Tapio Järvenpää and Jari Varjo wanted to make the best vodka in the world. And they succeeded.
Warning. This story talks about booze, and the next sentence makes a drastic generalization.
Probably every Finnish man has thought about whether he could make his own liquor. Tapio Järvenpää is one of them who also implemented his ideas.
It all started as a joke.
Järvenpää and Jari Varjo, the co-founder of Turku Distillery , sat down for lunch on a spring Sunday five years ago and planned summer sailing trips.
– We tasted Jaloviina and at the same time we started to remember what Jaloviina is and how it is made. One of them said out loud that we could make Jallu ourselves, says Järvenpää.
Tapio Järvenpää is satisfied with the Kaiho vodka he created together with Jari Varjo. Roni Lehti
After the fine wine joke, things have expanded. Now we are in a situation where Turku Distillery won four golds last summer at the IWSC, i.e. one of the world’s most prestigious alcohol competitions.
Kaiho Gold vodka won the Outstanding Gold award, Kaiho vodka and Ruby blackcurrant liqueur won gold in their respective categories, and Kaiho vodka won gold in the Vodka & Tonic category.
The handiwork is visible, as the labels on the bottles are not at the same level. Pasi Kuronen has designed the visual look. The background images for all the labels were painted by the artist Markus Kotiranta from New York. Roni Lehti
Borrowed from a whiskey bottle
Järvenpää laughs that it all started with Jallu, which is one of the oldest products in Finland’s alcohol history from 1932. Jalovi is made from cognac and vodka.
But the final result developed by Järvenpää and Varjo was different.
– The idea just came to life. The vodka we ended up with is a completely different product than Jaloviina.
According to Järvenpää, the entrepreneurs’ slogan is “why make it easy when you can make it great”. From the very beginning, their goal was to make the best vodka in the world.
– We didn’t want to start doing second best or third best, because they already exist. We are really proud that our label says Single estate Kaiho vodka of Southwest Finland.
“Single estate” is borrowed from the whiskey industry, because there they are proud of the grain that came from one estate. The label of Turku distillery’s drinks has a batch number, based on which it is known with the precision of a field block where the grain has grown.
Järvenpää wants to emphasize that the wheat they use is cultivated in Actual Finland, in Finland’s granary.
This year, the winter wheat used by the Turku distillery had a higher starch content, so more alcohol was obtained from a kilo of grain than a year before. Roni Lehti
– Our goal is that a hundred years from now, vodka of Southwest Finland will contain a tone similar to that of some French alcohols. When it’s from this area, it’s really good.
Against the mainstream
Right from the beginning, Järvenpää and Varjo understood that if they want to make good vodka or any other drink that uses clear alcohol, they must first learn how to make 96 percent alcohol.
In order for an alcoholic drink to be called vodka, it must first be distilled to 96 percent. According to Järvenpää’s data, most of the small distilleries buy 96 percent ready-made. The founders of Turku Distillery decided to go against the mainstream.
– We thought that in order to get our own taste from vodka, we have to make it ourselves from the beginning. If there is 96 percent alcohol, then four percent is still something else. And that four percent affects what kind of product it is.
Blackcurrant liqueur Ruby was born when people made mulled wine from Kaiho vodka and praised how well the flavors went together. Organic blackcurrant juice is used in the liqueur. Roni Lehti
After lengthy tests, the right manufacturing methods have been found. How finely the grain is crushed, at what temperature and for how long it is mashed, with which yeast it is used, how long it is allowed to be in the fermentation vessel.
– The distillation itself is quite simple after that.
Järvenpää states that the best vodkas in the world are made from wheat, and even better vodkas are made from winter wheat.
Järvenpää and Varjo assembled the column themselves. Roni Lehti
– We also talked about that, because our vodka is made from organic wheat.
Turku distillery was established over three years ago, and equipment installation started just under three years ago. No day jobs have been left yet.
– This is a hobby. When the children grow up and suddenly there is an awful lot of time left, then you can use it for something like this, Järvenpää enthuses.
Last winter, the hobby turned into a more serious business. Turku distillery collected funding for new boilers. Now the company is responsible for the boundaries of more than just its founders.
Vodka should be enjoyed in tulip-shaped glasses and at room temperature. Roni Lehti
In Finland, we are used to the fact that first the distillery makes gin and the next step is whiskey. Turku distillery does not produce either. And not going to prepare.
– When we started renovating the distillery in this place, we made the first video clip on Insta. In the video, I wrote on the wall with black spay paint: “Not another gin distiller”.
Järvenpää emphasizes that all gin makers make the drink with great passion, and there is nothing wrong with that. But Turku distillery wanted to start with vodka.
Järvenpää strongly believes that when you learn how to make good vodka, you can make any good alcohol after that.
Better than reputation
Vodka’s reputation is not strange, or if Järvenpäätä is to be believed, it doesn’t even have a reputation.
In Finland, Alko’s best-selling products are clear spirits, but they are completely different products from premium vodkas.
Järvenpää says that he studied the vodka offerings of Sweden’s Alko, or Systembolaget.
– It has grown considerably, and that is where we are aiming. They have a lot of small vodka brands in their selection. The same trend seems to be in Alko as well.
When cream liqueur started to be made, the efficiency of the distillation also improved, because the waste stills from the beginning and end of it are put into cream liqueur. Roni Lehti
At the same time, as the selection grows, so does the way to drink vodka. It can be enjoyed in other ways than frozen or blended into juice.
The world’s top vodkas are enjoyed as they are, at room temperature and in a flavored glass.
– It is not quite familiar in Finland yet, but we are moving in that direction all the time.
Järvenpää does not forbid keeping their vodka in the fridge, because it’s a matter of taste. But he recommends room temperature.
Vodka can also be enjoyed by tasting and observing the aromas.
Whey vodka
Vodka is made from potato, sugar beet or corn, among other things. Järvenpää states that attempts have been made to make vodka completely tasteless, so that its raw material would not taste good.
But vodka made from wheat is a different matter. Then the raw material gets to taste. Vodka made from wheat has a toast-like taste.
The next product that will be on the market next year is a circular economy product. Namely, it is made from cheese whey. A kilo of cheese makes nine kilos of whey.
Although the idea seems unique, Turku distillery is by no means the first distillery in the world to make vodka from whey. There are some in the world.
Tapio Järvenpää says that it took a long time to find water to use for vodka. Finally, a suitable source was found in Somero. Roni Lehti
Järvenpää describes that the mouthfeel and taste are slightly different.
– Really pleasant.
Kaiho Gold 61.2% vodka is born with a funny Independence Day anecdote.
Järvenpään and Varjo were working at the distillery on Independence Day last year. They had the Finnish flag up in the column and marching music was playing.
The men had practiced some sensory quality control.
– We were thinking about what we would do with the next vodka. Then we stated that we move the point of the same date slightly. 6.12. changed 61.2. It became the percentage of the new vodka.
Järvenpää is actively involved in the Finnish Distillery Association. Among other things, the goal is to get distilleries the same sell-out rights as breweries and wineries.
– We calculate taxes in the same way. It would be great if everyone was treated equally in the industry.
THE FACTS
What is the difference between vodka and liquor?
Technically, the difference is that the vodka must first be distilled to 96%.
Vodka must be at least 37.5%.
Vodka has strict purity requirements, such as how much methanol it can contain.
Clear liquor does not have similar requirements.
Methanol is produced whenever alcohol is produced. All alcohols contain methanol.
But vodka can contain 10 grams of methanol per 100 liters of absolute alcohol.
Turku distillery aims for two grams.Also read
The bartender hates these drinks: “I refuse to sell”Also read
Southern Pohja Vodka won gold – The raw material is truly FinnishAlso read
The drunkest liquor in the world is now also available in Finnish – Have you ever heard?
The story was originally published on 14 November 2024.
