Jason Barber, a farmer from Dorset, England, has spent three years creating the world’s first milk vodka. Now, his Black Cow label is the poison of choice for celebrities like Elizabeth Hurley and James Bond star Daniel Craig.
47-year-old Jason Barber, a sixth generation farmer, got the idea for his pure cow milk vodka after watching a TV documentary on Tuva, a small Siberian republic where people make vodka from yak milk. Intrigued by the idea, he set out to make his own, from the milk of the 250 cows on his farm in Beaminster, Dorset. It took him three long years to perfect the process, but the final result is nothing short of impressive, according to food and drink experts. Barber starts out by separating the milk into curds and whey. He uses the former to make cheese, while the latter is fermented into beer, using special yeast, to convert the sugar into alcohol. After being distilled, the milk beer goes through a special blending process. The resulting vodka is triple-filtered and hand-bottled. Made from fresh whole milk Black Cow vodka is apparently an exceptionally smooth drink with a distinct creamy character.
Photo: Black Cow
According to the IB Times, Jason has a long history of making his own drinks: he was thrown out of school for making a brew from fermented orange juice and storing it in unused school cellars. He also has a personal interest in vodka, as it’s the only alcoholic drink that doesn’t give him a hangover. Black Cow has received positive reviews since it was launched, and can now be found on the menus of posh English restaurants like those owned by acclaimed chefs Heston Blumenthal and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The world’s first pure milk vodka is priced at £27.85 ($42) per 70cl bottle, and £22.85 ($35) per 50cl bottle.
Photo: Black Cow
