended Shochu (strong flavor with less $) Kasutori Shochu (lees left from sake)

Kubanskaya

Russian flavored vodka Dried lemon, orange peels, sometimes honey

Pertsovka

Russian term Vodka flavored with red chili pepper Traditionally also includes honey

Poland typical base material

Rye or potato

Taste and Style of American Vodka

Should be considered neutral as in comparison to pure ethyl alcohol Slight aroma, somewhat sweet taste and harsh, burning aftertaste on the tongue and in throat Colorless Hypothetically congener-free, however most contain one or more congeners that can be detected by sensory threshold

Corn vodka brands

Smirnoff (USA) Tito's (USA)

Rye or rye blends base characteristics

Spicier character, more robust in flavor

Russia typical base material

Wheat

Sweden typical base material

Winter wheat

US Standards of Identity definition of vodka

neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, so as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color *only spirit category required to be distilled at or above 190 proof

US Standards of Identity of "neutral spirits"

-distilled spirit produced from any material -spirits distilled at or above 190 proof and bottled no less than 80 proof

US Standards of Identity Flavored Vodka

-must be made with vodka to which natural flavorings have been added, with or without the addition of sugar -bottled at no less than 30% abv -labeled with predominant flavor as part of the designation, for example 'blueberry-flavored vodka' -may contain wine, but if the total amount of wine exceeds 2.5% of the total volume, the types and percentages of the wine must be stated on the label

EU Vodka Definition

-must be produced from potatoes, cereals, and/or other agricultural raw materials -must be distilled and/or rectified so that the organoleptic characteristics of the raw materials used and the by-products formed in fermentation are 'selectively reduced' -may be re-distilled or treated with activated charcoal or other appropriate materials -must be bottled at minimum of 75 proof -flavorings are to be found naturally in distilled products may be added (glycerol and sugar) -other flavorings that give the product 'special organoleptic characteristics' may also be added -if produced from base material other than potatoes or grains, name of these base materials must be stated on the label

EU Standards for Flavored Vodka

-vodka being given a predominant flavor other than that of the raw materials -may be sweetened, blended, matured or colored -bottled at minimum of 37.5% abv, same standard as unflavored

Charcoal filtration method

1. Neutral spirits flow continuously through tanks containing no less than 1.5 pounds of vegetal charcoal for each gallon of spirits for a minimum period of 8 hours 2. A mixture of spirits and new charcoal in a tank filled with no less than 6 pounds of new charcoal for every one hundred gallons of neutral spirit is agitated for a minimum of 8 hours

First documentation of vodka production

8th century Poland wodka court documents referring to medicinal drink OR 9th century Russia voda - water of life typical archaic description of ardent spirits

Wheat vodka brands

Absolut (Sweden) Grey Goose (France) Sputnik (Russia) Vox (Holland)

Everclear

American neutral grain spirit Two versions - 151 proof and 190 proof

Finland typical base material

Barley

Rye vodka brands

Belvedere (Poland) Potocki (Poland) Wyborowa (Poland) Zytnia (Poland)

Grain (combination) vodka brands

Charbay (USA) Grey Goose (France) Iceberg (Canada) Ikon (Russia) Jewel of Russia (Russia) Ketel One (Holland) Polstar (Iceland) Skyy (USA) Stolichnaya (Russia)

Baijiu

Chinese spirit, sometimes called shaojiu Most commonly made from sorghum World's most consumed spirit 1/3 of spirits sold worldwide Not widely available outside of China

Potato vodka brands

Chopin (Poland) Luksusowa (Poland) Monopolowa (Austria) Teton Glacier (USA)

qu

Compressed mash of base material for Baijiu into bales or bricks, stored in damp environment, fills with mold spores and yeast

Other filtration materials

Crushed limestone Silver, gold and platinum (catalytic actions) Crushed industrial diamonds

Corn base characteristics

Delicate

Desirable congeners in Vodka

Ethyl laureate - fruity and floral aromas Ethyl Myristate - waxy flavor and character Ethyl Palmitate

Barley vodka brands

Finlandia (Finland) Koskenforva (Finland)

Potato base characteristics

Full-bodied, creamier on the palate

Grape base material brands

Hangar 1 (USA) Ciroc (France)

Wheat and barley base characteristics

Highly acidic, lighter in body

Okhotnichya

Hunter's vodka Russian Flavored with spices (ginger, citrus peel, pepper, cloves, etc.) Blended with white fortified wine

Blend of base material brands

Ultimat (Poland)