source of starch available, usually grain, but sometimes potatoes and sugarbeets The source is unimportant, since the fermented base is distilled to eliminate most aromatics, and the remainder is removed by filtration through powdered charcoal to produce a smooth, neutral flavor The essentially pure mixture of alcohol and water is then diluted with water to the desired strength, a minimum of around 38%, and bottled without aging Vodka was scarcely known in the United States until the 1950s, when it was discovered as an ideal alcohol for blending with fruit and other flavors in cocktails and tall mixed drinks Recent years have brought vodkas flavored with citrus and other fruits, with chillis, and with barrel aging Grappa, Marc These are the Italian and French names for spirits distilled from pomace, the residue of grape skins and pulp, seeds and stems left behind when wine grapes are pressed These drinks were born from frugality, as a way of getting the most out of the grapes The solid remains still have juice, sugar, and flavor in them, so with some water and another period of fermentation, they generate alcohol and flavors that can then be concentrated by distillation, leaving behind the harsh astringency and bitterness Pomace distillates were very much a by-product, usually distilled just once and often without diverting the heads and tails, and were bottled as is: so they were strong and harsh, something to warm and stimulate the vineyard workers, but not something to savor In the last few decades, producers have been distilling more selectively and sometimes aging the results to make a fine drink Tequila and Mezcal These spirits are distilled from the carbohydrate-rich heart of certain Mexican species of the agave, a succulent plant in the Amaryllis family that ... pressed These drinks were born from frugality, as a way of getting the most out of the grapes The solid remains still have juice, sugar, and flavor in them, so with some water and another period of. .. by-product, usually distilled just once and often without diverting the heads and tails, and were bottled as is: so they were strong and harsh, something to warm and stimulate the vineyard workers, but... sugar, and flavor in them, so with some water and another period of fermentation, they generate alcohol and flavors that can then be concentrated by distillation, leaving behind the harsh astringency and bitterness Pomace distillates were