What Liquor Is Made Out of Wheat? A Guide to Wheat-Based Spirits

November 25, 2025 •

4 min read

Vodka is a prime example of liquor made out of wheat, with many major brands like Absolut and Grey Goose utilizing the grain for its smooth, crisp flavor profile. This versatile grain is a key ingredient in several popular spirits, contributing a distinctive character that distinguishes them from other grain-based liquors.

Quick Summary

Wheat is a primary ingredient in many well-known distilled spirits, imparting smooth and subtle flavors. Learn about wheat-based vodkas, wheated bourbons, wheat whiskies, and the production process that creates these unique liquors.

Key Points

Wheat-Based Vodkas: Many popular brands like Absolut and Grey Goose use wheat to produce a smooth, crisp, and slightly sweet-tasting vodka.
Wheat Whiskey: For a whiskey to be labeled as such in the US, its mash bill must contain at least 51% wheat, resulting in a mellow and soft flavor profile.
Wheated Bourbon: This type of bourbon replaces the traditional rye with wheat, yielding a sweeter, smoother spirit with emphasized notes from corn and oak.
Gin Base: Wheat is commonly used to produce the neutral grain spirit base for many gins, providing a clean canvas for botanicals.
Distillation Process: The production of wheat liquor involves mashing, fermenting, and distilling, where enzymes convert wheat starches into sugars for yeast consumption.
Gluten Free: Despite being made from wheat, distilled spirits like vodka and whiskey are generally considered gluten-free because the distillation process removes the gluten proteins.

Wheat-Based Vodka: The Crisp and Smooth Spirit

Vodka, known for its versatility and clean profile, is one of the most common liquors made out of wheat. The use of winter wheat, in particular, is prized for creating a smooth and crisp spirit with a light, subtly sweet flavor. Famous brands like Absolut, Grey Goose, and Ketel One all rely on high-quality wheat as their base. The distillation process for wheat vodka is typically highly efficient, utilizing continuous column stills to create a very high-proof, neutral spirit. This spirit is then filtered, often through charcoal, and proofed down with water before bottling. The final product is a clean, mild spirit that works well in a wide variety of cocktails.

Famous Wheat Vodka Examples

Absolut Vodka: A classic example made from Swedish winter wheat, famous for its smooth, rich, and full-bodied taste with a hint of dried fruit.
Grey Goose Vodka: A super-premium vodka distilled in France from soft winter wheat, prized for its smooth and rounded character.
Ketel One Vodka: A Dutch vodka crafted from 100% GMO-free European wheat using a combination of modern column distillation and traditional copper pot stills.

Wheat Whiskey and Wheated Bourbon: A Mellow Alternative

While corn-based bourbon and rye-based whiskey often dominate the American whiskey scene, wheat is also a vital grain in this category. It is used to produce two distinct styles of whiskey: wheat whiskey and wheated bourbon.

Wheat Whiskey: The Pure Expression

This style of whiskey must have a mash bill consisting of at least 51% wheat. The resulting spirit is known for its smooth, mellow, and gentle character, with notes of bread, toffee, and caramel. Unlike the spiciness of rye whiskey, wheat whiskey offers a softer, more approachable flavor profile. Some examples include Bernheim Original and Dry Fly.

Wheated Bourbon: Sweetness and Complexity

Wheated bourbon is a subcategory where wheat replaces the traditional rye in the mash bill. This substitution results in a softer, more rounded whiskey that emphasizes the natural sweetness of the corn and the vanilla and caramel notes from the charred oak barrels during aging. Notable wheated bourbon brands include Maker's Mark, W. L. Weller, and Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve.

Gin: A Botanical Spirit Built on Wheat

Many gins start with a neutral grain spirit base, which is often distilled from wheat. The use of wheat as the base spirit provides a clean and crisp foundation that allows the complex botanical flavors—especially the signature juniper—to shine through. The purity of a wheat-based spirit is ideal for gin production, as it does not compete with the intended herbal and aromatic notes of the final product.

Comparison of Wheat-Based Liquors


Feature	Wheat Vodka	Wheat Whiskey	Wheated Bourbon
Primary Grain	100% Wheat (typically)	At least 51% Wheat	At least 51% Corn (with wheat replacing rye)
Flavor Profile	Crisp, clean, subtly sweet, smooth, and mellow	Soft, mellow, and gentle with notes of bread and caramel	Softer, sweeter, and more rounded than rye bourbon
Aging	No aging in wood; bottled fresh	Aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least 2 years for "straight"	Aged in new, charred oak barrels
Key Examples	Absolut, Grey Goose, Ketel One	Bernheim Original, Dry Fly, Middle West	Maker's Mark, W. L. Weller, Pappy Van Winkle

The Distillation Process for Wheat Liquor

The process of turning wheat into liquor follows a standard, multi-step method of fermentation and distillation. Here’s a breakdown:

Mashing: The first step involves grinding the wheat into a meal, mixing it with water, and heating it to create a mash. During mashing, enzymes (often from malted barley, which is included in the mash bill) break down the starches in the wheat into fermentable sugars.
Fermentation: After cooling the mash, yeast is added. The yeast consumes the sugars and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. The resulting liquid, known as "distiller's beer," is then ready for distillation.
Distillation: The distiller's beer is heated in either a column still or a pot still. Since alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, it vaporizes first. This vapor is collected and condensed back into a liquid form, separating it from the impurities in the mash. The process can be repeated for higher purity.
Refinement: For spirits like vodka, the distillate may be filtered multiple times, often through charcoal, to remove any remaining impurities. For whiskey, the spirit is aged in oak barrels to develop color and flavor.

For more detailed information on the craft distilling process, including those using local wheat, resources like the Washington Wheat Foundation provide excellent context on regional production efforts.

Conclusion

Wheat is a versatile and widely used grain in the world of spirits, contributing to the creation of a variety of distinctive liquors. From the crisp and smooth profile of premium wheat vodkas to the mellow and sweet character of wheat whiskeys and wheated bourbons, its influence is notable across several categories. The distillation process effectively removes any gluten from the final product, making many wheat-based liquors suitable for those with gluten sensitivities. Whether you prefer a pure, clean spirit for cocktails or a complex, aged whiskey for sipping, knowing that wheat is the source can help you navigate the rich and diverse world of distilled spirits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, distilled liquors made from wheat, including vodka and whiskey, are considered gluten-free. The distillation process effectively removes the gluten proteins, leaving the final spirit free of gluten.

Spirits made primarily with wheat tend to be softer, mellower, and slightly sweeter, with notes of bread and caramel. Spirits made with rye, in contrast, are known for a spicier, more robust, and peppery flavor profile.

No, not all vodkas are made from wheat. While many premium vodkas use wheat, it can also be made from other materials like potatoes, corn, rye, or even fruit.

Wheated bourbon is a type of American whiskey that uses wheat as its secondary grain instead of the more traditional rye. This results in a softer, sweeter, and more rounded flavor profile.

Wheat typically imparts a smooth, mellow, and subtly sweet flavor to a spirit. In vodka, it creates a clean, crisp character. In whiskey, it contributes a gentle, approachable sweetness.

Several famous brands of vodka are made from wheat, including Absolut, Grey Goose, Ketel One, and Chopin Wheat Vodka.

Yes, many gins use a neutral grain spirit as their base, which is often distilled from wheat. The clean, neutral base allows the flavors from the juniper and other botanicals to be the primary focus.