“A lot has been written about great wine, scotch, tequila and rum, but not much has been written about vodka,” says Tad Dolda, founder and CEO of Chopin Vodka in Poland. says. “Why don’t we start talking about the world’s biggest distilled spirit?”
The vodka production process, of course, begins with the humble potato. Potato farmer Marek Wierzejski and his family’s farm have been selling potatoes to Chopin for over 30 years. Potatoes are planted in spring on 4 hectares of land and harvested in autumn. Once delivered to Chopin’s distillery, the potatoes are distilled within three days. Each bottle of vodka holds about 7 pounds of potatoes.
Chopin’s head distiller, Waldemar Durakiwicz, knows every step of the distillation process, from how to steam potatoes to the ideal temperature before adding enzymes and yeast. “Waldemar is a fascinating person,” Dorda says. Distilling was “his first job out of college. He has no plans to retire.” After adding yeast and mixing everything, the potatoes are transferred to fermentation tanks, where alcohol is produced. The vodka is distilled from tanks in large columns, separating the alcohol from the potato mash. The leftover potatoes are collected by farmers, who then use the food waste to feed livestock. “Another important aspect is sustainable production,” says Dolda. “It’s always been like this, at least in this area.”
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