Vodka From Milk: British Dairy Farmer Creates New Tipple

Creating vodka from milk? As bizarre as that sounds, it is possible. And what’s more, it’s apparently delicious.

British dairy farmer Jason Barber has concocted the world’s first ever milk vodka, a new spirit that already has its own celebrity fans: Daniel Craig and Liz Hurley are reportedly fond of the drink.

Black Cow vodka is now served at exclusive restaurants owned by top UK chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Heston Blumenthal (Blumenthal, of course, is famous for all sorts of peculiar food combinations, from bacon and egg ice cream to snail porridge).

But how does one create vodka from milk?

Well, it all starts with Mr. Barber’s herd of 250 cows in Beaminster, Dorset. The milk provided by the cows is separated into curds and whey, with the curds used to make cheese. The whey, meanwhile, is fermented into a beer. This process requires a special type of yeast that can convert milk sugar into alcohol.

After this, the beer is treated and distilled in a blending process that 47-year-old Mr. Barber is keeping a secret. From there, the vodka is triple-filtered before being bottled, complete with a gold top.

After three years of crafting vodka from milk, the British farmer has reportedly perfected the process. It’s proven a hit with critics, who praise Black Cow for its “creamy nose.”

Mr. Barber was inspired to create the unique tipple after seeing a documentary about Tuva, a small republic in Siberia, where locals make vodka using yak milk. He told The Daily Mail:

“I’m a big fan of vodka – it’s the only drink that doesn’t give me a hangover.”

If you fancy trying a bit of milk vodka yourself, there’s a Black Cow site. At $44 for a 70cl bottle, it’s actually reasonably priced, but shipping is limited to the UK for now.