Milk vodka? Federal government opens consultations on definition of vodka

The federal government is asking Canadians how they like their vodka.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has opened consultations on whether to redefine the clear, neutral spirit and open interprovincial trade for innovative craft distillers who want to try something new.

Under current rules that haven't changed in decades, vodka must be made from either grain or potatoes and be filtered through charcoal.

A new generation of small-batch distillers are challenging those norms.

Some are using everything from milk to grapes, while others are minimizing filtration that removes subtle flavours.

Flouting the legal definition makes it tough for them to sell their vodka across provincial boundaries, even though they can export internationally.

They say that, historically, vodka was made from whatever a local community had left over from the harvest.

The United States and Europe changed their definition of vodka long ago.