BACKGROUND [0002] Vodka is a clear and colourless spirit of high purity and can be manufactured from anything that contains starch, for example, sugar beet, molasses, rye, wheat, potatoes or maize. However, premium vodkas are usually made from grain or potatoes. These key ingredients are then fermented with the use of yeasts to produce ethanol. The alcohol produced by this natural process can be relatively low in concentration. It is then necessary to distill the product formed during the fermentation process. Distillation has a two-fold effect in that it increases alcohol concentration and removes some unwanted impurities. With respect to premium spirits, high purity and alcohol content is achieved through successive distillations yielding a so-called rectified spirit or alcohol. This results in ethanol concentrations of roughly 96% alcohol by volume. The remaining impurities define the character and flavour of the alcohol.

[0003] The next crucial element in the production of quality vodka is water. It is used to dilute the rectified spirit to a final concentration of roughly 40% alcohol by volume. In order to maintain high quality vodka, the water should be substantially odorless and tasteless. However, it can be difficult to obtain good sources of clean water. Often production of premium vodka requires a rather arduous water purification process to create a clean tasting final product.

SUMMARY [0004] The present invention provides a method for the preparation of alcoholic spirits using ice. Specifically, this method is used for the production of premium spirits.

Ice is used to dilute substantially pure ethanol followed by filtration through a sterilized medium. The preferred source of ice is glacier ice due to its purity. The invention reduces the amount of undesirable impurities that can affect the taste of the final

product resulting in a smoother and cleaner vodka.

[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a method for the manufacture of alcoholic spirits, the method comprising: a. providing a quantity of substantially pure ethanol ; b. adding ice, having a first selected temperature range, to the quantity of substantially pure ethanol forming an alcoholic mixture; c. stirring the alcoholic mixture, within a second selected temperature range, until the ice has completely melted ; d. halting the stirring process once the ice in the alcoholic mixture has melted ; e. allowing the alcoholic mixture to stand for a selected period, within a third selected temperature range; f. filtering the alcoholic mixture, at a temperature within a fourth selected temperature range, to remove undesirable impurities. g. allowing the alcoholic mixture to stand for a second selected period, within a fifth selected temperature range; and h. filtering the alcoholic mixture, at a temperature within a sixth selected temperature range, to remove undesirable impurities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0006] The quality of vodka is directly dependent on two major ingredients, the rectified spirit and the ice used for dilution of the rectified spirit. The invention begins with the use of the finest grain ethanol that has been distilled five times. Multiple distillations serve to concentrate the ethanol to a substantially pure level (-96% v/v) and to remove a large portion of the undesirable impurities. The remaining 4% non-ethanol portion of the rectified alcohol will partially define the character of the vodka and serve to distinguish various brands.

[0007] The taste and the quality of vodka is also directly dependant on the taste and quality of the water used for dilution of the rectified spirit. Many producers use local sources of water that are rigorously purified. At the very least this involves passing the

water through a deionization column to remove dissolved minerals and filtering through activated charcoal to remove trace organic and inorganic compounds. The use of glacier ice can avoid the water purification steps since this water was frozen tens of thousands years before the age of modern chemicals and pollution.

[0008] The process begins with a measured amount of 96% v/v ethanol. This substantially pure ethanol is then cooled to approximately-180 to-20° Celsius by the addition of glacier ice. An amount of glacier ice is added to the substantially pure ethanol, as ice not water, to achieve a final concentration 40% ethanol by volume.

[0009] Ethanol is miscible with water given their structural similarity. Pure ethanol has a melting point of-117° Celsius while pure water has melting point of 0° Celsius. Therefore, mixtures of ethanol and water have melting points higher than-117° Celsius and lower than 0° Celsius. The actual melting point depends on the solute concentration. At 40% ethanol by volume the freezing point is approximately-24° Celsius (Handbook of Chemistry and Physics). Hence, the mixing of the ice and rectified ethanol at-18° to-20° Celsius is at a temperature warm enough to allow the ice to melt with stirring. The mixture is stirred until all the ice is melted at which time stirring is discontinued. The raw vodka is then allowed to stand up to 48 hours at a temperature of about-15° to-20° Celsius.

[00010] At the end of the standing period, the raw vodka is passed through sterilized filter medium (2 microns) at a temperature between-10° to-20° Celsius to remove impurities. Subsequently, the raw vodka is allowed to stand for a second period of no more than 48 hours. However, in this case, no cooling is applied and the raw vodka is allowed to warm to room temperature. At the end of the second standing period, the raw vodka is filtered through a sterilized filter medium (5 microns) at room temperature. Finally, the purified vodka is ready for bottling.

[00011] This process has been found to produce a vodka of exceptional smoothness and quality. It is believed that the use of ice rather than liquid water in diluting the substantially pure grain alcohol is an important factor in achieving these results.

[00012] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is possible to use the same process in the production of clear spirits other than vodka, for example gin, although flavouring matter may be added to provide a distinctive character at an appropriate time in the process. Hence, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.