Beverage companies make clear liquor by filtering their worst and cheapest beer through charcoal (a special carbon filter) to remove the color (the science of this is explained in sibling comments). Strong citrus flavors are then added to mask the original flavoring. Zima was a popular drink made in this fashion in the 1990s. A competitor to Zima, Smirnoff Ice, (which isn't vodka in the U.S) is still around.
That's really interesting. Does it taste bad? I can see why Smirnoff Ice has such a bad rep in the US (it's just a vodka premix in Australia - so it tastes like vodka and lemonade).
It depends on your tastes. It isn't high quality alcohol, but if you don't want the smell of alcohol in your breath, or want alcohol that tastes kind of like Sprite, then it's not bad.
