Pomace brandy results from the fermentation of the pressed remains of the wine making process. This includes grape pulp, skins and stems. Although the taste is rougher, it carries a stronger fruit aroma because it is not aged in wooden casks, if aged at all. Pomace brandies include such spirits as the Italian Grappa and the French Marc.

The third type and also the most common is the fruit brandy. All spirits distilled from fermented fruit other than grapes is a fruit brandy. More specifically, most fruit brandy derives from distilled fruit wine. Berries, on the other hand, are a special case because they do not contain enough sugar to make a wine with enough alcohol to be distilled into a proper fruit brandy. Instead, the berries are soaked in a high-proof spirit, which extracts their flavor and aroma and are then distilled once at a low proof. Examples of fruit brandy are the wide variety of German Schnapps, Slivovitz or plum brandy from Eastern Europe, France’s Calvados, or Apple Brandy, and Eau-de-vie, which is French for “aqua vitae”, “water of life”, which is a colorless fruit brandy.

Cognac is probably the most popular brandy in the world. It is exclusive to the Cognac region of France and is made from three types of grapes: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard. These grapes produce tart wines with low alcohol content, perfect for making Cognac. The wine is distilled twice and then aged in oak barrels. All cognacs are aged in new oak barrels to create a mellow flavor and aroma. The batches chosen for long-term aging are then transferred to used barrels, in order to not further saturate the oak flavor in the cognac. Cognacs can age anywhere from 6 to more than 20 years and afterwards are blended by the Master Blender to create the perfect Cognac.

Make note that with different means of distilling come different results. First, it should be known that wine has already rid itself of many unwanted chemicals found in fermented fruit, thus requiring fewer passes through the still. As few as two passes would suffice and, depending on the equipment used, once may be enough. Just as important as the material used is the speed of distillation. If using an alembic, we recommend a slower speed. The slower the speed of distillation, in this case, the more gently and effectively the alcohol separates from the raw material and unwanted chemical elements. While a less efficient and slower process, this method results in a finer, more aromatic brandy. The reflux still, on the other hand, allows for a speedier production rate and is very efficient. Unfortunately, its speediness destroys many of the elements that give brandy its distinctive character traits. So, if wondering which method and still to use, first decide what you consider most important in making your brandy.

Brandy can also be colored or clear. Aging the brandy in oak barrels adds color, flavor and an even deeper aroma. Suggested fruit for aging are grapes, apples and plums. Brandy, in general, can be aged months to years and, ultimately, depends on the desires of the distiller. If using fruits such as pears, apricots, cherries, strawberries, or raspberries you might prefer not to age the brandy because these fruits are flavorful and aromatic on their own. In this case, the brandy remains a clear spirit (eau-de-vie).

Given a potstill with a 50-gallon mash capacity using a wine with a 12% alcoholic content, the resulting pure alcoholic yield would be 4.2 gallons. Once this liquid is diluted, or cut, down to a drinkable level of 40% alcoholic content the result would be 10.5 gallons of brandy.

Vodka did not become popular in the US until the 1940s. It was introduced into the American market in the late 1800s and early 1900s when importers realized they could target Eastern European immigrants with a nostalgic drink. Also, many Russian distillers, who lost their livelihood when the Bolsheviks confiscated all private distilleries after the Revolution of 1919, escaped to the US and brought with them their trade vodka secrets and dreams to start again. Still, vodka did not find a prominent place on the stage of alcohol for Americans. Once alcohol rejoined the living with the repeal of the Prohibition Act in 1933, the Russian Vladimir Smirnov (changed to Smirnoff) sold the Smirnoff company to Rudolph Kunnett who in 1939 sold it to the Hublein Company. Several attempts were made at breaking vodka into the American market, but it was not successful until the company began to market it as a cocktail base. This proved to be a great strategy and vodka was on its way to make its mark on the American drinking culture. With its great versatility as a drink mixer it became a favorite at parties and social gatherings. Today you can see many vodka varieties at the liquor stores, among them the most popular being Smirnoff and Absolut.

How to make vodka

Vodka is an easy spirit to make. The end result simply comes down to a matter of taste and government regulations. In the US, vodka is classified as “neutral spirits, so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. This makes vodka distillation simple in the US because the only variety allowed for is alcohol content.

There are many ways to produce vodka. The most popular vodka is from grains, like rye, wheat and corn. Other options include using potatoes, beets or molasses. If using rye or wheat, first the grain must be mixed into water and then heated to create a wort. The heat breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars, which escape the grain and move into the water. Next, the wort is drained and the ensuing liquid becomes the ferment for vodka, also known as the wash. For potatoes the procedure is the same, just mash the potatoes to facilitate the heating and conversion of the starches.

Following the fermentation process, the wash is put into the still and is run once through a reflux and at least twice through a pot still. As mentioned above, the more bubble plates closed off in the reflux still, the higher the proof and the less the flavor. Also, some people might choose to filter the vodka through charcoal, which adds a slightly smokey flavor but also gives vodka its crisp taste it is known for. Finally, the spirit will need to be cut. Since the spirit is distilled at a high proof (usually around 190 proof, or 95% alcohol) it needs to be cut down to your preferred taste. Most vodkas are cut to 80 proof, or 40% alcohol. Vodkas tend to be clear and are not aged in barrels. Naturally, there are exceptions and you will find a few distillers abroad who will flavor and age their vodkas (which resembles more a brandy), but this is not an option in the US.

Once it’s all done you can drink it like vodka.

Making Gin

First, your neutral spirit should be diluted down to about 35% alcohol by volume. (Note: when spirits are cut to below 45% ABV, a slight turbidity will occur. To reattain distillate clarity you will need to filter your product.) Once you have loaded the base spirit into your still, you have two choices: to suspend your botanicals in a tray above the kettle or to soak the botanicals directly in the spirit. Traditionally, trays were placed above the kettle (just at the base of the helmet) so that as the vapors rose from the heated ethanol they would strip all the goodies from the herbs, such as flavor and aroma. This would pass through the condenser and what resulted was a fine-flavored gin. The herbs in the tray can be dried or fresh. Naturally, the dried herbs impart less character than fresh berries and a larger quantity is thus needed to achieve a certain degree of flavor. On the other hand, while fresh berries will yield a stronger bouquet and less is needed, the cost of the raw material is higher.

Nevertheless, the current and more efficient method of distilling a gin would be to soak the botanicals in a high-proof spirit (again, diluted down to about 35% ABV) for anywhere between 8-12 hours while slowly agitating the mixture and then redistilling the blend. Depending on the quality of your berries, you will need approximately 15 kilograms of berries for every 100 liters of high-proof spirit. If suspending your berries in a tray, you can estimate you will need up to three times the quantity to achieve similar results.

As mentioned earlier, not only juniper berries are used to create gin. If everyone used the same ingredients there would be no distinction, no competition and no choice! So, the beauty lies in the artistic prowess of the distiller. Other herbs typically used in making gin include anise, coriander seeds, orange or lemon peels, nutmeg, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon, etc. You can guess that some of these herbs will result in a product not too far from ouzo, for example.

Finally, you probably want to know what kind of still you need to make gin. The typical configuration is quite simple: a kettle with a top-mounted helmet and no column. This style has been used historically because reflux columns were not yet widely used. They are still acceptable today, as well, because your base spirit is already clean, neutral and high proof. However, you will find that some distillers do use reflux column stills for creating gin. For one, they can make their own high proof. Two, and importantly, you can further clean the vapors that have soaked in or passed through the botanicals. Off-flavors and undesirable elements strip off the herbs just as the good and desired elements do. Through a reflux column, however, the new spirit has a chance to be freshly cleansed.

However you decide to make your gin, be creative and artistic, and the gin connoisseurs will seek you out!