How is gin like vodka?

Gin and vodka share a key similarity in their foundational ingredients: they can both be distilled from grains.

At a basic level, the production process for both gin and vodka begins with fermentation and distillation. While their final characteristics differ significantly due to flavoring (especially the juniper in gin), their base can be quite similar.

Shared Ingredient: Grain

Based on the provided information, a primary way gin is like vodka is in the type of raw material used for fermentation and distillation:

• Gin Ingredients: Alongside juniper for flavour, gin is made from water and grains such as wheat and barley.
• Vodka Ingredients: Vodka can be made from similar grain but is also created with a variety of other fermented ingredients, most commonly potato.

This means that both spirits can start their life as a grain-based neutral spirit. The distinction arises after distillation, where gin is flavored, most notably with juniper berries, whereas vodka is typically filtered to be as neutral as possible.

A Look at Base Ingredients

Here's a simple comparison of potential base ingredients:

As the table highlights, the grain column shows the overlap in their potential starting points. This shared foundation in grain is the core similarity between the two spirits as indicated by the reference.