How Is Vodka Made
Before we get too deep into the science, there are a few words that we should define:
- Fermentation: a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol.
- Distillation: the process of purifying a liquid by successive evaporation and condensation.
Grey Gooses Creator Was All About French Decadence And Luxury
There wasnt a particular recipe or method that drove the creation of Grey Goose. Frank simply aimed to fill a gap he noticed in the beverage market: high-end vodka. Grey Goose is distilled in Picardy, France, but not because of any specific regional interest. As vodka is made by stripping alcohol of most of its congeners and funky flavor compounds, it can be made almost anywhere. But Frank chose a place specifically against tradition as in, not Eastern Europe.
Video taken from the channel: Grey Goose Cherry Noir
Video taken from the channel: Grey Goose Vodka
Video taken from the channel:
Video taken from the channel: Jamie Oliver Drinks
Serving Size: 1 grams * Amount Per Serving. Calories. 231 cal. Calories from Fat.
Sugar Content In Vodka
Distilled spirits, such as vodka, rum, whiskey, and gin, are carb-free since they solely contain alcohol. If youre keeping track of your carbs, vodka is the way to go. This may seem odd considering that vodka is manufactured from carbohydrates such as wheat and potatoes.
During the fermenting and distillation operations, however, the carbohydrates are eliminated.Some rum products, for example, have added spices and sugar, which alter the flavour as well as the nutritional value. In general, wine and beer have more calories and carbs per serving than vodka.
Comparing vodka carbs and calories with other types of alcohol
Types of beverages |
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
Bacon, whipped cream, ginger, mango, and even smoked salmon are among the more exotic infusions. The best part is that, aside from basic vodka, most of the flavoured varieties include no additional calories.Keep in mind that flavour-infused vodka is not to be confused with vodka beverages.
These beverages are created with flavoured sugary syrups added after the fermentation and distillation process. These drinks typically have a lot more calories than infused vodka.Always pay attention to the labels. If the nutrition information on the product label isnt available, look for it on the manufacturers website.
Also Check: How Do I Get Rid Of Sugar In My Body
Jger And Grey Goose Are Step Brothers
Sidney Frank, the same guy behind the Grey Goose concept, started his importing company in 1972. Among his first product successes? Jägermeister. It wasnt overnight, but Frank saw some promise in the stuff, and by the mid 80s, so did college kids. With a little help from a squadron of liquor ladies dubbed the Jägerettes, Frank brought us all the pleasure of knocking back shots of a rich, dark German liqueur in far too large a quantity.
Grey Goose Sizes And Prices

Grey Goose Vodka is prepared using 100% French ingredients, providing various flavored versions as well. Various Grey Goose Flavors comprise lemon-flavored vodka, black cherry-flavored vodka, orange-flavored vodka, etc. These flavored vodkas have been given French names, Grey Goose Le Citron, Grey Goose Cherry Noir, and Grey Goose LOrange, respectively. Lets see the Grey Goose prices at stores and price range of all the flavors.
Also Check: Does Eating Pickles Lower Blood Sugar
How To Make A Dirty Martini
Now that you know what are in martinis, we can move onto how to make a martini with an olive.
This can be a dirty martini gin recipe, or a dirty vodka martini recipe. I prefer vodka, so that is what I went with in this recipe for dirty martinis.
Its so easy to make dirty martini recipes youre just 2 steps away from a wonderful vodka cocktail recipe.
You May Like: Proof Of Bacardi
How Is Vodka Made From Potatoes
When youre at a party and people are discussing how different types of alcohol are made, its pretty likely that someone will ask how is vodka distilled?
Inevitably, some know-it-all will jump in to say that its made from potatoes, and thats your cue to set the record straight. Vodka can be made from potatoes, and there are a small percentage of companies that still do it this way. But, most of it is made from some other starchy or sugary plant, such as grain, corn, or wheat.
A lot of this mix up comes from where the vodka is made. Some regions dont have potatoes, but those thirsty people still want to distill something for a cocktail
So when the follow-up question of what alcohol is made from potatoes? comes up, you can save that know-it-alls ego a bit by saying very few, but some vodka brands.
Recommended Reading: What Is Your Normal Sugar Level Supposed To Be
How To Make A Dirty Martini:
This martini recipe is so easy to make youll never want to spend $15 at a bar for one again!
You can find more low calorie vodka cocktail recipes on the Lose Weight By Eating website Here are 5 of the best low calorie cocktails made with vodka.
Up next is the sharable recipe card for this easy Martini Recipe
You May Like: What To Mix With Jim Beam Honey Whiskey
How Is Vodka Distilled
Vodka is the king of spirits. It is the most popular form of alcohol worldwide.
An article by LiveScience claims that over 1.17 billion gallons of vodka were ingested in 2012, more than any other spirit. Most everyone who drinks spirits has had an experience with vodka. One can remember sharing a bottle of Burnettes or McCormicks among friends in college or downing shots of Grey Goose to celebrate something. And yes, many remember the hangovers that come with drinking too much of these vodkas.
Vodka is created through a unique distillation and fermentation process perfected over the years by vodka makers. New technology has helped companies like ours streamline the process and perfect their vodka to an even greater extent. But exactly how is vodka made?
We understand the question grain and water go in and delicious, crisp alcohol comes out?
Its hard to make sense of the whole thing.
Imagine how humans figured it out in the first place
Read Also: Why Does Blood Sugar Go Up When Not Eating
How Many Calories Are In A Shot Of Vodka
Vodka is considered a lower-calorie libation compared to wine or beer. The more concentrated your vodka is , the more calories it contains. The proof is a number that refers to the percent of alcohol in the liquor.
You can figure out the percent by dividing the proof in half. For example, 100 proof is 50 percent alcohol, while 80 proof is 40 percent alcohol.
The higher the proof, the higher the calorie count . For a 1.5-ounce shot of vodka, the number of calories are as follows:
- 70 proof vodka: 85 calories
- 80 proof vodka: 96 calories
- 90 proof vodka: 110 calories
- 100 proof vodka: 124 calories
Alcohol is not a carbohydrate. The calories in vodka come only from the alcohol itself. Pure alcohol contains roughly 7 calories per gram. For reference, carbohydrates and protein both contain about 4 calories per gram, while fat contains about 9 calories per gram.
This means that alcohol is nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein and only slightly less fattening than fat.
The calorie content is generally the same between different brands of vodka that are that same proof. Kettle One, Smirnoff, Grey Goose, Skyy, and Absolut vodka, for example, are all 80 proof vodkas and each contain 96 calories per 1.5-ounce shot, or 69 calories per ounce.
What Are Grey Goose Vodka Ingredients
Customers more often stay curious what ingredients make grey goose vodka such delicious? Grey Goose vodka is uniformly made from soft winter wheat compliments the taste of the drink. Other ingredients include potatoes and grapes. Beyond the subject of ingredients, those who follow a gluten-free diet wonder if Is Grey Goose vodka is gluten-free? Fortunately, yes, Grey goose vodka is gluten-free. The wheat contains gluten, however, the vodka goes through the distillation process. It eliminates all the features of gluten. It is a perfectly healthy drink called Grey Goose Vodka proof.
Read Also: Is Sugar Free Candy Bad For You
Adding Mixers = More Calories And Carbs
Adding mixers to your vodka drink will increase the calorie and carb count if your mixer contains sugar.
For example, a vodka cranberry made with a shot of vodka and 4 ounces of cranberry juice has about 156 calories. And a vodka lemonade made with a shot of vodka and 4 ounces of lemonade has about 152 calories.
Keep in mind that these vodka cranberry calories and vodka lemonade calories come from alcohol and sugar.
See below for popular mixers and their nutrition facts per 4 ounces.
If you’re avoiding adding carbs and calories, stick to unsweetened 0-calorie mixers such as seltzer.
Mixer |
---|
Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka

British-based brand Diageo owns Jeremiah Weed, which sells mostly whiskey-based beverages. However, they introduced a Sweet Tea Vodka in 2011. Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka, Original and Peach, contains brewed tea, cane sugar and is 35 percent alcohol by volume. It is an alcoholic version of the Southern-style iced tea beverage, sweet tea.
A 1.5-ounce shot of Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka has 155 calories and 9 grams of carbs.
Related Reading
Also Check: How To Take Your Blood Sugar
Vodka Drinks With Calories
When youre enticed by tempting hurricane glasses loaded with frozen concoctions and tropical, extra-potent tiki drinks, then it can be difficult to order intelligently at a bar. However, there are lots of healthy drinks that are equally as delicious as the sugary and fatty ones. Below are some of the vodka drinks that are low in calories and high in calories.
How Does The Body Respond To Alcohol
When alcohol enters the body, it takes precedence the liver metabolizes it before fats and sugars.
This causes fatty acids, the basic components of fats, to build up. The body often stores them for later use.
Because alcohol is metabolized first, the body burns calories from alcohol before it burns those from fats. This process is called fat sparring.
The liver also stores glucose, in the form of glycogen, as a backup energy source. However, the liver breaks down alcohol before it provides glucose to the body, which often results in low blood sugar. This makes drinking alcohol particularly dangerous for people with diabetes.
Don’t Miss: How To Make Cinnamon Sugar French Toast
Introduction To Grey Goose Vodka
If you have ever been to a fancy club, bar or restaurant or even have a swanky friend, it is likely you have heard of the quality Vodka brand Grey Goose – but have you ever wondered what makes it so elite?
The label was founded in the summer of 1996 by businessman Sidney Frank with his recipe expert François Thibault, in the French commune of Cognac. The intention was to create a luxury vodka brand for the US market.
Grey Goose, produced with water derived from the natural springs in Cognac, is filtered through limestone & made from winter wheat grown in Picardy.
The Beverage Testing Institute named Grey Goose the best-tasting vodka in the world in 1998, and in 2004, the company sold to Bacardi for $2.2 billion US dollars. That same year, the company sold over 1.5 million cases, making it the best-selling premium vodka brand in the United States.
So, we ask, what contributed to the brands grandiose success?
We will touch on the unique distilling techniques shortly, however, an interesting perspective is given in the economist, Thomas J. Stanleys, well-researched book – Stop Acting Rich .
Stanley describes Grey Goose as a preference drink to the Americans he terms as aspirationals .
He claims that the explosive growth is partly due to it being perceived as a drink of the economic elite – even more so than Rolex or Mercedes Benz.
Vodka Dirty Martini Recipe
This dirty martini vodka cocktail comes with a shopping list, printable recipe card, nutrition label and more.
The next time you are craving a vodka martini dirty, save some money and calories and try out this dirty vodka martini recipe at home.
These vodka martini recipes comes with a shopping list, nutrition label, printable recipe card and more I made it as easy as possible to make this martinis recipe at home, and even supplied you with an ingredient calculator in the recipe card so you can easily double or triple the recipe for more guests.
Recommended Reading: How Much Sugar In Heineken
Cheap Vodka Quality Taste
Despite these differences, the Kirkland-made-by-Grey Goose claims raise questions of how different luxury brands really are from their cheaper counterparts.
Grey Goose argues its investments and exclusive access to ingredients gives its brand a richer, deeper taste profile, according to McCanta.
Everyone has some type of perspective on Grey Goose it signifies something. But if you put six vodka glasses in front of people and ask them to taste for the best, theyre not always going to pick it, Abou-Ganim said.
That doesnt mean that Grey Goose isnt high quality, but that you have to go and do the work to decide whats the right taste for you, Abou-Ganim said. Its OK to like and use more than one type of vodka!
Kirkland Signature French Vodka is a popular drink among Costco shoppers, and has regularly topped Grey Goose in blind taste tests. The drink’s production process remains largely a proprietary secret, but the difference may not matter as much given federal regulations.
For years, the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Code mandated that vodka must be distilled and treated until it is “without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color.”
More:Fact check: It’s true, U.S. government poisoned some alcohol during Prohibition
Vodka is not about what you put in but what you take out before the final product, Abou-Ganim said. Really, the only way to learn more is to taste.
Bacardi Paid A Pretty Penny For The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg
Franks gamble at brand-before-booze was very successful. Hugely, in fact, since the Grey Goose label was sold to spirits giant Bacardi in 2004 just 7 years into its product life cycle. The selling price? About $2 billion. All for a liquor that is technically defined by its colorless, flavorless, odorless purity.
Recommended Reading: Where Can I Buy The Book Smart Blood Sugar
New Uses For Vodka Around The Home
The nice thing about the new Botanical vodka is that even though it is flavored, there is no added sugar, and because it has some flavor already, it may dissuade people from making a mixed drink which is where the extra calories come in, Abbey Sharp, a Toronto-based RD and author of Abbeys Kitchen, told TODAY Food.
The real question is whether you want flavored vodka or not, she added. I dont see one as necessarily being healthier than the other, but rather, it really comes down to preference.
As for how it stacks up to wine, a 5-ounce pour of white table wine has about 121 calories, according to the USDA nutrient database thats 40 percent more calories than a 1.5-ounce serving of the new Botanical vodka. A serving of wine also has about 3.8 grams of carbs but no fat.
Sipping wise, a 1.5-ounce shot doesnt last as long as a 5-ounce glass of wine, of course. Ketel One recommends adding 3 ounces of zero calorie sparkling water to 1.5 ounces of the spirit, in an ice-filled glass, and then topping it off with a piece of fresh fruit or herb as a garnish.
While Ketels flavors have unique floral elements, this isnt the first diet liquor line to come along SkinnyGirl, started by Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel, also has naturally flavored vodkas, which clock in at 75 calories per 1.5 ounces, and come in flavors like cherry and tangerine.
Effects Of Vodka On Diabetes

Some of the ways that tell effects of vodka on diabetes are:
These can be mistaken for or disguise with the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar.
Also Check: What Are Some Sugar Free Gums
Does Vodka Have Sugar
Vodka*We may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through links on our site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*
If youre diabetic or are on the Ketogenic or Atkins diet, sugar and carbohydrates are a huge no-no. But that doesnt mean you cant enjoy a few treats now and thenincluding cocktails with friends. Many alcoholic beverages have low or even zerosugar content, including vodka.
If youre trying to watch your caloric and sugar intake, you may wonder: Does vodka have sugar?
Vodka doesnt have sugarin fact, it doesnt have anything. It has no sugar, carbohydrates, cholesterol, or sodium. While its made of fermented grains or vegetables like potatoes, all its nutritional content is lost during the distillation process. So, the only thing youll find in a pure shot of vodka is ethanol and water.
This makes vodka a more diet-friendly choice than other high-carb alcoholic beverages, including beer , margaritas , sangria , and pina coladas .