Answer: No.
The vegan lifestyle is about giving up animal-derived products such as meat, eggs, and even dairy products.
Unfortunately, some of the crowd’s favorite drinks are also not vegan.
In this article, we will try to understand: Is Svedka vegan?
Svedka is not a vegan alcoholic drink. The fining agents used are derived from animals. They contain micronized potassium caseinate (milk protein), egg albumin, food-grade gelatin, and other food-grade components.
Read on to learn more about Svedka, its nutritional value, and some vegan alternatives.
Table of Contents
What Exactly Is Svedka?
Svedka is a trendy vodka brand from Sweden. Svedka comes from the word “Svenska,” which means Swedish and vodka. The brand is from the southern part of Sweden. It was founded in 1998.
Svedka is derived from distilled Swedish winter wheat. The distillation is carried out five times to obtain the final product.
Owing to the extensive process, all the wheat is distilled out, making this a gluten-free beverage.
Svedka is widely popular for its range of flavors. Some of their most loved flavors are Cucumber Lime, Cherry, Grapefruit Jalapeño, Blue Raspberry, Mango Pineapple, and Rosé.
What Is Svedka Made up Of?
To understand what Svedka is made up of, we will first have to understand what vodka, in general, is made up of. Let us look at the essential ingredients.
Vegetables or Grains
Originally, vodka was made from potatoes. However, it can now be made with any ingredient with starch or sugar. Popular choices are wheat, rye, or corn.
Water
Water significantly affects the final flavor. Underground water is usually used as it collects various minerals from the rocks.
Malt Meal
It enables the transformation of starch into sugar.
Yeast
Yeast is an essential ingredient for fermentation. It transforms sugar into alcohol.
How Is Vodka Produced?
Vodka is produced by fermenting any food that contains starch or sugar. It is then distilled to increase the alcohol content.
Fermenting is essentially the process where sugar is fed to yeast, and the yeast produces alcohol. It is done in large, sterilized, stainless steel vats.
Today, most vodka is made with grains like corn, rice, sorghum, rye, or wheat. Other possible options are fruits, potatoes, or just plain sugar.
The product obtained after fermentation has about 16% alcohol by volume. This percentage is not fit for spirits. Distillation is carried out to increase the alcohol content. Vodka generally has 30% to 40% alcohol by volume.
After distillation, the alcohol content goes up to 95% high. It is then diluted to become drinkable. If the vodka is to be flavored, the flavor should be added at this stage.
Unlike wine or whiskey, vodka does not have an aging process. Once the product is ready, it is transferred into glass bottles.
Nutritional Value of Svedka
A bottle of distilled, 80-proof Svedka vodka contains about 97 calories. There are no traces of other nutrients, minerals, or vitamins. Yep, you read that correctly, zilch. It has only water and ethanol.
That means Svedka vodka does not have any nutritional benefit at all. There are absolutely no starch, vitamins, fibers, sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, cholesterol, fat, salt, or minerals contained in this vodka. It’s the alcohol that’s responsible for those calories.
What About Different Flavors?
Most flavored Svedka variants have the same nutritional value as plain Svedka.
However, there is a difference between flavor-infused Svedka and Svedka drinks made with flavored syrups containing ingredients like sugar. In such drinks, the calorie count will likely rise.
To maintain your drink as low-carb and low-calorie, don’t mix it with sugary agents. Try one of these alternatives:
- Soda water
- Low sugar soda
- Cranberry juice that’s been diluted
- Club soda and lime or lemon
- Iced tea
- Lemonade
- Club soda and mint leaves
- No-calorie natural sweeteners like stevia
Vegan Vodka Alternatives
Because Svedka is not vegan-friendly, we do not need to give up on vodka altogether. Let us explore some of the vegan alternatives for vodka.
Grey Goose
Grey Goose is one of the premium brands when it comes to vodka. What’s better is that all Grey Goose vodka is vegan.
Grey Goose was created to introduce a luxury brand in vodka. The brand was in the works even before the product was ready.
The wheat for Grey Goose is grown in Picardy, France, where it is also distilled. It is then sent to Cognac, also in France, for distillation. Grey Goose is so high-end that even the water it is made with is filtered through limestone from the Champagne region of France.
Absolut Vodka
Another vodka straight from Sweden, Absolut, is an incredibly famous brand. It was launched over 30 years ago.
Absolut is likely one of the purest vodka brands. It is made up of natural ingredients and has no added sugar.
The production takes place in Ahus, in southern Sweden. Even the wheat for the vodka is grown there. The main ingredients of Absolut are winter wheat and water. The water is sourced from a 450-foot deep well, also in Ahus.
Winter wheat is sown in the fall and harvested in the next one. It grows under the Swedish snow, which develops its hard grain. There is minimal use of fertilizer.
Adirondack Distilling Company
Adirondack Distilling Co. is a brand based in the small town of Utica, New York. They are advocates of local production. The alcohol is handcrafted from the beginning to the end.
All of their raw ingredients are obtained from local producers. They filter their alcohol using Herkimer diamonds. Belying the name diamonds, they are essentially quartz crystals found exclusively in the foothills of the Adirondack mountains. The distillation is carried out 24 times.
They produce bright, clear, and heavy vodka. Much like other American brands, this vodka is also made of corn. It is gluten-free.
VING Vodka
VING Vodka market itself as the world’s cleanest vodka.
VING was born out of the need for healthy, clean, delicious vodka. There were no brands that fit the bill for organic vodka. To fill that gap in the market, VING Vodka was launched. They are a lifestyle-based brand focused on authenticity and transparency.
The aim was to create a spirit with health and fitness in mind. Their vodka has a distinguished taste and bright aroma. It is the only brand that has been lab-tested and lists the serving facts and ingredients.
VING Vodka does not contain any additives or synthetic ingredients.
Drake’s Organic Spirits
Mark “Drake” Anderson started Drake’s Organic Spirits to produce pure and healthy spirits. They use canes from South America rinsed with clear water flowing directly from the Andes mountains into the Cauca Valley to produce organic output.
These pure water-fed sugarcanes create Drake’s handcrafted, non-grain, gluten-free, USDA-certified organic vodka.
Their premium vodka goes through distillation 12 times and has a smooth and clean taste.
Drake’s Ultra Premium Vodka has a clean and polished nose, hints of citrus fruits, and a lingering sugarcane aroma. The organic cane is hand-selected to achieve a unique natural flavor, very different from grain alcohol.
Hera the Dog
Hera The Dog is another 100% organic and vegan pick. It is crafted from organic wheat and distilled seven times. It is a non-GMO, 80-proof spirit.
This vodka is filtered through walnut husk carbon. The only ingredients used are organic wheat and water. There is no addition of sugar or any other preservatives.
The filtering process is done with a slow drip filter, using gravity to allow the vodka to mellow in the coconut charcoal while it filters down through the drip.
The aroma of the vodka has notes of vanilla, peaches, and yellow flowers. The finish is peppered but creamy.
Ketel One Botanical
For those who prefer to eat and drink only clean products, Ketel One Botanical fits all the bills. It is made with 100% non-GMO grain. The vodka is distilled with botanicals. It is then infused with natural fruit essences instead of artificial flavoring. Not just the flavoring but all the ingredients used are genuine.
This vodka contains no sugar, artificial sweeteners, or artificial additives. The best part? Each serving contains only 73 calories and no carbs at all.
Final Thoughts
While it is a common perception that clear alcohol is vegan, Svedka is not. However, that does not mean you must give up on vodka altogether.
There are various commercial alternatives to Svedka. You can buy these vodkas for a clean, pure, and enjoyable drinking experience.
While some of these brands are relatively new, some established ones, like Absolut and Grey Goose, have been around for decades.
Cheers to drinking organic and cruelty-free spirits! Who says vegans can’t have fun?