Now we hit the fun part. The wheat flour is mixed with the spring water, heated up, and turned into a mash. Then they add yeast—a specific proprietary yeast strain that they guard like a family secret.
This yeast eats the sugars and produces alcohol. The process takes about three days. And they do it in small batches, not some giant industrial vat. That means more control, and less of that “burn” you get from cheap vodka.
How Grey Goose Essences Are Made | Grey Goose Vodka - YouTube
Here’s a side note: most cheap vodkas rush this step. Grey Goose lets it ferment slowly. It’s like the difference between a microwave dinner and a slow-cooked stew. Patience pays off.
Distillation: The Five-Column Flex
After fermentation, you’ve got a liquid with about 20% alcohol. That’s basically weak wine. Time to concentrate it. Grey Goose uses a five-column distillation system. Yes, five columns. That’s a flex.
Each column removes different impurities: the “heads” (bad alcohols), the “tails” (heavy oils), and everything in between. They only keep the middle cut—the purest, smoothest part of the run. Think of it as the “chopped liver” of the alcohol world, except it’s actually the best part.
This process happens twice. Double distillation through five columns. By the time it’s done, the vodka is 96% alcohol and about as pure as a saint. But it’s not ready yet—it still needs to chill out.
