鈥淏ut I thought all vodka was made from potatoes!鈥� says almost everyone who stops by our tasting room in Squamish.听
Interestingly, it is not. In fact, a mere one per cent of vodkas from all over the world are made from the tuber. From my research, it appears that this misnomer dates back to the early days of vodka in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe, where potato was the least expensive commodity that could be used to produce the spirit.
These days, vodka is made from all manner of things, including various grains, milk whey, corn, fruit (which would make it technically an eau de vie). Vodka varies enormously depending on how it is produced, where it is produced and the kind of equipment with which it is made.
Vodka, by its very nature, is the cleanest spirit you can buy. Don鈥檛 believe all of the hype around how many times it is distilled and what kind of stones are used in the process 鈥� quartz or diamonds. The vodka game is a massive industry and it is all marketing fluff.听
The local vodka movement is on the rise and it is a wonderful thing. Next time you are in your local liquor store, pick up a bottle of vodka, hold it in your hand and imagine how far that French, Swedish or Russian bottle had to travel to get to you. And notice the weight of the bottle. While we are looking at localizing our food, our beverages should not be far behind.听
Locally produced vodkas tend to have more flavour than the ones made by the big multi-national corporations. The big guys use a continuous column that runs nearly all the time. Small producers batch-distill. The corporate vodkas go through a carbon filter at the end of the process as there are many things that can go awry when your booze is running like a fire hydrant. As small, craft, batch distillers, we and many of our colleagues do not carbon-filter, as it is not necessary. At the end of our process, there is nothing to correct. What remains is fresh, often sweeter spirit with the character of what we used to start it.
Vodka is also the base for many spirits you know and love. Did you know that gin is technically flavoured vodka? As is Limoncello. Vodka or brandy is the base of many of the alcohol beverages available on the market today.
Unlike brown spirits, vodka is made only from the hearts of the run, not the heads and tails. The heads and the tails, although they add flavour, can contribute to the not-so-good feelings the next day. Vodka is a safer bet for a hangover-free morning.听
So if you are having a relatively dry January but are still in the mood for a drink, there is a fabulous new company in town, the Squamish Water Kefir Co. Water Kefir is a centuries-old fermented drink that contains probiotics and enzymes that our bodies love. The company has delicious flavours that go well with vodka. We tried our Gastown Shine Vodka (made from wheat) with their grapefruit, making somewhat of a hippie greyhound, and our V-Twin rye based vodka with their blood orange which gave us a spiced, flavourful take on a screwdriver.听
At home, you can make your own vodka infusions. Using different spices, herbs, chilies, coffee 鈥� heck even things like Skittles! Fill a mason jar with a bottle of vodka, add your favourite flavouring and let it sit for three days, shaking a few times a day. Strain the vodka and 鈥� voil脿! 鈥� your very own party concoction.听
Vodka also pairs well with some of our homegrown seafoods and fish like salmon, oysters and ethically harvested caviar.
Why not have a vodka tasting? Everyone brings a bottle, you taste them blind and discuss the character and nuances often missed when not noted by comparison. Try your hand at some of the classic vodka cocktails and bring food pairings to share.听
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Editor鈥檚 note: Columnist Kelly Ann Woods is proprietor of Gillespie鈥檚 Fine Spirits in Squamish.听
