Vodka Delivery or Pickup

Vodka is a spirit made from fermenting and distilling grains, potatoes, fruits, honey, sap, soybeans, rice, or sugar beets. It's usually clear, and vodka in the United States must have at least 40% alcohol by volume. In some parts of Europe, people often ferment sugar, water, and yeast to make vodka. In the U.S., it's made from 95% pure grain alcohol. This substance is called rectified spirit, neutral spirit, or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin. It only becomes vodka after it's filtered to remove unwanted color and flavors and diluted with water to make it more palatable. 

Since the early Middle Ages, vodka has been produced in Poland, but early varieties weren't as strong as modern versions. The drink became popular in Russia in the 14th century. Today, vodka is a popular drink with a subtle flavor that pairs well with almost anything. It tastes great in cocktails, and people sometimes drink it neat. Since it's not aged and can be made from so many different substances, manufacturing it anywhere is easy.

Some types of vodka contain substances like sugar, citric acid, and glycerin added after distillation and filtering, which can improve the texture and taste. The water that a distillery mixes with its vodka can impact the flavor as well. Many people store their vodka in a freezer to improve the flavor and make it more refreshing to drink.

Neutral vodka has little taste, and flavored vodka has added flavorings, like blueberry, orange, lime, lemon, cinnamon, honey, green apple, coffee, chocolate, and bacon. Fruit vodka comes from a fruit or herbal infusion instead of an added flavoring. After distillation, the fruit or herb sits in the vodka for three weeks. Then, solids are removed before bottling.

Flavorful or residual base character vodka doesn't have added flavorings, but you can still taste the substances it was made from. You can also get vodkas from different regions made in different ways. Grain to glass vodka is fermented, distilled, and bottled by one brand.

Less expensive brands of vodka usually taste stronger and have more burn than higher-quality options. Many of these taste great in cocktails. However, you may want to spend a bit more when you place your Instacart order if you plan to sip your vodka straight or mix a drink with a light or subtle flavor. Like any spirit, better ingredients will lead to a better final taste. For more flexibility, choose a neutral vodka and one or two flavored options when you order through Instacart.