How to Make Vodka

Of all the ideas that man has come up with, alcohol ranks way up there with the wheel and sliced bread, don't you think? And moreover, should you be able to make your own, that, now that, would seriously be worth living for, wouldn't it? As far as useful skills to pick up go, learning how to make vodka is something likely to stand you in good stead. Having said that, making vodka can be a bit tricky, requires a good deal of care and some amount of experience, should you want to end up with a product of quality. Traditionally, vodka is distilled from grain or potatoes, and its origins are associated with the eastern parts of Europe, predominantly Russia, Poland and Ukraine, but it has since gained world wide popularity with some of the biggest beverage companies boasting of multiple vodka brands. It forms the basis of a number of classical cocktails, such as Bloody Mary, Screwdriver and Sex on the Beach, to say nothing of James Bond's drink of choice, the Vodka Martini. Best of all, vodka need not be aged - so it's less time-consuming than, for instance, making homemade wine. Take a look at how to make vodka, illustrated with step by step instructions listed below.

How to Make Vodka at Home

Although typically any ingredient containing starch can be used to make a given type of vodka, it's more common to use grain such as rye, barley or wheat, or foods like potato, sugar beets, or molasses. Grain tends to result in a smoother tasting drink, while starchy foods may yield a 'coarser' variety. If this is your first time in making a distilled alcoholic beverage at home, it may be worthwhile to take the help and guidance of an experienced distiller. Take a look at the homemade vodka recipe below.

How to Make Potato Vodka

• To begin with you need some basic hardware: a still (which you can make, or easier still purchase), a distilling kit, a pressure cooker, a collection receptacle and a carbon filter. Ensure that you use clean and preferably sterilized equipment. You also need the starch source, in this case, potatoes. Use 2.5 lbs of potatoes for approximately a liter of alcohol, then scale up or down according to your requirement.
• This step deals with converting the sugars in the food source into alcohol molecules, and the process will differ according to the source of starch - in this case, making the mash from potatoes. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes, then place in the pressure cooker with enough water to submerge them completely. Remember to use purified or distilled water at all times. Cook the potatoes for about 45 minutes, or until liquefied. Cool. Once the potatoes have cooled, strain the mixture into a clean vessel.
• Next pour the strained liquid into the distillation chamber and start the distiller. Your distillation kit should have a heat source, that will heat the liquid to turn it into vapor, then run the vapor through tubing, before it collects in the bottle for the distilled liquid. Never drink this first stage vodka, as it can have some serious health risks if ingested before it has been completely distilled. The distillation chamber will have some sediment - clean the container, then repeat the process, twice, or till you have a clear distilled liquid.
• Pour the distilled liquid through a carbon filter to trap any small particles or sediment, then store in a clean, dry bottle.

If you're the DIY kind, learning how to make homemade vodka is another process to add to your repertoire, though it can be both time-consuming and labor intensive, to say nothing of expensive, when compared to buying a bottle - but the experience can be rewarding for the home brewing enthusiast. You could even experiment with flavors to infuse, and come up with your own version of flavored vodka - try orange peel, lemon or chili, for an interesting blend. With experience, you'll soon learn how to make vodka, and then you can become the experienced distiller that other first timers turn to!