A GAIN FOR NEUTRAL GRAIN

How has the TTB's 2020 Standards of Identity change impacted craft vodka?

The IMPACT of the REVISION From a practical standpoint, the TTB’s revision brings clarity to how vodka is perceived. “The scientific definition of vodka is one thing. The public’s definition is another,” said Umberto Luchini, founder of Wolf Spirit Distillery, in Eugene, Oregon. “This created a disconnect within the category.” The new definition helps to fix this disconnect. What’s more, it does so in a way that reaches down to the level of the consumer, who judges a vodka’s merit on taste rather than adherence to standards of identity. It’s a bridge that some craft distillers thought was a long time coming. “The TTB is coming around to modern times by changing the definition,” said Danette Newton, co-founder and CEO of Lass & Lions Vodka in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “In a way, it almost felt inevitable.” While vodka’s new standard is more in tune with public perception, it doesn’t necessarily aid the casual vodka drinker. This is fine — they bought vodka before the change, and they’re still buying vodka after the change. The craft sector, on the other hand, stands to gain quite handsomely from this revision. Unfettered by the shackles of restrictions on character, craft brands can potentially attain more confidence in how they present their vodkas, particularly since they no longer need to worry about a craft enthusiast busting their chops over flavor or aromatics. This confidence could lead to the kind of deeply nerdy conversations traditionally reserved for other spirits. “There are all kinds of variables that go into producing a vodka, just like there are all kinds of variables that go into producing whiskey,” Bozcar stated. “But nobody ever talks about that. I’m hopeful that this eventually changes.” Prior to April 2020, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) defined vodka through its standards of identity as “to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.” This description caused problems. It didn’t necessarily hinder sales — it’s still the best-selling spirit in the US with nearly 80 million cases moved in 2020. But it hurt the spirit’s reputation within the industry and among craft spirits geeks who unwittingly relegate the spirit to be dull. The description also turned vodka into a dreadful category to judge at spirits contests. If a tasting panel got the neutral grain spirit foisted upon them for a round of assessment, other tables would likely know about it due to the panel’s copious amounts of bitching. This changed on April 1, 2020, when the TTB revised its definition of vodka. In an instant, the restrictions on distinctive character, aroma, taste, and color were lifted. Judges rejoiced, or at the very least became less salty about getting served vodka tastings. More importantly, the revision caused excitement for craft distillers who had devoted time trying to help the spirit overcome its reputation as liquid boredom. As we approach the two-year anniversary of the change, the excitement hasn’t worn off yet, as the opportunity for advocacy on behalf of the oft-maligned spirit is still abundant. “The change matters to us, because there are still a ton of people in the industry that just say, ‘vodka’s vodka,’” explained Andrew Bozcar, vice president of Grand Teton Distillery in Driggs, Idaho. “Nothing could be further from the truth.” Unfettered by the shackles of restrictions on character, craft brands can potentially attain more confidence in how they present their vodkas, particularly since they no longer need to worry about a craft enthusiast busting their chops over flavor or aromatics.

New TALKING POINTS

One of the reasons why distillers may be a bit more bullish on diving into vodka’s nuts and bolts is due to arguably the most verboten of the previous restrictions — taste. Because flavor is now no longer off the table, some distillers feel they can spend more time talking about where these formerly frowned-upon notes originate.

The bulk of the flavor discussion is likely to focus on the base material used to make the vodka, which can come from a variety of categories including grain, fruit, or vegetable. “Any grain can be used for vodka, from sorghum to quinoa,” Bozcar noted. This can not only open the conversation to the type of grain being used to create the expression, but it can also be extrapolated as part of a larger conversation regarding terroir. This type of deep discussion can add leverage to the notion that vodka deserves attention from craft spirits aficionados.

This notion leads the conversation to spirits competition. The old TTB standards of identity put judges in a quandary when vodka was served. As a judge, do you give a vodka a good score because it has enjoyable characteristics, or do you give it a bad score because it deviated from the TTB’s definition? Speaking as someone who judged the occasional spirits competition prior to April 2020, I can assure you that the struggle was real. Some producers knew it was a struggle too. So much so, it created a measure of trepidation when it came to entering bottles. “To be honest, I scaled back entering my vodkas into competitions,” Luchini confessed. “The main reason I did that was because it was tough for us to know how we were going to be judged. It was almost like buying a lottery ticket.” Now that the definition’s changed, so has Luchini’s level of reluctance. “I’ll definitely enter more competitions,” he stated.

The FUTURE of VODKA

Although the TTB changed vodka’s standard of identity nearly two years ago, changing people’s opinions on the neutral grain spirit is still a work in progress. Distillers acknowledge it’s going to take a few years for vodka to gain greater acceptance in the craft spirit sector. Even though it may take a while, the hope is that vodka’s expanded definition will lead to more craft vodka aficionados who can pick out subtleties and nuances with the zeal of a whiskey snob. It’s just going to take a little guidance to get there, however. “Vodka’s been a bastard child in the spirits world for so long,” Newton said. “If we can talk about it and educate people on what vodka can be, then maybe we can make it cool.”

Rich Manning is a freelance food and drink writer based in Fountain Valley, CA. He lives about 15 minutes south of Disneyland, but he hasn’t gone there in ages — he’d rather visit the nearby breweries and distilleries instead. You can check out some of his other written hackery by visiting richmanning.pressfolios.com. He can be reached at richmanning72@gmail.com. For more information visit distilling.com