Vodka now accounts for nearly a quarter of all spirits sold in the world. It has come a long way from a spirit that smelled like kerosene and was used in medicine to a highly appreciated silky and smooth libation. We made a list of the 10 most popular questions about vodka and answered them. Enjoy!
What is vodka?
Vodka is a spirit of agricultural origin that has been distilled to a minimum of 96% ABV. It cannot be diluted with water to an ABV below 37.5%. Water is added to reduce the alcoholic strength to bottling level. Discover more about the history of vodka in our blog post.
What’s vodka made from?
Originally, vodka is a grain distillate. So vodka is produced with rye, wheat, corn, sorghum, and other grains. Also, vodka can be made of potatoes, grapes, plumbs, and sugar cane. But there is always room for innovations, and now we can see a range of vodkas distilled from coffee grains and experimental botanical vodkas, made with fresh eucalyptus and cardamom. We expect that soon there will be a lot of new incredible vodkas made of unusual ingredients. Stay tuned.
What does vodka taste like?
Vodka is considered to be tasteless and odorless spirit. But, in this case, all vodkas would taste the same, and they don't. So, we can say that vodka has a taste. And it is identified by its mouthfeel or how it feels on your tongue. Some vodkas can have a silky texture, others burn like hell. There are vodkas with a touch of sweetness on the tongue whilst others have a herbaceous medicinal finish. Vodkas can be oily and clean, sharp and smooth, watery and heavy, the list goes on and on. As the vodka market continues to grow, these characteristics will expand.
Should vodka be stored in the freezer?
There is no point to keep vodka in the freezer the whole time, as it won’t make the spirit last longer. But you do need to chill vodka in the freezer before serving for an hour to receive a smooth and easy-going sipping pleasure.
Is vodka gluten-free?
The process of distillation removes the protein from grains. That means that vodka is safe to drink for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. In theory. But some producers can add artificial flavorings after the distillation. And those additives may contain traces of gluten. So, a clean vodka does not contain gluten, but if it is flavored with other ingredients — it may have gluten in it.
Which vodka to choose for cocktails?
Vodka is an ingredient in many popular cocktails such as Martini, Cosmopolitan, Bloody Mary — just to name a few. Here are our top 3 vodkas that will make perfect cocktails.
Sapling Vodka. A smooth and creamy spirit, distilled four times and made from British wheat. It is marvelous in cocktails and also can be enjoyed neat. Sapling vodka has a buttery and soft taste, with citrus notes and naturally sweet punch.
Victory Cold Distilled Vodka. Raw ingredient (coffee) is cold-distilled at 45°C to extract the light, savory, and almost vegetal aromas. Expect subtle sweetness, with a drying peppery finish.
Black Cardamom Botanical Vodka. This is an incredibly satisfying botanical vodka. Expect fresh eucalyptus notes, hints of cardamom, and a nice smoky finish. Black Cardamom Vodka is amazing served chilled over ice and perfect in a cocktail.
Can vodka go bad?
Vodka is a long-lasting spirit and its shelf life is approximately 10 years. Once opened, vodka slowly expires, losing its strength and taste. This process can last for decades and you can still drink this vodka, it won't make you sick. But the taste and flavors will be rather bland. Our advice: try to kill the bottle within 1 or 2 years after opening.
Can vodka freeze?
You shouldn't keep your vodka in the freezer the whole time. No, it will not freeze, but yes, if you keep the bottle in the freezer for a long time, the cold will mask some of its best qualities, such as its subtle scents and flavors.
How to drink vodka?
There are a few options how to drink this spirit:
- You can drink it neat, but don’t forget to chill it out as vodka tastes better when it's cool.
- If you don’t feel like drinking solo vodka, you would like the spirit with some lime, ice, and simple syrup.
- Vodka-Martini is a perfect cocktail for your first time trying. Just add a splash of vermouth to your vodka, a few olives, and enjoy!
How many calories are in a shot of vodka?
As vodka is nothing but ethanol and water, it doesn't have any nutritional value: no vitamins, minerals, carbs, and so on. All of the calories in vodka come from the alcohol itself.
The general rule is easy: the higher the ABV content, the higher the calorie count. Here is the number of calories in a 1.5-ounce shot of vodka.
80 proof vodka (40% ABV): 96 calories90 proof vodka (45% ABV): 110 calories
100 proof vodka (50% ABV): 124 calories