Vodka Recipe

Prepare starch source

If using grain: crack or mill the grain to expose starch. If using potatoes: wash, peel (optional), chop into chunks and boil until soft, then mash. Measure the prepared starch to approximately 3 kg.

Cook mash (if using grain or potatoes)

In a large stainless-steel or food-grade kettle, bring 8 liters of water to about 65–70°C. Add the crushed grain or mashed potatoes slowly while stirring to avoid clumping. Maintain at 65–68°C for 60–90 minutes to gelatinize starches. If using only sugar + enzymes, dissolve sugar in warm water instead and skip the gelatinization step.

Add enzymes and convert starches

Cool the mash to about 62°C. Stir in the enzymatic malt or amylase enzyme (200 g) and hold between 60–65°C for 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally. This converts starches to fermentable sugars. Test sweetness — the wash should taste noticeably sweet.

Adjust volume and temperature

After conversion, bring mash temperature down to 25–30°C. Add additional water to reach a total volume of approximately 10 liters.

Add nutrients and pitch yeast

Dissolve the yeast nutrient (5 tsp) into the mash. Rehydrate the distiller's yeast per manufacturer instructions (if required) and pitch 10 g into the cooled mash. Cover the fermenter with an airlock.

Ferment

Allow fermentation at a controlled 20–28°C for 5–10 days, or until gravity stabilizes and bubbling stops. The wash should drop in specific gravity and smell of a strong beer/cider-like aroma. Typical wash ABV will be 8–12% depending on fermentables.

Prepare still

Transfer the fully fermented wash to a clean pot still or reflux column designed for distilling spirits. Do not overfill; leave headspace to prevent foaming/boilover. Ensure all equipment is clean and the venting is safe and legal in your jurisdiction.

First run (strip run)

Heat the wash slowly. Collect distillate fractions, separating foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails. Discard foreshots (first 1–2% of total distillate by volume) — they contain volatile toxins. Collect heads separately until the distillate aroma becomes less solvent-like (characteristic sharp smell), then collect hearts (the desired ethanol-rich fraction). Stop hearts/collect tails when the temperature rises or the taste becomes oily/vegetal. For a home-style strip run, aim to capture the bulk ethanol (low-proof) to be re-distilled; record volumes and approximate ABV.

Second run (spirit run / polishing)

Dilute the collected low-proof distillate from the strip run with water to 20–30% ABV (for safer fraction separation) and perform a slow spirit run using a column still or carefully on a pot still to concentrate ethanol and separate heads/hearts/tails more cleanly. Make precise cuts: discard foreshots; collect a small heads fraction and then the hearts (this will be the drinkable vodka base). Stop collecting hearts when tails begin to appear (taste/oily mouthfeel and change in vapor temperature). Aim for a final hearts fraction at ~65–85% ABV from the spirit run.

Charcoal polishing (optional)

If a cleaner, neutral vodka is desired, filter the distilled hearts through activated charcoal. Mix the distilled spirit with the 100 g activated charcoal and gently stir for 30–60 minutes, then filter through a fine filter (coffee filter, polishing cartridge, or glass wool) to remove charcoal and impurities. Repeat if necessary until the spirit is clear and neutral in aroma.

Dilution to bottling strength

Using filtered water, dilute the polished spirit to the desired bottling strength (commonly 40% ABV). Example: if you have 1 liter at 80% ABV, add 1 liter of water to reach roughly 40% ABV. Mix gently and let rest for at least 24–48 hours for flavors to marry.

Final filtration and bottle

Perform a final filtration through a paper filter or cartridge to remove remaining particulates. Bottle into sanitized bottles, seal, and label. Store upright in a cool, dark place.