Same here Scotty. I am still stumbling around in the dark trying to figger out what good vodka is supposed to taste like. For personal consumption I tend to like the stuff which dont taste like anything. Not sure what the yups prefer. Best of fortunes to the aspiring commercial distiller.

I'm looking for the cheapest source material to make a Vodka mash.*

I could think of is corn syrup, though that will not constitute Vodka.*

So technically as long as a make a neutral spirit at 80-90 proof it should still be Vodka?

domestic Vodkas are defined by U.S. government regulation 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."" Because American Vodka is, by law, neutral in taste, there are only very subtle distinctions between brands. Many drinkers feel that the only real way of differentiating between them is by alcohol content and price.

Vodka is the dominant spirit of Eastern Europe. It is made by fermenting and then distilling the simple sugars from a mash of pale grain or vegetal matter. Vodka is produced from grain, potatoes, molasses, beets, and a variety of other plants. Rye and wheat are the classic grains for Vodka, with most of the best Russian Vodkas being made from wheat while in Poland they are mostly made from a rye mash. Swedish and Baltic distillers are partial to wheat mashes. Potatoes are looked down on by Russian distillers, but are held in high esteem by some of their Polish counterparts. Molasses, a sticky, sweet residue from sugar production, is widely used for inexpensive, mass-produced brands of Vodka. American distillers use the full range of base ingredients.

Very interesting movie..thanks. Now on the rye the lady said it had been distilled 4 times or maybe equivalent. Think vodka take more times? Looks like a person could follow the same process using wheat flour to make it dont it?

I'm putting together a business plan to start a micro distillery. Due to the short aging period, I'm choosing Vodka products as my first line.*

I'm looking for the cheapest source material to make a Vodka mash.*
So far the cheapest and most readily fermentable material I could think of is corn syrup, though that will not constitute Vodka.*

Processing wheat seems like a giant cost and time overhead.*

Any ideas?

I think you'd better check with the government. Their rules will dictate how any product is sold. Bourbon must be 51% corn, by law. Wiki says that vodkas sold in the US must be greater than 40%, but I'd think you'd have to call it a neutral spirit vs a neutral grain spirit if made from any type of sugar. Apparently there is grape based vodka being sold here, which is the tailings from wine making, so I guess sugar based would be acceptable. Some EU countries are campaigning for vodka rules that stipulate only potatoes or grain may be used.

Good luck with your endeavors