Paying attention to the acidity and alkalinity of the beverages you drink has many benefits, especially when you’re trying to reduce your acid intake.
If you’re a vodka enthusiast and you’re wondering whether that means cutting back on vodka as well, you have to know its pH level. I did the research and here’s what I found!
pH Level Of Vodka
Vodka can have varying pH levels depending on the brand. Bottom-shelf vodkas have an average pH level of 4.0 while top-shelf vodkas maintain a pH level of 7 or higher. Additionally, vodka is classified as a neutral spirit which means its pH level is 7. However, additives like citric acid can significantly lower it.
If you’re curious about the pH level of vodka, whether it’s acidic or alkaline, and which brand has the highest pH, keep on reading!
Does Vodka Have A pH?
Vodka is a neutral spirit. As such, it naturally has a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0.
Some vodkas have a lower pH level of 4.0. This happens mostly because bottom-shelf vodka brands add citric acid to their products to serve as a balancing agent for their taste.
Since top-shelf vodkas are distilled well enough that they don’t need balancing agents, they usually maintain higher pH levels.
For instance, premium vodka brands typically retain a pH level of 7 which is neutral, but some manage to increase it to as high as 8.88.
In addition, both top-shelf and bottom-shelf vodkas can also have higher or lower pH levels depending on the distiller’s country of origin.
Most American distillers that produce bottom-shelf vodkas use citric acid and therefore make slightly acidic vodkas.
In contrast, most Brazilian vodkas have alkaline pH values that range from 7.9 to 8.1.
Is Vodka Acidic Or Alkaline?
Whether a vodka is acidic or alkaline depends on the brand. In general, however, vodka can range anywhere from slightly acidic to neutral and sometimes alkaline, too.
To understand the acidity or alkalinity of vodka, you have to know what these terms mean and how they apply to distilled spirits like vodka.
Put simply, a pH measure tracks the acidity of a substance from 0-14. Anything greater than 7, which is neutral, is considered a base or alkaline, while anything less than 7 is acidic.
That said, all alkali are bases, but not all bases are alkali. To make a vodka that has a pH of 7 or higher count as an alkaline, distillers use alkaline water.
If you want to consume alcohol that has a low acidity or has high alkaline levels, stick to brands that are permitted to include those claims on their labels.
You may also refer to the distiller’s water source because they often disclose those details to assure their customers of the quality of their product.
What Vodka Has A High pH?
Titomirov’s Vodka Couture has the highest pH compared to all other vodka brands. Their vodka’s pH levels range from 8.2 to 8.8.
Additionally, Titomirov’s uses alkaline water from the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. It originates from a deep-worth aquifer, making it rich in minerals and toxin-free. It remains uncontaminated from sourcing to bottling and contributes to their vodka’s high pH levels.
In addition, it’s important to note that vodka with high pH levels can retain an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 40% or 80 proof.
What Is Less Acidic Vodka Or Wine?
Vodka is typically less acidic than wine.
As with vodka, the pH level of wine depends on its classification and brand. Among all wines, it’s port wine that has the lowest pH of 2.9, making it incredibly acidic.
Moreover, white wine has a pH level that ranges from 3.1 to 3.4, while red wine’s pH levels range from 3.4 to 3.6.
Bottom-shelf vodka brands may have a pH as low as 4.0, but that’s still a far cry from the average pH level of red wines, white wines, and ports.
For this reason, people who are watching their acid intake tend to favor a few shots of vodka over a glass of wine.
If you want to learn more about vodka, you can see our related posts on why vodka burns, the best chasers for vodka, and how many vodka shots you need to get drunk.
Conclusion
A vodka’s pH level depends on its brand. If you want to minimize your acid intake, stick to top-shelf vodka brands because they typically retain a neutral pH level of 7.
On the other hand, bottom-shelf vodkas usually contain citrus acids that lower their pH level to 4.0, making them slightly acidic.
Compared to other alcoholic drinks like beer and wine, however, vodka is the better choice in terms of pH levels.