Alcoholic Beverages

Vodka (Russian: водка, Polish: Wódka, meaning “little water”) is an alcoholic beverage colorless whose origin lies in Russia or in Poland according to sources. It is now the Russian National Alcohol. Between 4,000 and 5,000 brands of vodka are on the market, which is booming. Vodka is also reflected in the composition of many cocktails.

Etymology

The word vodka can be literally translated to “little water” (the Russian word for water is voda (вода), with the value ka diminutive / affectionate. Polish (very similar): Wódka (from woda (meaning “water”) and the diminutive ka).

History

The Museum of vodka Mandrogi.

It is distilled from the fourteenth century, a century later, Prince Ivan III (1462 – 1505) banned all production of highly alcoholic beverages. Czar Ivan IV (1533 – 1584), “said Ivan the Terrible, first built a tavern in Moscow and establishes the principle of distilleries and distribution sites of state. It had a monopoly on the production and sale of vodka, which has enabled the state to reap substantial profits. During this period, vodka plays a very important role in culture and the Russian economy.

In 1894, Emperor Alexander III decreed that the standard of Title alcohol Russian vodka is 40 degrees. It builds on the work of chemist Dmitri Mendeleev who had previously shown that the best vodka headline to 38°, but the fees for the time being calculated on the alcohol, is the title of which was 40° retained to facilitate the task of tax authorities.

There is a museum of vodka Mandrogi, in the Leningrad Oblast in Russia.

Production

Vodka is a spirit that can be produced from rye, wheat, potatoes, wood or beet. The title between 37 and 97 degrees of alcohol (vodka Spirytus is the one containing the highest alcohol content), but more typically 40. Vodka is by far the first hard liquor consumed in the world with a little over 500 million cases of 9 liters in 2005. It keeps in the freezer.

Today, it produces vodka in many countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Poland, England, Sweden, Finland, the United States and Canada. Are produced in France and Switzerland.

Flavors

Some, like the Żubrówka Polish and Belarusian are flavored with the buffalo grass that gives a slight color and aromas and is harvested during a short period of summer (the warmest possible) and then used during the distillation of the spirit of grain. There are several other traditional flavors: pepper (often with honey, especially in Ukraine), birch, cranberries, bay tree nuts, cedar, nettles and pepper.
Others are newer flavors: lemon, cherry, caramel, in some cases, cannabis etc.

Unflavored vodka is preferred for some tastings including caviar.

Brands

Vodka Adulterated

In Russia, in recent years, many booths selling cheap products (1.5 euro) on which are affixed labels “vodka.” It is in fact often toxic products, which have caused during the first 10 months of the year 2006 about 17,000 deaths by the chairman of the Duma Boris Gryzlov.

To prevent trafficking, the Russian government plans to take action. In November 2006, nothing was decided yet, but two solutions profile:

• Nationalize the production and distribution of alcohol,
• Create a public body which is between producers and distributors would be responsible for monitoring all the production of alcohol.

The alcohol producers have opposed both measures.

The production of adulterated vodka in Russia is long overdue, but it had never caused as many deaths before. The situation is explained by the fact that the Russian government has recently passed legislation to increase the concentration of various toxic chemicals in industrial alcohol used in the production of adulterated vodka in order to discourage such use. The production of vodka smuggling has nevertheless continued with the now-toxic products.

Vodka Music

• The singer Russian Babache was made famous in 1989 with the song “Russkaya vodka.
• Constance Verluca wrote a song, the three friends, whose words are: “Vive le chocolat, heroin and vodka.”
• Sonata Arctica, group Metal Finland has a tradition to finish his concerts with a “Vodka Song”, taken to the words modified Hava Nagila.
• Lesi Ortestral more recently became known for his electro Vodka Fisa.