What Is Moonshine Made From Potatoes?

What alcohol is made from potatoes?

Applications and Use – Neutral Potato Alcohol is commonly used in the production of Vodka, as potatoes and grains provide a neutral flavor profile for the alcohol. The use of potato alcohol to produce alcoholic beverages, however, is just limited to just vodka.

Many more spirits are made using Neutral Potato Alcohol as a base. It many also be used as a preservative, a solvent for flavoring, or extracting. Is potato alcohol gluten-free? Yes, potato alcohol is gluten-free. It is a popular choice for people who have gluten sensitivities or celiac disease and are looking for alcoholic beverages that are safe for them to consume.

What are the advantages of using potato alcohol in distillation? Potato alcohol is a popular choice for distillation due to its various advantages. It has a neutral flavor profile making it easy to blend with other ingredients. This allows for the production of a wide range of alcoholic beverages.

1. Additionally, potato alcohol has a slightly creamy texture which contributes to a silky-smooth taste and mouthfeel in spirits.
2. Another advantage of potato alcohol is that it is gluten-free.
3. This makes it suitable for individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
4. Furthermore, it is GMO-free, making it a great option for those who prefer non-genetically modified ingredients in their alcoholic beverages.

Lastly, potato alcohol is versatile as it can be used to produce different types of spirits such as vodka, gin, and liqueurs, and can also be utilized as a preservative or solvent for flavoring or extracting. Additional information HOWS ITS MADE Our Potato Alcohol is produced by fermenting and distilling potatoes to create a form of pure alcohol.

This neutral spirit also is gluten free. STEP ONE Preparation of the Mash To prepare the mash, the potatoes are typically put into mash tub machines that will mash them automatically. To mash the potatoes, the tub is rotated and breaks them down while adding granulated malt meal. This is added to catalyze the conversion of starches to sugar.

STEP TWO Sterilization and Inoculation mixture. To facilitate fermentation in the following step, lactic acid bacteria are added to the mash; this will aid in raising acidity levels, which will be beneficial during fermentation. As the acidity levels reaches the desired level, the mash is moved to fermentation, as it has been sterilized and inoculated.

STEP THREE Fermentation Once the mash has been sterilized and inoculated, it is poured into vats made of stainless steel. Before these vats are sealed, yeast is added to the mash. The vats are then sealed for 2 to 4 days, giving the yeast enzymes plenty of time to convert the sugars present in the mixture into alcohol.

At the end of this process, the product is an ethyl alcohol that is now ready for distillation. STEP FOUR Distillation and Rectification The liquid produced during the fermentation phase is pumped into stainless steel columns, known as stills. These stills contain a variety of vaporization chambers, where the alcohol is heated with steam.

1. This results in vapors which are then condensed, causing them to rise into the upper chamber of the stills where they are then extracted from the mixture and discarded.
2. STEP FIVE Dilution and Bottling In the final step of production, the concentrated liquid has an alcohol content ranging between 95 and 100%.

Before bottling the alcohol, water is added to decrease the alcohol percentage to 40%. Once diluted, the distilled spirit is ready for bottling. The bottling process includes cleaning, capping and sealing into bottles, labelling, and loading into transport containers.

Can you get alcohol from potatoes?

“Alberta in a Bottle” – Potatoes contain starch, and starch can be converted to sugar and fermented into alcohol. Run the resulting mixture through a still and you get potato vodka — a clear, odourless and colourless spirit that can be drank straight or in an infinite number of cocktails.

Like potato beer, there is very little potato vodka on the world market. According to statistics, only around three per cent of vodka sold globally is made from potatoes, and only a small handful of vodkas made in Canada are of the potato variety. Among them is Rig Hand Potato Vodka made in Nisku, Alta., by Rig Hand Distillery,

Owner and distiller Geoff Stewart spoke during the 2022 Canadian Spud Congress about his experiences making the company’s signature potato vodka. According to Stewart, potatoes give Rig Hand’s potato vodka a sweeter, creamier taste than traditional grain-based vodka, making it a wonderful sipping spirit.

• By definition, vodka is supposed to be odourless and flavourless, but with the advent of so many craft distilleries, everybody’s doing their own little twist on things.
• Potato vodka does have a definite flavour to it,” Stewart explains.
• When it comes off the still, Rig Hand’s potato vodka is around 96 per cent alcohol by volume.

At that stage, he says it tastes a bit like orange creamsicle and has a very distinct orange-like flavour to it. “Once it’s carbon filtered and diluted to 40 per cent alcohol, what distinguishes it is the creaminess of the mouthfeel on the tongue. It’s almost like coating your tongue in cream. Rig Hand Potato Vodka is made from small red Blushing Belle potatoes, originating from one of the oldest breeding farms in Europe and distributed by The Little Potato Company based in Edmonton, Alta. Some are grown by Alberta’s Corey Jesperson, president of CK Jesperson Farms based in Spruce Grove, Alta.

We tried originally to use some russet potatoes because we knew the starch content was higher. Full-sized potatoes are harder for us to use than the smaller potatoes that have a thinner skin, actually. We’re finding that we’re having similar starch yields with the Blushing Belles than what we did with the russets.

We tried Yukon Gold potatoes, and we’ve even tried some sweet potatoes,” Stewart says. “Sweet potatoes must have a sulfur component in them because they didn’t make good vodka. If you can make find the right potato variety and make a nice potato vodka, what you have is a great, smooth vodka that people will enjoy.” Rig Hand Distillery is the first craft distillery in Niksu.

• Its products are packaged in a trademarked bottle that is a replica of the Leduc #1 drilling rig.
• It’s Alberta in a bottle,” Stewart says.
• And after winning a slew of awards for its premium vodka, coffee liqueur and sugar beet rum, the business is growing.
• Rig Hand is building a new facility set to open in November, three miles directly east of the Edmonton airport which will consolidate its four warehouses into one.

It has a sister distillery in Seguin, Texas, called CY Distillery. Its third location — First Light Distillery — was just completed Fredericton, N.B., and is operated by Stewart’s uncle and cousin. For its Maritime operations, the company patented a bottle that looks like the famous lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia.

The company’s potato vodka isn’t just a western thing, either. First Light plans to work with McCain Foods in New Brunswick to source potatoes to make a true eastern Canadian potato vodka. “We were a little company that started with just me and, seven years ago, and now we’re up to 34 staff and three other locations.

So, I haven’t slept in seven years,” Stewart says with a laugh. “Distilling is a passion, and so is making great vodka from potatoes.”

Is vodka made from potatoes?

Many people believe that vodka must be manufactured from potatoes while discussing it. It’s a popular belief that has been passed down through the years, after all. But is it accurate to say that potatoes are primarily used in the production of vodka, or is there more to the story? To end the argument once and for all, we examine the history of vodka and its main components in this article. As we delve more into the past of vodka, we see how this crystal-clear alcoholic beverage has changed over time.

How many potatoes are in vodka?

Despite the persistent myth that vodka is usually made from potatoes, the fact is, potato vodkas are pretty hard to come by these days. Take a look at the big vodka brands that jump to mind – nearly all of them are made from grain. And there’s a reason for that – making vodka from grain is considerably easier and more efficient.

Potatoes? Not so much. But more on that later. Truth be told, you can make vodka from just about any agricultural substrate, as long as you can get it to ferment. In addition to grains like wheat, you’ll find vodka made from corn, rice, fruit, and much more. To call it vodka, you just have to meet the following criteria (as spelled out by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau): Spirits distilled from any material at or above 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof), and if bottled, bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).

Neutral spirits distilled or treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials so as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color. It’s that last part that is particularly interesting: “.without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color.” If that’s the benchmark for quality vodka, how does one product achieve superiority over another? Should it strive to be even MORE without character? To have even LESS taste? If that’s the be-all, end-all goal for vodka, it has certainly been met many times over by countless (perfectly fine, mind you) products on the market. But as with most things in life, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all. Sometimes, when you’re sipping a vodka martini, for example, you’d rather conjure up images of lush, rolling fields in the old country than an austere hospital room scrubbed down in antiseptic.

Needless to say, Chuckanut Bay Distillery Potato Vodka strives for the former. Making vodka from whole, fresh potatoes is no easy task. In fact, it’s almost comically inefficient. This is due in part to the biomass of a potato, which consists largely of water (about 80%). The other 20% is dry matter, and of that dry matter, only 60-80% of it is starch – the component that gets converted to sugar which is then fermented to create alcohol.

So it’s the starch of the potato that we’re after in this process, but potatoes don’t contain much starch relative to their total mass. An easier workaround for a less ambitious distiller would be to use dried potato flakes which contain far higher starch levels than whole potatoes on a per pound basis.

And indeed, potato flakes serve as the substrate for several potato vodkas on the market. Alas, that’s not how we roll here at Chuckanut Bay Distillery. Whenever possible, we strive to work with ingredients in their most natural, unprocessed form. That means procuring whole Yukon Gold potatoes harvested at the peak of growing season just a few miles south of us in the Skagit Valley, considered to be one of the finest potato-growing regions in the world.

How To Make Sweet Potato Vodka

It takes at least 50 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes to make just one 750ml bottle of our vodka. Multiply that by 600 bottles, our batch yield, and you have 30,000 pounds of potatoes. Why use Yukon Golds instead of cheaper and more readily available russet potatoes? Well, we tried that, actually.

The result was less than impressive – an “oily” vodka that lacked the earthy old world charm we were striving to achieve in a potato vodka in the first place. In contrast, our vodka made from Yukon Golds is simply exquisite. But don’t take our word for it; Chuckanut Bay Distillery Potato Vodka was one of only two vodkas in the world to win the New York International Spirit Competition’s Double Gold Medal in 2013.

We’ll leave you with the tasting notes from the prestigious Beverage Tasting Institute, where our potato vodka earned a gold medal and a score of 92 out of 100: “Clear color. Toasty aromas of nougat and raisin bread with a supple, crisp, dryish light-to-medium body and a tingling, interesting, long mocha cream, ground nuts, spiced fig, and minerals finish.

What is potato whiskey?

: whiskey distilled from potatoes.

Which Scandinavian alcoholic spirit is made from potatoes?

6. Aquavit Varies Depending on the Region – The specific herbs and spices used to flavor aquavit are determined by local preference and cuisine. Swedish and Danish aquavit is usually distilled from grain, while Norwegian aquavit is traditionally made from potatoes.

How did Russians make vodka from potatoes?

Vodka can be made from just about anything – monticello/Shutterstock If you know the history of the potato, you know that potatoes weren’t brought to Europe until the 16th century (via History Magazine ). Before that, the drink was typically made from grains. To this day, most vodka is made from grains like corn, rice, and wheat, but potatoes are an option because according to Vinepair, vodka “can be distilled from any agricultural product containing sugar or starch.” Potatoes, beets, and rice are all starchy options.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau defines vodka as a “neutral spirit distilled or treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials,” and “bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (ABV).” Some distilleries make vodka from grapes, hempseed, and even coffee pulp —the fruit surrounding the coffee bean, which is typically discarded.

Water, which typically comprises about 60% of the drink, is surprisingly important, though. According to Liquor.com, the quality of the water used in vodka production can have a major effect on the taste, more so than in other spirits. Distillers know this, too: High-quality vodkas use water sourced from springs and glaciers.

What is Absolut made of?

Ingredients Used in Absolut Vodka – Absolut Vodka is made from two main ingredients: winter wheat and water, The winter wheat used in Absolut Vodka is grown in the fields of southern Sweden, where the cold climate and rich soil create ideal growing conditions. The water used in Absolut Vodka is sourced from a deep well located near the distillery in Åhus, Sweden. This well is fed by a natural spring, and the water is naturally filtered through layers of limestone and sandstone, which helps to remove impurities and create a clean and pure taste.

Which vodka is made from 100% potatoes?

3. Luksusowa Vodka – Luksusowa Potato Vodka| Image Credit – www.luksusowavodka.com It comes from Polish distillery, and it is named for the Polish word for luxury. Made using 100% Polish potatoes, it is made by filtering through charcoal and oak chips. This premium Polish vodka was created in 1928 using the finest crop of potatoes in North Poland.

What is Smirnoff made from?

Meet The World’s No.1 Vodka – Smirnoff is the most awarded name in vodka, with countless years of heritage and unmatched quality sold in over 130 countries, It is triple distilled from a blend of different grains and filtered ten times through seven columns of environmentally sustainable charcoal for an exceptionally pure-tasting, smooth spirit.

Is Smirnoff vodka made with potatoes?

What to Know About Gluten-Free Vodka Brands – It’s not always obvious which vodkas on the liquor store shelves are made from gluten grains and which are not, so here’s the list of your various gluten-free vodka options:

Blue Ice vodka : Blue Ice makes three different vodkas: Potato, Huckleberry, and Wheat. Both the wheat and the potato vodkas are processed in the same facility, so even though the potatoes themselves are gluten-free, there may be cross-contamination with the wheat. If you decide to try Blue Ice brand, make sure you grab the blue bottle, which contains the Huckleberry vodka and is the only one specifically labeled “gluten-free.” Bombora vodka : Bombora, a grape-based vodka, is imported from Australia. The company makes only grape-based vodka, so there should be few concerns about gluten cross-contamination in the facility. Boyd & Blair vodka : Boyd & Blair, made at Pennsylvania Distilleries in Glenshaw, Pa., is crafted from small, local batches of potatoes. Broken Shed vodka : This New Zealand vodka is distilled from “pure New Zealand whey” and blended with spring water. According to the manufacturer, it’s free of GMOs, additives, chemicals, or any added sugar. It’s widely available in 23 states, or you can purchase it online. Cayman Blue vodka : Cayman Blue, produced in the Dominican Republic from sugar cane and spring water, is the first distilled spirit certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), which tests products to make sure they contain fewer than 10 parts per million of gluten. CooranBong vodka : This is another grape-based vodka imported from Australia. Chopin vodka : Chopin makes three varieties of vodka: wheat, potato, and rye. Obviously, if you react to vodka distilled from gluten grains, you need to stick with the potato-based vodka, which comes in a bottle with a black cap and lettering. Ciroc Ultra Premium vodka : Ciroc, another premium vodka, this time made from grapes, comes in eight different flavors (plus seasonal varieties like Summer Watermelon). Ciroc’s plain vodka is considered gluten-free. Cold River vodka : Cold River potato vodka is made in Maine and comes in three flavors: Original Potato, Distiller’s Reserve, and Blueberry (made with real Maine wild blueberries). All are considered gluten-free. Interestingly, the company also makes an unusual potato-based gin (see the article Is Gin Gluten-Free? for more information). Crystal Head vodka : Available in—you guessed it—a clear head-shaped bottle, Crystal Head vodka is distilled in Newfoundland, Canada, from peaches and cream corn, making it grain-based but free of gluten grains. It’s then filtered through semi-precious crystals known as Herkimer diamonds. The vodka contains no additives. The company producing Crystal Head vodka was co-founded by actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander in 2008. Deep Eddy vodka : This American-made vodka is distilled from corn in Austin, Tex. It comes in plain vodka plus seven flavors. The Original, Peach, Cranberry, Lemon, Lime, and Ruby Red (grapefruit) flavors are all labeled gluten-free. Devotion vodka : Devotion vodka bills itself as the first brand to introduce a full line of U.S.-produced gluten-free and sugar-free flavored vodkas. Devotion features seven flavors: Pure, Wild Cherry, Coconut, Blood Orange, Black and Blue, “Tiki”, and “The Perfect Cosmo.” If you’re sensitive to dairy, note that Devotion adds casein protein from cow’s milk to its final products to improve “mouth feel.” DiVine vodka : DiVine vodka is made from grapes by RoundBarn Winery in southwest Michigan. The winery/distillery does not process any gluten grains. DOT AU vodka : This Australian small-batch vodka is distilled from Queensland sugarcane. It’s not widely available in the U.S., but can be found at some events featuring Australian culture and products. Famous vodka : Famous vodka is made from Idaho russet potatoes and water from the spring-fed Snake River in Idaho. Famous sells a traditional vodka and a rose-flavored vodka infused with rose extract. Glacier vodka : Glacier vodka, made in Idaho out of Idaho potatoes, does not include any gluten grains, according to the company. Be aware it’s made in a facility that also makes a wheat-based vodka (actually, it’s the same facility that makes Blue Ice vodkas). Grand Teton vodka : This potato-based vodka is made from Idaho potatoes in Idaho, in the Grand Teton foothills. The company also makes corn-based whiskey. Iceberg vodka : This is another Canadian vodka made from cream corn, rendering it safe for those who are gluten-free and react to alcoholic beverages made from gluten grains. Iceberg vodka also uses ice harvested from Canadian icebergs, which the manufacturers consider far purer than tap water (it’s been frozen for some 20,000 years). For those concerned about the environment, the company says it only uses ice that has already broken off from Arctic glaciers. Kissui vodka : Made in Japan, Kissui vodka is crafted from rice and natural spring water. “Kissui” means “pure,” or “made from one ingredient.” Manufacturer Takara also makes multiple varieties of sake (for more on this, see Is Sake Gluten-Free or Not? ) Kleiner Feigling vodka : This is the only vodka on the list that’s made from figs (which, of course, are gluten-free). Some say it’s more a liqueur than a vodka, as it has a lower alcohol content than traditional vodka. It also contains natural fig flavoring (I’ve seen references to a “Fig Newton nose,” which might suit you if really miss Fig Newtons). Kleiner Feigling is imported from Germany. Krome vodka : Krome vodka is made from corn in Oregon and bills itself as “naturally gluten-free.” According to the manufacturer, there is barley present in the facility where Krome is made, and some of the same equipment is used for both the barley-based and the corn-based alcohol products. “All tanks are cleaned far beyond standards” between products, according to the distiller. L’chaim Kosher vodka : This vodka is made from organic corn and distilled using practices that originated in Israel. It is labeled gluten-free by its manufacturer, which also produces wine, rum and tequila (nothing from gluten grains). Lokka vodka : Lokka vodka, manufactured in Turkey, is distilled from grapes. It’s packaged in an eye-catching purple bottle with orange lettering. It’s available in the United Kingdom but not in the U.S. Luksusowa vodka : Poland-crafted Luksusowa (which means “luxurious” in Polish) is the top-selling potato vodka in the world, according to distributor W.J. Deutch & Sons. Luksusowa makes only potato vodka, so again, any concerns about facility cross-contamination should be minimal. Monopolowa vodka : This potato-based vodka originated in Poland and now is distilled in Austria. The company also produces a gin made from potatoes (see Is Gin Gluten-Free? for more grainless gin options). Portland potato vodka : Eastside Distilling in Portland, OR, bills this vodka as “the Northwest’s new premium vodka.” Note that the company does distill gluten grain-containing bourbon and whiskey in the same facility. RWB vodka : This vodka, made from Idaho potatoes, is marketed by International Spirits and Beverage Group, Inc., and prominently features the words “gluten-free” on the package. Be aware that it’s made in a facility that also processes gluten grains. Schramm Organic potato vodka : This British Columbia potato vodka is certified organic, with no artificial colors, chemical additives, or GMO products. The vodka is made in small batches using mountain water. Schramm also makes an organic potato-based gin. The website says it is only shipping within Canada at this time. 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. Smirnoff also is offering “Smirnoff Sourced” flavored vodka, which contains 10% fruit juice from concentrate and is labeled “gluten-free.” Smirnoff Sourced flavors include Ruby Red Grapefruit, Pineapple, and Green Apple. However, watch out for Smirnoff Ice beverages (the kind that comes in six-packs)—they are malt-based and not gluten-free—but there are gluten-free ciders and beer alternatives, Social House vodka : This small North Carolina company distills its vodka from locally-sourced corn and water from Black Creek Aquifer. Social House utilizes a proprietary filtration process to make its vodka as pure as possible. Stoli Gluten Free vodka. Unlike regular Stoli Premium Vodka (which is made from the gluten grains wheat and rye), Stoli Gluten Free is made from a recipe of 88% corn and 12% buckwheat, according to the company. Tito’s handmade vodka : Tito’s is made in Texas from corn. Here’s the rather extensive (but helpful!) gluten-free statement: “Tito’s is made from 100% corn and as a distilled spirit, is completely gluten-free. Some producers add a bit of mash back into the spirit after distillation, which would add gluten content into an otherwise gluten-free distillate (if using wheat as the base), but I don’t do that regardless. It’s an important thing for us, and we actually include “GLUTEN-FREE” in lots of our materials and on the website so people can make informed choices. But, I am a vodka man, not a doctor, so if you have more questions or concerns, you should definitely talk to your doctor about it!” Tito’s is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). Vikingfjord vodka : Vikingfjord is another pure potato vodka which is made in Norway. Zodiac vodka : Made from potatoes in Idaho’s Snake River aquifer, Zodiac is crafted in small batches and labeled “gluten-free.” It’s available in plain and black cherry flavors.

You obviously won’t find all these brands in bars. But most restaurants and bars stock Smirnoff, and you’ll likely find Tito’s behind better-stocked bars—it’s become a real favorite.

Is New Amsterdam potato vodka?

Both the gin and vodka are grain-based. (Mostly.) – Both New Amsterdam gin and vodka are made with grain, and are distilled five times (meaning you don’t have to go looking for cereal notes on the nose or lingering, rounded sweetness on the mouthfeel).

What is Swedish vodka made from?

Primarily distilled from winter wheat, Swedish Vodka runs the gamut in terms of filtration—some are triple distilled, while others hit the market completely unfiltered.

Which vodka is made out of potatoes?

Zodiac Vodka – This vodka hails from eastern Idaho and is made from Russet potatoes and water from the picturesque Snake River aquifer. It has hints of citrus, pepper and vanilla on the nose and a smooth flavor and finish. Shop Now 8 / 10

Is vodka made from grapes or potatoes?

Potato Vodka vs. Grain Vodka – Potato vodka is made using potatoes as the primary ingredient, while grain vodka is made using grains like wheat, rye, and barley. The two types of vodka have distinct flavor profiles and are often used in different cocktails and recipes. Potato vodka is known for its smooth, creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor. It is often used in cocktails that require a milder flavor profile, such as a Bloody Mary or a Moscow Mule, Grain vodka is known for its clean, crisp flavor and is often used in cocktails that require a stronger flavor profile, such as a Martini or a Cosmopolitan.