The Real Difference Between Grain Vodka And Potato Vodka
With many liquors, there's only one way to make them, and one set of ingredients to use. Cognac, for example, you're not going to be found made out of anything besides grapes (via Difford's Guide). However, vodka is an exception to the rule and can be distilled from a number of ingredients including barley, wheat, rye, potatoes, or corn (via Leaf TV). Some vodkas from eastern Europe even use grass to make their vodkas.
The leniency for the beverage is because the federal regulations for vodka itself is pretty lenient. While cognac has to come from a certain region of France, vodka just needs to be a clear spirit distilled to 190 proof. This provides for a good amount of leeway in the manufacturing process. Enough leeway, in fact, that some distilleries are experimenting with making vodka out of salmon and old newspapers. Yes, you read that correctly.
Two of the most popular ingredients used in the distillation process for vodka are grains and potatoes. But what's the difference between the two?
The difference between potato and grain vodka
Experts believe that grain vodka winds up with less of a flavor than potato vodka, which tends to have a distinctive taste to it. Therefore, if you're looking for a vodka with a little more character, you'd be better off looking for one made with potatoes. If you're looking for one to blend in cocktails without imparting a taste of its own, grain vodkas are the better choice. Popular grain vodkas include big names like Grey Goose, Smirnoff, Stolichnaya, and Ketel One. While many people think that Russian vodka is often potato-based, this is actually incorrect as the number of Russian potato vodkas on the market is close to zero. Potato vodka brands include Boyd & Blair and Woody Creek.
While there isn't any gluten in potato vodka, it might be surprising to find out that vodkas made from grains — even wheat — are gluten-free as well (via Beyond Celiac). This is because the distillation process removes the gluten from the finished product.