Choosing the Base for Your Vodka
Vodka can be made out of many types of starchy materials. You have a wide selection of different materials that can serve as the base for your vodka. Each one will affect the flavor differently, so you may wish to experiment after you make your first batch. Possible base materials are potatoes, wheat, beets, rye and other grains.
Supplies for Making Vodka
You will need to buy a home still kit. If you would rather make your own still, you can purchase the various parts from hardware and kitchen-supply stores. Stills are fairly simple mechanisms composed of a heat source, cooling pipes, a boiling chamber and a collection bottle.
Making Vodka
It is important to initially sanitize all your equipment before beginning the stilling process. To do this, run a bleach-water mixture through your still to get rid of any foreign particles. Next, create a mash, which will differ in method depending on your vodka's base. Mashes entail fermentation to create alcohol. Next you will need to distill the mash. Place the mash in the boiling chamber, allowing the mash to evaporate. Repeat this process for further distilling. Next, filter your vodka by using activated carbon filtration, a simple process that entails pouring vodka through a funnel and letting it pass through a carbon filter. You can repeat this process multiple times for a smoother vodka. Finally, dilute the vodka with water, adding about three parts water to four parts vodka.
Safety Tips for Making Vodka
Because you are working with a heat source, it is vital to take precautions when working around an open flame or boiling liquids. Also, when distilling the vodka, discard the first and last amounts of liquid, as these can be toxic. If there are children present, be sure to keep all materials and finished product out of their reach.
Tags: Making Vodka, boiling chamber, heat source, make your, this process, will need