source of starch available, usually grain, but
sometimes potatoes and sugarbeets. The
source is unimportant, since the fermented
base is distilled to eliminate most aromatics,
and the remainder is removed by filtration
through powdered charcoal to produce a
smooth, neutral flavor. The essentially pure
mixture of alcohol and water is then diluted
with water to the desired strength, a minimum
of around 38%, and bottled without aging.
Vodka was scarcely known in the United
States until the 1950s, when it was discovered
as an ideal alcohol for blending with fruit and
other flavors in cocktails and tall mixed
drinks. Recent years have brought vodkas
flavored with citrus and other fruits, with
chillis, and with barrel aging.
Grappa, Marc These are the Italian and
French names for spirits distilled from
pomace, the residue of grape skins and pulp,
seeds and stems left behind when wine grapes