Back At The Shed…

Inside the steel shed things look more like ‘Willy Wonka went 20,000 leagues under the sea’. The hand–wrought copper distilling pots are were the magic and alchemy takes place, turning the humble spud into a highly refined and elegant liquid.

It turns out the good old red jacketed ruskie water wine is mostly made with grains because grains have a higher starch content and therefore lower the cost of production. Pemberton Distillery is home to one of only a handful of brands of potato based brands of vodka. Tyler wanted to make a sipping vodka, something that could be enjoyed straight. The potato in it gives the vodka a softer flavour and the water (which is essential for vodka production as it is taken from 95% alcohol to 40%) gives a fresh clean taste because it has virtually no mineral content as it comes straight from the sky rather than sitting as ground water.

Vodka is the most popular spirit in the world and most Vodkas are advertised as ultra distilled, which makes them taste like ethanol and is why they need to be disguised by fizzy drinks and juices, hidden in cocktails, buried in alco–pop bottles, or administered late at night in cringe–inducing shots. Schramm vodka is very different. It bucks the trend and is actually very enjoyable when left unaccompanied. As I lifted a glass to my mouth I had flash backs of juvenile revelry that always ended up with me curled up and hurling over the back of park benches, but this was different.

Smooth and with a round flavour that coated my mouth. I could taste the earthiness of the potato and the freshness of the water. It was rowdy and yet velvety. Like the town and the trails this vodka is perhaps out of place and is curious mix of influences, but the ingredients are all local and the result is something utterly original.