Vodka, made by distilling anything that contains fermentable sugar, is pure, un-aged alcohol. Cereals such as wheat, rye and barley are the most commonly used base, but modern vodkas are now made from products as diverse as sugar beet, grapes and potatoes. Ideally, vodka should be colorless, odorless and tasteless, but differences in ingredients and modern production methods have resulted in a wide range of flavors.