Tito's Handmade Vodka
Austin, Texas
Corn-based and certified gluten-free. One of the cleanest mass-market spirits in the US, despite "handmade" being more marketing than reality.
- Filtration
- Activated charcoal
- Distillations
- 6×
- Grains
- yellow corn
- Congeners
- Very Low
- Histamines
- Very Low
- Polyphenols
- Very Low
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Very Low
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Very Low
In its favor
- ✓Gluten-free corn base
- ✓No additives, no sugar
- ✓Six column distillations
What to watch
- !"Handmade" claim disputed in lawsuits
- !Industrial column still, not artisanal
Factor by factor
Congeners Very Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Very Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Very Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Very Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Very Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Tito’s is a column-distilled corn vodka pretending to be a small batch product. Marketing aside, it’s chemically one of the lowest-impact spirits widely sold in the United States.