The history of the appearance of vodka and interesting facts about it. Who invented vodka Who and when produced vodka

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Knows Tokyo and Nice, - Tokyo and Nice know - Russian vodka cannot be compared! Nothing compares to Russian vodka! Yes, whiskey, brandy and cognac - Yes, whiskey, brandy and cognac - A trifle before vodka! Are weak before vodka! Even the negroes in Jamaica Even the negroes in Jamaica To the tunes of the balalaika To the sounds of the balalaika Yes, even to the last penny Yes, even to the last penny Drink like our drunks! They drink like our alcoholics! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, you ruined me! Russian vodka, you "ve killed me! Russian vodka, black bread, herring; Russian vodka, black bread & herring, Fun fun, hard hangover! The fun" s fun; the hangover "s hard! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, you ruined me! Russian vodka, you" ve killed me! Russian vodka, black bread, herring; Russian vodka, black bread & herring; Fun fun, hard hangover! The fun "s fun; the hangover" s hard! And in Ryazan, in the Russian bath, And in Ryazan, in the Russian bathhouse, Vodka splashes in a glass. The vodka sloshes in the glass. Yes, and in Brighton, out of melancholy, Yes, even in Brighton, when melancholy hits, Men sip vodka. Men drink up the vodka. The Chukchi and Jews know - The Chukchi and Jews know - There is no stronger Russian vodka! Nothing "s stronger than Russian vodka! Yes, from it your soul burns, Yes, from it your soul burns, And then your head cracks! But later your head splits! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, you "ve killed me!" Russian vodka, black bread, herring; Russian vodka, black bread & herring; Fun fun, hard hangover! The fun "s fun; the hangover" s hard! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, you ruined me! Russian vodka, you "ve killed me! Russian vodka, black bread, herring; Russian vodka, black bread & herring; Fun fun, hard hangover! The fun" s fun; the hangover "s hard! I know, all the people of the Earth Could become friends! Yes, if everyone would drink vodka, Communism would come! Communism would appear! If only they lived, didn't grieve, Then we "d live and wouldn't lack anything, We sang songs, drank vodka! We" d sing songs and drink vodka! Yes, well, vigorous mother, Yes, it "s good, for Pete" s sake, You just need to know the measure! You need to know your limit though! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, you ruined me! Russian vodka, you "ve killed me! Russian vodka, black bread, herring; Russian vodka, black bread & herring; Fun fun, hard hangover! The fun" s fun; the hangover "s hard! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, what have you done! Russian vodka, you ruined me! Russian vodka, you" ve killed me! Russian vodka, black bread, herring; Russian vodka, black bread & herring; Fun fun, hard hangover! The fun "s fun; the hangover" s hard! Russian vodka! Russian vodka!

Story

origin of name

In the history of vodka, one should distinguish between the history of the word "vodka" itself (that is, its etymology), the history of the modern drink with this name and production technology. Back at the end of the 19th century, vodka was produced not by diluting rectified alcohol with water to the required concentration - as it is now, but by distillation (distillation in still cubes) - like moonshine, whiskey, rum or tequila [ ] .

The Polish word "wódka" has the original meaning "little water", "water", which is similar to the meaning of the old Russian word "vodka" - "vodka". In Russian, the name "vodka" in the meaning of an alcoholic drink began to be used after the XIV century.

The term and trade name "vodka" received its modern meaning (a solution of purified ethanol in water) in the 19th century.

The emergence of production

The first information about distillation dates back to the 1st century and is mentioned in the works of Greek alchemists in Alexandria (Egypt). In the 11th century, Avicenna mentions distillation as a method for obtaining essential oils, but there is no historical evidence of alcohol distillation in Muslim countries during this period. The first unequivocal evidence of the distillation of alcohol dates back to the 12th century, at the medical school of Salerno, in Italy. . Since the middle of the 19th century, rectification has been developed.

The Church forbade an Orthodox person to engage in winemaking. The imperial decree of Alexander I of 1819 indicated the impossibility for clerics to engage in the sale of alcohol in taverns.

One of the earliest official Russian documents, in which the word “vodka” is mentioned, is the personal decree of Ivan V and Peter I “On the collection of duties on various wines and vodkas exported from overseas with efimka, and with sugar with money, according to previous decrees” dated 4 (14) August of the year. But for a long time, vodka was referred to in trade statements and state acts, depending on the fortress, as “hot, plain, table wine”, “foam”, “polugar”.

The myth about the work of D. I. Mendeleev on the definition of the optimal strength of vodka

In Russia, a diverse mythology has formed around vodka. One of the myths connects the appearance of vodka with the name of D. I. Mendeleev on the grounds that his doctoral thesis was called "On the combination of alcohol with water." It is claimed that:

• while working on his dissertation, Mendeleev discovered some properties of a water-alcohol solution with an ethanol concentration of 43% by volume, unusual in terms of their effect on a living organism;
• a water-alcohol solution with a similar concentration can be obtained only by mixing weight, not volume, parts of water and alcohol;
• based on these data, Mendeleev developed a recipe for vodka called "Moscow Special" (later - "Moscow Special"), which in 1894 was patented by the Russian government as Russian national vodka.

In reality, Mendeleev did not participate in the creation or improvement of vodka. Only some of his works could be indirectly and subsequently used for the production of vodka:

• doctoral dissertation "On the combination of alcohol with water", which studied the interaction of ethyl alcohol when mixed with water and the consequences of this interaction;
• A supplemented translation of the German book “Theorie und Praxis der Gewerbe. Hand - und Lehrbuch der Technologie v. Dr. Johannes-Rudolf Wagner ”(in the Russian version“ Technology according to Wagner ”), published in Leipzig in 1858, the third issue of which (1862) was devoted to the production of grape wine, beer and alcohol.

Also in the works of D. I. Mendeleev there is no evidence that he studied the biochemical properties of alcohol-water solutions of various concentrations and the physiological effect of these solutions. In fact, Mendeleev's work "On the combination of alcohol with water" refers to metrology.

The establishment of the traditional 40% ratio of alcohol to water was not the result of Mendeleev’s research, but the work of officials who, in fact (due to the convenience of calculation, due to some increase in incoming excise taxes) rounded off the one established from the beginning of the 19th century [ ] the strength of vodka called "polugar" (about 38%). The ratio of 40% was enshrined in the Charter on drinking fees and approved on December 6, 1886.

The emergence of 40-degree vodka

The advent of modern vodka

The technological revolution of the 19th century required the production of large quantities of practically pure ethyl alcohol, which was used in the chemical industry, medicine and the perfume industry. In response to this need, devices have been developed that are capable of producing alcohol on an industrial scale with a strength of up to 96% with a very high degree of purification from natural impurities - the so-called distillation columns. In Russia, they began to appear from the 1860s and were used mainly for the production of alcohol for export.

Russian vodka breeders based on highly purified alcohol diluted with water began to produce in small quantities the so-called "table wine", which does not contain any additives, which can be considered technologically and in composition the prototype of modern vodka. The situation changed dramatically in the 1890s, when the Russian government decided to regain its monopoly on the sale of strong alcohol, which had previously been abandoned in the wave of reforms of the 1860s. One of the main arguments in favor of returning to the state monopoly was that the state undertook to sell only "pure wine", that is, a mixture of rectified alcohol with water with virtually no natural impurities - esters, aldehydes and fusel oil. As a result, the monopoly was restored and gradually, starting from January 1, 1895, extended to almost the entire territory of the Russian Empire.

The development of the technology for making "hygienically clean" wine was entrusted to a specially created Technical Committee, which included scientists - M. G. Kucherov, V. V. Verigo and others. As a result, technologies for the manufacture of modern vodka were created, which have come down almost unchanged to the present day. This alcoholic drink was called "state wine".

From the report of I. V. Stalin at the XIV Congress of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks

By the way, two words about one of the sources of the reserve - about vodka. There are people who think that it is possible to build socialism with white gloves. This is a gross mistake, comrades. If we have no loans, if we are poor in capital, and if, in addition, we cannot go into bondage to the capitalists, if we cannot accept the enslaving conditions that they offer us and which we have rejected, then only one thing remains: to look for sources in others. areas. It's still better than swearing. Here it is necessary to choose between bondage and vodka, and people who think that it is possible to build socialism with white gloves are cruelly mistaken.

International Arbitration 1978-1982

V. Pokhlebkin did not have complete information about the relations between the USSR and Polish vodka exporters and therefore erroneously referred to a certain decision of the International Arbitration Court of 1982, which never happened, but there was a conference in Warsaw in July 1975. The head of the legal service of VO Soyuzplodoimport, B. S. Seglin, stated that Soyuzplodoimport did not order any research from V. V. Pokhlebkin.

Pokhlebkin claimed that in 1978 the Polish People's Republic applied to the International Arbitration Court with a claim for recognition of its exclusive right to the vodka brand. The basis of the claims was that in the former territories of the Kingdom of Poland and other territories that were wholly or partially part of the republic, vodka was produced earlier than it began to be made in the Russian state, namely, in 1540. This was confirmed by some historical documents that were attached to the claim. It was proposed to recognize the exclusive right of Poland to sell and advertise in foreign markets under the name "vodka" its product, namely, "Vodka wyborowa" ("Wodka wyborowa"). All other manufacturers, in this case, would be forced to look for another name for their products. In the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the claim of the government of the Polish Republic was perceived as a misunderstanding - an initiative of petty officials who did not realize that such competition weakens the socialist camp. Attempts at pre-arbitration settlement failed, since the official position of Poland was as follows: there is a world market that has its own laws, to which all its participants are subject, and the interests of the socialist camp have nothing to do with it, if the Soviet side can prove priority, the Polish Republic will not make any claims. The Ministry of Foreign Trade decided to find historical documents on which the position of the Soviet side in arbitration would be based. However, after three months, no evidence was found of the priority of vodka production in Russia. In tsarist Russia, this issue was not raised, since during the existence of patents, Poland was part of the Empire. Appeals to the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, the All-Union Research Institute of Fermentation Products of the Glavspirt of the USSR Ministry of Food Industry did not give anything, the institutes refused to investigate the issue due to the lack of narrow specialists on this issue. A non-standard decision was made - they decided to turn to William Pokhlebkin, who was known as a first-class specialist in the field of culinary history, but was also famous as a very bilious, direct and quarrelsome person. The Minister of Foreign Trade (Nikolay Semyonovich Patolichev) could not meet with Pokhlebkin several times (he ignored the invitations). For the third time, Pokhlebkin was brought to the ministry by courier, and, according to Artur Tabolov, a conversation took place between him and the minister, in which the minister demanded evidence that the Russians had invented and started making vodka for the first time, Pokhlebkin decided to refuse, because he did not want to adjust the result of the study to the required decision, but agreed only after assurances that his research would be independent, and there would be no pressure from the ministry, and such a result would be recognized that would correspond to the truth, regardless of the priority of the invention. Three and a half months later, William Pokhlebkin provided a manuscript, from which it followed that in Poland vodka began to be produced even earlier than the originally declared date - around 1505-1510, however, vodka was produced in Russia starting from 1431-1448, but not later than 1478 of the year . This work formed the basis of the line of defense in litigation, and, in 1982, by decision of the International Arbitration Court, the priority of vodka production in Russia was finally recognized. For vodka from the USSR, the slogan was fixed: "Only vodka from Russia is real Russian vodka."

The latest controversy

The countries of the vodka belt, which are members of the EU, vigorously oppose attempts to sell products based on grape raw materials under the name of vodka. They insist that only drinks made from grain, potato and sugar beet raw materials have the right to be called vodka. See en:Vodka war for details.

In 2015, Russia in the district court of Rotterdam won a lawsuit against SPI Group over the vodka brands Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya. The trial lasted more than 10 years (since 2003). The litigation arose because in 1997 the VVO Soyuzplodoimport sold the rights to a number of brands (43 Soviet vodka brands in total) to businessman Yuri Shefler. In 2001, such a sale was declared illegal by Russia and the processes of returning brands began.

Properties of vodka and its production

Fortress

Special vodka - vodka with a strength of 40.0-45.0% with a specific aroma and mild taste, is obtained by adding various ingredients, chemical flavoring additives, such as thickeners, vitamins, stabilizers, etc.

Taste

The taste of vodka, more precisely, the differences in this taste are determined primarily by the type and amount of specific impurities (except ethanol and water) in different types or samples of vodka (also partly by its strength). It is claimed that impurities are responsible for the main part of the taste, which is inaccurately defined by the words "bitter taste" or "burning taste" in different varieties of vodka; this is supported by the fact that varieties composed of purer alcohol and water are at least much less bitter. Thus, to a noticeable extent, the mild taste of vodka is a criterion for its purity (although there are impurities that mask bitterness in one way or another).

Water is the second most important component of vodka, the quality of which determines the taste of vodka. The best is soft water from the upper reaches of the rivers, as well as from springs [ ] . Before mixing with grain alcohol, water goes through several stages of purification: settling, aeration, filtration through quartz sand. It should be completely transparent, colorless, with a minimum salt content, it should not be boiled or distilled.

The technology for the production of vodka was developed by the Technical Committee of the Department of Fixed Charges in the 1890s and has survived almost unchanged to the present day. First, a mixture of water and rectified alcohol is prepared, the so-called. "sorting". The sorting is then mechanically filtered and filtered through activated carbon. In some cases, especially for premium class vodkas, additional processing of the resulting product is also carried out - milk, egg white, silver, etc.

GOST allows the use of numerous additives that improve the taste of vodka; such vodkas belong to the class of "special vodkas".

Ready vodka is bottled, corked and labelled. The nutritional value of 100 g of vodka is 235 kcal.

Quality and safety control is carried out by the chromatographic method, as well as by tasting.

Volume of production

Every year, the world produces and sells more than 4.6 billion liters of vodka worth at least $50 billion. This drink accounts for approximately 20% of global spending on strong alcohol (in addition to vodka, international statistics include all alcoholic beverages stronger than 20% in this category of drinks: cognac and brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, tequila, liqueurs, absinthe, etc.) .

In monetary terms, the largest market for vodka is the United States. Russia takes the second place. This is due to significantly higher prices for spirits in the US, as well as population.

Russian export and import of vodka according to the data of the Federal Service State Statistics [ ] :

Use

The American way of drinking vodka either warm or diluted ( on the rocks), and at the same time not having a snack, is just as detrimental to both the person and the product as, say, the habit of drinking yesterday's champagne from a tea cup. The meaning of vodka is to quickly, with one blow, swallow the contents of a small glass (poured from a bottle constantly contained in the freezer), as if it were a sip of fire, and immediately, at the same second, have a bite very hot or very spicy anyway: mushroom, pickled cucumber, pickled pepper, salted fish, red-hot borscht, hot sausage in tomato - it doesn't matter. Virtuosos from the people do not eat, but sniff - with black bread (only black!) Or the sleeve of an old jacket, but this method is difficult to recommend to a country with a well-developed dry-cleaning system, there will be no effect. It is good to open your mouth wide and exhale, while tears should well up in your eyes; one of the participants in the feast will certainly say, turning his head: “Well gone! On the second! The first glass should hit the nerves, there is an old saying on this score: “The first is a stake, the second is a falcon, the rest are small birds.”

In the West, vodka is consumed both as a drink on its own and as a "neutral" alcohol ideal for making cocktails.

In the Armed Forces of the USSR

In countries where the most popular drinks are wine or beer, even high levels of alcohol consumption are not accompanied by catastrophic consequences. This is evidenced by the experience of not only France, Portugal, Germany, Austria, but also the post-socialist Czech Republic, Poland, Armenia, Georgia. But in all the countries of the alcohol belt, without exception, there is a severe complex of alcohol problems: supermortality, leading to the extinction of the nation, degradation of the social environment, an increase in crime, etc.

In some cases, when preparing cheap varieties of vodka, purification is not carried out at all, the mixture of alcohol and water is blended with various artificial additives (alcosoft, glycerin, soda, etc.), which mask the taste of the drink, making it soft. The harm to the human body, who has taken such a product, increases many times due to exposure to toxic impurities (ether-aldehyde fractions and other by-products of fermentation). [ ]

A one-time intake of 400 grams of undiluted ethyl alcohol (95-96%) is a lethal dose for the average person (death occurs in 30-50% of cases). It is quite possible to drink a lethal dose in the form of a liter of vodka or moonshine in a short time, but in the form of 4 liters of wine it is extremely difficult, in the form of 10 liters of beer it is almost impossible. This also applies to smaller doses of alcohol. Half a liter of vodka or moonshine is a dose that can lead to a stroke, cardiac arrest, death from injury - the consequences of inappropriate behavior.

Regular consumption of vodka inevitably leads to diseases of internal organs (cirrhosis of the liver). Initially, a deep lesion of the body manifests itself in the form of a hangover syndrome. Among the most common causes of death for an alcoholic are heart attack, stroke, cirrhosis of the liver, and cancer. Ethyl alcohol has a negative effect on the reproductive system, affects the development of the fetus, increases the risk of pathologies.

Significant alcohol consumption in the Russian Federation, caused by various reasons, increases the contribution of this cause to injuries, occupational diseases, accidents, etc.

In order to prevent injuries and occupational diseases, the state allowed the employer to compensate for part of the costs incurred by him in improving labor at the expense of his contributions to the Social Insurance Fund (up to 20%). According to the Fund, part of the funds received by employers as part of such support is spent on the purchase of breathalyzers - about 11.2 million rubles in 2014.

Museums of vodka

see also

Notes

1. Water containing mineral and organic substances established by regulatory documents for the production of alcoholic beverages, prepared by the methods of: softening, demineralization, deodorization, desalination, iron removal and / or drinking water filtration (GOST R 52190-2003. Chapter 2, paragraph 5)
2. GOST 18300-87 Rectified technical ethyl alcohol. Specifications".
3. GOST R 52190-2003 “Vodkas and alcoholic beverages. Terms and Definitions".
4. Simpson S. History and Mythology of Polish Vodka: 1270-2007 // Food and History. Revue de l'Institut Européen d'Histoire de l'Alimentation. - 2010. - Vol. 8, No. 1. - P. 127.
5. Pokhlebkin V.V. History vodka
6. Piotrovsky, Semyon Raimundovich. A collection of guides containing 270 recipes for making homemade vodkas, tinctures, liquors, liqueurs, casseroles, wines, cognac, rum, apple cider, and wine from fresh - Klimovichi: type. br. Kreindlinykh, 1898
7. Forbes, Robert James. A short history of the art of distillation: from the beginnings up to the death of Cellier Blumenthal . - BRILL, 1970. - ISBN 978-90-04-00617-1.
8. Sarton, George. Introduction to the history of science. - R. E. Krieger Pub. Co., 1975. - P. 145. - ISBN 0-88275-172-7 .
9. A. Yu. Pidzhakov. Selected works. Legal Center Press, 2010, p. 257.
10. Pryzhov I. G. The history of taverns in Russia in connection with the history of the Russian people. 2nd ed. S. 44.
11. Ryabushinsky V.P. Old Believers and Russian religious feeling / Comp., intro. essay and comments by V.V. Nekhotin, V.N. Anisimova, M.L. Greenberg. M.: Bridges of Culture, 2010. - 452 p. - ISBN 978-5-93273-301-2.
12. Reading room - Russian electronic library (indefinite) . on-line.rubiteka.ru. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
13. 1037.- August 4. Nominal with Boyar sentence. About recovery duties with exported from oversea various wine and vodka efimka, and with sugar money, according previous decrees (indefinite) . 4 (

Vodka has long been considered the national alcoholic drink in Russia. Who exactly and when invented this drink is not exactly known. There are numerous versions of the origin of vodka, the main ones are presented in this article.

The history of vodka

It is believed that the Arab doctor Pares invented vodka in 860 and used his invention only for medicinal purposes for rubbing and warming. Indeed, according to the Qur'an, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited. In addition to medicine, they began to use alcohol for the preparation of perfumes and toilet water. Although these data on the subject are not scientifically confirmed. It follows from this that the Arabs could not have invented vodka, especially since they do not drink alcohol at all.

In Europe, they first started talking about vodka after the first distillation of a liquid containing sugar was made by the Italian alchemist Valentius. Subsequently, all known strong alcoholic drinks were born, such as whiskey, brandy, cognac, schnapps.

Who invented vodka in Russia?

Some versions about the appearance of vodka in Russia

Historical documents testify that from the period 1386-98 the merchants of Genoa brought grape spirit to Russia. It was only used as a medicine. At the beginning of the 15th century, alcohol was recognized as harmful, and it was forbidden to import it into the Moscow principality. It was at this time that Russian distillation began to emerge, that is, perhaps the history of vodka originates precisely from the distillation of grain alcohol from rye raw materials. Perhaps it was bread wine that later became vodka. Around this time, vodka was opposed to other intoxicating drinks, like beer and nourishing meads, which were approved by the Church. It was believed that drinking vodka would prevent various infectious diseases, since grain alcohol has disinfectant properties.

In Russia, vodka was called any liquid with a high percentage of strength. The Arabic name "alcohol" was not liked, alcoholic drinks were called wine, despite the fact that they have no connection with grapes. They also called the drink that could intoxicate a person.

Although these facts do not say exactly who invented vodka, this information will be of interest to many. Many stories that have come down to our time are associated with the Russian drink polugar. This is a bread wine that has been distilled to a strength of 38.5 degrees. If a weak drink was obtained, then it was strengthened and called underburned. From this came the name - a strong smell from the mouth - fume.

What does Mendeleev have to do with the invention of vodka?

The famous scientist has nothing to do with the invention of vodka, because vodka appeared even before he was born. Therefore, the version that Mendeleev invented vodka is erroneous.

DIMendeleev in 1865 wrote and defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic "Compounds of alcohol with water" on the theory of solutions of alcohol and water. Some suggest that in his writings, the chemist suggested that 40 degrees of alcohol in vodka is the ideal amount in terms of drinking. Then it turns out that Mendeleev invented 40-degree vodka, but this is not at all the case.

According to the existing information, which the Vodka Museum in St. Petersburg has, the famous scientist believed that the ideal strength of vodka is 38 degrees. Only then the value was rounded up to 40 degrees to facilitate the calculation of income tax. Mendeleev was not at all interested in vodka, he was only interested in alcohol compositions, so he has nothing to do with the question of who invented vodka. The scientist took some data for his dissertation from the earlier works of the Englishman J. Gilpin. As you know, people before scientific research they drank vodka, it's just that the alcohol content in it was not regulated, and especially at the state level.

The appearance of vodka in Russia

Since 1533, a state monopoly was introduced in Russia on the production of vodka and sale in the "sovereign taverns". The term "vodka" itself was officially enshrined in 1751 by Elizabeth II. At the turn of the 18th century, a chemist from St. Petersburg, Lovitz, suggested using charcoal to purify fusel oils found in vodka. In Tsarist Russia, it was sold only in specialized wine shops. At one time, only 2 types of vodka were sold there: Krasnogolovka and Belogolovka, respectively, with a white and red cap. The first vodka, the price of which was 40 kopecks, was sold in bottles with a capacity of 0.61 liters. A "Whitehead" double cleaning cost 60 kopecks. Also sold bottles with a capacity of ¼ bucket, that is, 3 liters in special wicker baskets. The smallest bottle of vodka was 0.061 liters and it cost only 6 kopecks.

A little later, the name “Moscow Vodka” arose and firmly entrenched. A patent for it was obtained in 1894. The vodka contained 40 weight parts of ethyl alcohol, and it had to be purified using a charcoal filter. A little later, officially registered vodka producers appeared, it is clear that they have practically nothing to do with the one who invented vodka, they just produced it. This company was called "Pyotr Smirnov", it produced vodka "Smirnovskaya".

The advent of modern vodka

In the 19th century, the mass production of ethyl alcohol began, which was necessary for the chemical, perfume industry and, of course, official medicine. A special apparatus was created, which on a large scale produced alcohol with a high degree of purification from essential and fusel oils, its strength was 96 degrees.

The state monopoly on the production of vodka was returned, it spread throughout the country. There are a great many types of modern vodka, and now few people are wondering who invented vodka in Russia. The answer to this question will remain open. In 1936, the Soviet government issued a special GOST, according to which the alcohol solution was called vodka, and what was produced before the revolution was called vodka products. Since about the 50s, the term "vodka" has become international.

Unusual types of vodka

The only black vodka in the world is produced in the UK. It differs from the usual only in color. The strongest vodka belongs to Scottish producers, its strength is 88.8 degrees. This vodka, which costs about $140 a bottle, is especially popular in China, where the number 8 is considered lucky.

The most expensive vodka is produced in the same Scotland. The made drink goes through a complex filtration system of Karelian birch charcoal and diamond chips. The price of a bottle depends on the size and quality of the stones, the cost varies from 5 to 100,000 dollars.

Historians have never been able to reliably establish who invented vodka. Most likely, it appeared in a small village and, over time, spread throughout the world. The creator of this alcoholic drink was not at all a famous person and therefore did not leave traces in history. But, in spite of everything, vodka is considered the national Russian drink.

The history of vodka, one of the most popular strong alcoholic drinks in Russia, is so vague and shrouded in myths and conjectures that it is sometimes very problematic to separate the real facts and those invented by various "pseudo-historians". Over the centuries, technologies and recipes for making vodka have changed, but the product in its modern sense appeared relatively recently, with the invention of a method for making rectified alcohol. Let's talk about this in more detail.

In the article:

A Brief History of Vodka

The first mention of strong alcoholic drinks of our own production begins to appear in various historical sources at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, but it is a bit incorrect to directly associate these drinks with vodka. Different manufacturing technologies, different physical and chemical characteristics, and only the Polish name "vodka", as a diminutive of the word "water", has become a common noun for all strong alcohol since the end of the 14th century.

It is best to divide history into two complementary directions:

• The history of the drink itself, the technology of its production and distribution.
• The history of the name of the drink, without taking into account the peculiarities of the recipe and technology in its modern concept.

The history of the drink begins in ancient times from the moment the distillation process was mentioned in the writings of the alchemists of Egypt, despite the fact that the products were not used for drinking, but for medical purposes or as reagents for conducting chemical experiments.

Further references to the distillation of fermented alcohol-containing raw materials refer to the activities of the Persian physician Avicenna, who used distillation by-products to obtain essential oils.

The first documented evidence of alcohol distillation comes from ancient Roman treatises found in southern Italy. They describe in detail not only the process of making strong alcohol by distillation of fermented fruit raw materials, but also mention the use of the resulting product not only as a medicine, but also as a strong alcoholic drink.

Together with the Catholic monks, the technology of distillation gradually appears on Polish territory and around the turn of the 15th century began to appear on the territory of Russia. This time can be considered the beginning of the production and consumption of strong alcohol and the birth of the production of vodka in its current sense. It is the origin, because the rectification technology appeared in Russia only at the beginning of the 19th century.

The historical path and the name itself are interesting. For the first time, strong alcoholic drinks were named with this word in Poland, and the name itself, according to one version, came from the diminutive Polish word “vodichka”, similar to Russian. And as an alcoholic beverage, the name "vodka" was first mentioned in the decrees of Peter I, but it is impossible to completely identify the ancient and modern names, because until the February Revolution, Smirnovskaya vodka, supplied to the court of Nicholas II, was called "Table wine No. 21".

The name was finally fixed by law for the traditional Russian drink in 1936 with the adoption in the USSR of the state standard for the production of a water-alcohol mixture with a small amount of flavoring additives.

Vodka - history of creation

Having considered a brief history of the origin of distillate production, let us dwell on the history of the creation of vodka in the “correct” sense of the word, so as not to combine products made by distillation of alcohol-containing raw materials with drinks made by mixing prepared water and rectified alcohol, followed by post-treatment with activated carbon.

Who first invented vodka

Documentary evidence that allows you to directly or indirectly identify the creator of vodka has not been found to this day. Maybe it was some kind of monk, maybe an ordinary peasant, or maybe a nobleman at the court of some monarch. Purification of alcohol by distillation was used in Persia and Egypt. Later, it gradually spread across the European continent further north. But these distillates cannot be called vodka.

Whiskey, gin, rum, cognac, finally, everyone's favorite moonshine - these are modern representatives of alcoholic beverages. Even the mention in the Treatise of the Two Sarmatians by Matvey Mekhovsky about the preparation of a burning grain drink in Muscovy does not allow us to establish exactly whether it was vodka and find out the name of its creator.

Many historians believe that the production of alcohol by Avicenna using a distillation cube is the date of birth of vodka and the name of its first inventor. We can agree with this statement, if we do not take into account the very technology of alcohol production.

Strangely enough, the monk Valentius became the first among Europeans to whom the receipt of alcohol is attributed, but he could not obtain it.

monk Valentius

You can give the palm to the French alchemist Arnaud de Villeger, who first obtained alcohol from grape wine and used the product exclusively for scientific or medical purposes. But it was very difficult to obtain alcohol of high strength and the required degree of purity with the help of a distillation cube. The process required a lot of time and complicated cleaning procedures.

Cardinal changes in the process of making vodka, as a mixture of alcohol with water, have become possible since the start of experiments to improve equipment for the distillation of alcohol-containing mixtures. As a result of research by French engineers, Selye-Blumeital managed to invent a method and obtain a patent for a distillation column. She became the prototype of modern equipment for the production of alcohol. It is 96% of purified alcohol without impurities, which, when diluted with water, becomes well-known vodka.

Scheme of distillation column

What year was vodka invented?

You can break a lot of copies in disputes about the date of invention of vodka, taking as a starting point the moment of manufacture by distillation of alcohol-containing raw materials and obtaining a product used for any purpose other than direct use as an alcoholic beverage. Strong alcoholic drinks similar to vodka appeared in Europe at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries and were used as medicinal or aromatic products.

Until the mid-1500s, French alchemists produced strong alcohol with the help of an alembic, using a huge amount of grape raw materials. In more modern terms, they did, but you can hardly call it vodka.

For the first time the term "vodka" is found in the granary books of the Sandomierz province in 1405. Despite the term to call the mentioned drink vodka, true connoisseurs do not turn their tongues. Most likely, we are talking about the most common moonshine made from fermented fruits, which is still popular in what is now Poland.

Where was vodka invented

If we do not take into account the peculiarities of the technology, then the birthplace of vodka can be considered Ancient Egypt or the southern part of the Apennine Peninsula connected with it by trade sea routes with adjacent islands. But the place of appearance of real vodka in its modern form is considered to be Russia of the 19th century, when rectification columns began to be used in large quantities for the production of high-quality grain alcohol.

History of vodka in Russia

The history of vodka in Russia begins in the middle of the 14th century. Then the Genoese merchants brought to Prince Dmitry Donskoy the first samples of a strong alcoholic drink with the promising name Aqua Vitae, which means "living water". Most likely, it was the alcohol obtained as a result of distillation from grape must. But the drink was not to the taste of the Russian princes and boyars, and they forgot about it for almost 100 years.

For your information. It is from the ancient name of the alcohol Aqua Vitae (“aqua vitae”) that the word “okovyta” appeared, which is still called “white” in Ukraine and in some regions of Russia.

The second attempt to “surprise the Russian people with overseas drinks took place around 1429. Then the same alcohol was brought to the Russian prince Vasily under the guise of a "miraculous" medicine. Together with the European wandering monks, and most of them earned their living as healers, the technology of making alcohol distillation also penetrated the territory of Russia. But due to the lack of grapes, local raw materials were used.

The best results were obtained when fermenting grain, which was the impetus for the production of grain alcohol. And on its basis - the manufacture of strong alcoholic beverages.

The method of grain fermentation spread so quickly throughout the territory of Russia. That already in the XV century there is evidence of the export of grain alcohol to neighboring countries.

Over time, the technology of alcohol purification developed, which greatly improved the taste of the drink and made it very popular among the general population. Vodka began to become a profitable commodity, which led to the introduction of a monopoly at the beginning of the 18th century, when the exclusive right to produce and sell alcohol began to belong only to the nobility.

At that time, “named” noble vodkas, prepared with water from local sources, using “secret” technologies, enjoyed well-deserved popularity both domestically and abroad.

At the end of the 19th century, for the first time, a state standard was introduced for the production of strong alcoholic beverages, which determines the main technical and taste parameters of vodka.

Modern vodka appeared in the second half of the 19th century. With the introduction of technology for obtaining 96% rectified alcohol in large volumes on distillation columns. They allow you to get alcohol of a high degree of purification without additional distillation.

Who invented vodka in Russia

It is impossible to unequivocally point to the author of the recipe for the first Russian vodka for several reasons. First, there is no authentic documentary evidence. And secondly, authorship is established after the invention becomes popular, and this sometimes takes quite a long time.

Monk Isidore

According to the generally accepted legend, the monk Isidore was the author of the recipe for the first Russian vodka made from distilled grain alcohol. And it happened in the Miracle Monastery of the Moscow Kremlin, but how the distillery equipment got to it is still a mystery.

Many attribute the invention of vodka to the great Russian scientist - D.I. Mendeleev, but this statement still causes a lot of heated debate.

About Mendeleev and his vodka

Supporters of the theory of the invention of vodka by D.I. Mendeleev rely on his dissertation, successfully defended on January 31, 1865. But the main topic of the dissertation of the great chemist was the study of solutions of alcohol and water and their characteristics. In the work, the main attention was paid to the behavior of solutions of alcohol and water at various concentrations and the determination of the optimal weight parts during mixing.

No studies of the organoleptic characteristics of the obtained solutions and their effect on the human body have been carried out. Dmitry Ivanovich found that the volume of the resulting solution varies depending on the amount of alcohol and water. Its lowest value is achieved by mixing 46 parts by weight of alcohol and 54 parts of water.

In general, we can say with confidence: Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev did not invent vodka. But we love the great chemist not for this.

Who invented vodka 40 degrees

Many scientists were interested in the optimal ratio of alcohol and water in strong alcoholic beverages. In his dissertation, Mendeleev mentions the research of the English chemist Gilpin, who determined the optimal density of a water-alcohol solution with a content of 38% alcohol.

But the final point in determining the optimal strength of vodka was set by officials, who rounded the strength to 40 degrees to simplify the taxation of distillery production. In 1894 the Tsarist government registered a Patent. His object was the production of vodka with an alcohol content of 40% with additional purification using charcoal.

Due to the fact that the grain material is the main raw material for the production of high-quality alcohol, I would like to note the influence of the type and quality of grain on the characteristics of the final product.

For the production of alcohol, wheat, rye or a mixture of them in various proportions is used. The type of conditioned grain practically does not affect the taste qualities of rectified alcohol. But grain with mold, rotted can spoil the taste of the finished drink, especially if it is made independently.

The distillation column allows you to get rid of impurities. Unlike a distillation cube, not every specialist will be able to distinguish alcohol from different types of grain. But the whole highlight of distilled grain vodka is the presence of a certain taste. Wheat vodka is softer, while rye vodka has sharper notes that do not spoil the taste of the drink.

Despite the ancient origin and ancient traditions of drinking vodka, you should always remember about its negative impact on the body. Only then will the use of vodka be accompanied only by a good mood and sincere conversation.

Vodka is an alcoholic drink of increased strength, created on the basis of water and alcohol. The product has an alcoholic smell, a characteristic taste and absolute transparency. In the process of making the drink, rectified ethyl alcohol mixed with corrected water is used. The solution is treated with modified starch or activated carbon to remove harmful impurities. According to the recipe, filtration and addition of various ingredients can be carried out.

The strength of vodka is expressed as a percentage, although instead of the “%” sign, “degrees” appear on the labels. Russian standards regulate the strength of vodka within 40-45 degrees. In the European Union, the minimum ABV threshold is 37.5%. As for the taste of vodka, it can vary significantly depending on the content of water, ethanol and specific impurities. In general, taste characteristics are defined by the concepts of "burning" and "bitter taste". Its “softness” depends on the purity of vodka. The role of flavoring and aromatic additives can be:

• vitamins;
• thickeners;
• stabilizers;
• flavorings (ginger, red pepper, cinnamon and even chocolate).

After drinking a glass, there may be a residual sensation in the mouth - this will be the taste of vodka. This phenomenon may be due to insufficient purification from fusel spirits. The key components of vodka are rectified alcohol and water.

Production features

As a raw material for the production of alcohol, cereals are usually used (less often, beets and potatoes). In addition to the main grain component, the following can be added to the wort:

• millet;
• oats;
• barley;
• corn;
• peas;
• buckwheat.

The quality of future vodka largely depends on the water. The best recognized water taken from glaciers, springs and upper rivers. Water is purified by sedimentation, aeration and filtration (quartz sand is often used at the final stage). The end result should be colorless. clear liquid with low salt content. Since the 1890s, the technology for making vodka has not changed. The process looks like this:

1. Rectified alcohol is mixed with water.
2. Sorting is filtered (mechanically and with activated carbon).
3. Premium drinks have additional processing (egg white, milk or silver).
4. Additives are added (if the recipe provides for them).
5. Products are bottled and sealed.
6. Quality control is carried out.

History of vodka

The origin of vodka itself and its name is shrouded in darkness. Finland, Poland and Germany tried to claim the right to be considered the birthplace of the drink. In 1982, the International Arbitration Court made a decision based on historical facts, according to which vodka was recognized as a national treasure of Russia. In the old days, vodka was called "hot", "bread" and "smoked" wine. The use of the word forms "wodko, vodka" was found in the Polish language around 1405-1437.

The concept of "wodki" in 1534 meant "distilled medicinal products." Pokhlebkin believed that the term "w?dka" was borrowed from the Russian language. In 1533, this word denoted a medicinal herbal tincture. Already in the 17th century, foreigners began to clearly distinguish "Russian vodka", this name began to appear in official papers. In the 18th century, fortified tinctures (fruit and berry) were called vodka. It was only in the 19th century that vodka acquired a modern look.

World history

Distillation is mentioned by Greek alchemists as early as the first century AD. Avicenna in the 11th century used this technology to extract essential oils - in any case, he wrote about this in his own writings. The first documentary evidence of distillation dates back to the 12th century - it mentions the Italian school of Salerno. Rectification has been practiced since the middle of the 19th century.

There is an assumption that the Poles borrowed the technology of alcohol distillation from the alchemists of the Holy Roman Empire - this happened in the XIV century. Already in the 16th century, Polish tax documents mention alcoholic beverages everywhere. The earliest information about this dates back to 1537. Apparently, it was about grain drinks. A 1614 essay called “Wodka albo Gorza?ka” is known, where it is reported that it was rye vodka that became widespread in Poland.

Russian sources say that vodka had predecessors - "overvar" and "boiled wine". In some sources, these products are mentioned since 1399. Russia is also recognized as the Motherland of vodka by the famous Encyclopedia Britannica. There is evidence that in 1386 Genoese ambassadors visited Russia - it was they who introduced Prince Dmitry Donskoy to "living water" ("aqua vitae"). This term denoted a concentrated wine spirit obtained by Arnold Villeneuve, an alchemist from Provence in 1334. The idea of ​​a distillation cube was suggested to the alchemist by the Arabs, who used this unit to produce perfumes.

History in Russia

William Pokhlebkin claims that distillation appeared in one of the Russian monasteries at the turn of 1440-1470. Pokhlebkin writes in his book that isolated cases of vodka production cannot be considered serious evidence of its existence - facts of mass production and related state regulation are required. General financial control for the manufacture of vodka was introduced in 1478. The state became a monopoly not only in the manufacture, but also in the trade of this alcoholic beverage.

In the middle of the 15th century, honey production became less profitable, and crop yields increased significantly. All relations with Byzantium were terminated, and after all, traditional wine was supplied from there for church needs. During this difficult historical period, according to Pokhlebkin, the recipe for Russian vodka was developed by the monk Isidore from the town of Chudova.

Re-regulation occurred in the era of Elizabeth Petrovna. The Empress, by royal decree, designated the categories of people who are allowed to have stills. And in 1789, the manufacturers of St. Petersburg began to use charcoal for cleaning. Subsequently, a monopoly was introduced on vodka.

Mendeleev and vodka

A fascinating mythology has developed around the popular drink in Russia. There is a legend that connects the emergence of 40-degree vodka with the activities of D.I. Mendeleev, inventor of the periodic table. Mendeleev is said to have set the 40-degree standard while working on his dissertation. The great scientist is also credited with the creation of the Moscow Special vodka, patented in 1894.

In fact, Mendeleev did not improve alcoholic beverages. The dissertation of the scientist was devoted to ethyl alcohol, but other people used the information gleaned from there. Information about the effects of vodka on the human body was not found in the works of the great chemist.

How to drink vodka

An important element of the use of vodka is preparation. 2-3 hours before a large-scale feast, it is recommended to consume 50 grams of vodka - this is how you prepare your body for stress. Eat something fatty an hour before the event (a sandwich with ham or caviar will do). In order not to "pass out" at the table, you can swallow 6-8 tablets of activated charcoal - this is done half an hour before a meal.

Cool the bottle of vodka until the glass fogs up a little. Drinking warm vodka is bad form. Cooling should not take place in the freezer (otherwise you risk "overfreezing" the product). Frozen vodka gains strength as the water crystallizes and releases the purest alcohol. Here are some more helpful tips:

1. The ideal container for vodka is 50-gram shot glasses.
2. Before drinking, it is better to exhale (a sip is taken while inhaling).
3. It is better to have a snack at the beginning of the meal with hot dishes, gradually switching to cold ones.
4. Avoid drinks containing bubbles of carbon dioxide.
5. Mixing vodka with other alcoholic beverages is not recommended.
6. Drinking a lot of vodka winter period don't go out into the cold.
7. After the celebration, avoid drinking alcohol again.

How to drink vodka

It is better to refuse everything that contains bubbles (mineral water, soft drinks, Coca-Cola). Compotes, fruit drinks and juices are considered safe. Between the use of glasses of vodka, take three-minute breaks.

What to eat vodka

A good appetizer emphasizes the merits of the product, a bad one hopelessly spoils the feast. Vodka goes well with any dish, excluding desserts. Use the “hot first, then cold” rule. Here are the main groups of dishes that are recommended for use as a snack:

1. Nutrients. This includes fried fish and hot meat. These dishes are eaten first, they are designed to eliminate a burning sensation in the throat and an unpleasant aftertaste.
2. Enveloping. This group includes soups, salads and spicy sauces. First you must get enough of the first group of dishes, and only then proceed to the second. Take a short break between the two groups.
3. washing. These are mushrooms, vegetable marinades and pickles. Final group. This type of snack prepares the body for a new intake of vodka.

Classification and types of vodka

Modern vodka has a fairly simple classification, directly related to the cost of the drink and the quality of the ingredients. The classification is as follows:

• Economy (cheap vodka, poorly protected from fakes and filtered once).
• Standard (several degrees of purification, taste variations, alcohol of the Extra category).
• Premium (alcohols "Alfa" and "Lux", mild taste, several degrees of protection, designer packaging).
• Super premium (cleaning with silver, gold and rare components, packaging complexity, unique recipe).
• Ultra-premium (extraordinary ecological purity, rare cooking technology, strict tasting control).

The alcohol content in good vodka ranges from 40-56%. "Correct" vodka is distinguished by a delicate vodka aroma, mild taste and the complete absence of harmful impurities. There should be no sediment in the drink. If the product burns the mouth, vodka is classified as "economy". If the product contains low-quality alcohol, you will experience an unpleasant odor. Be sure to turn the vodka bottle upside down - this way you can determine if there is sediment inside.

Of course, the best way to get quality vodka is to opt for premium drinks. But the high price does not always justify itself - the market is filled with counterfeit. How to identify counterfeit, you will learn a little later.

Cooking methods at home

In order to prepare vodka at home, you need to correctly choose alcohol, water and other ingredients. Water should contain a minimum of salts and minerals, so a bottled product seems to be the most suitable solution. Alcohol is better to choose medical or food. Do a methyl test to keep yourself healthy (technical alcohol is deadly). And here is what a list of other components might look like:

• glycerol;
• sugar;
• glucose.

The classic recipe provides for a mixture of pharmacy glucose (0.04 liters), bottled water (2 liters), 96% alcohol (about 1.25 liters). First, the main ingredient (water) is poured into the container, then alcohol is placed there, the resulting solution is mixed. Other components are added. Everything is shaken and put in the refrigerator. There is also a more exotic way that will allow you to make the product more spicy. Here's what's required:

• water (three glasses);
• alcohol (two glasses);
• spices (cardamom, ground nutmeg and cinnamon;
• sugar;
• dry citric acid (1 cup).

In this case, the vodka container is cooled for three hours, and then lemon zest is added. The subsequent infusion lasts 6 hours. Spices are gradually added to the mixture, after which the container is moved for 12 hours to a warm room. Warming up vodka, it is necessary to cool it again. At the end, the mixture is filtered and sugar is added there.

How to distinguish a fake

There are seven signs by which you can identify counterfeit vodka. These are the signs:

1. Price. Those who use specific vodka brands should remember the price of the product. Reducing the cost by 15-30% is a sure sign of a fake.
2. Color. Real vodka has no color. The drink is absolutely transparent, there are no yellowish shades and foreign particles.
3. A store. Buy a drink in trusted stores - large hypermarkets and vodka boutiques. Be sure to keep your receipt.
4. Cap. Factory products are distinguished by a tight-fitting cap that does not leak or scroll. The ball dispenser is even better - it is unrealistic to fake it in clandestine factories.
5. Label. Legible inscriptions, smooth sticker, no grammatical errors. Make sure you have GOST, bottling date, composition and manufacturer.
6. Manufacturer Protection. This is an individual indicator, so before buying, go to the website of the brand you want to consume. Among the methods of protection, we note coats of arms, embossed signs, quality markers.
7. Excise stamp. This parameter is relevant only for foreign brands.

Not all vodka brands are associated with Russia. Quality vodka is made in France, Poland and Finland.

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What is vodka, from what and how is it produced, how does vodka-distillate differ from vodka from rectified alcohol.

Substitution of terms as a historical factor

Vodka is a water-alcohol solution, considered the Russian national alcoholic drink. Vodka is a clear liquid with the smell and taste of alcohol, and consists of only two components: rectified ethyl alcohol and water.

Vodka, along with matryoshka, balalaika and a tame bear, has become part of the national Russian flavor for foreigners, and like everything familiar, it does not raise questions. But in vain. Over the past two centuries, vodka has undergone such outlandish changes that people discussing it are sure to be talking about something of their own. Familiar to everyone (at least from store shelves) forty-degree transparent liquid, even in different manufacturers— is not the same thing at all. And if you look at its history, instead of clarity, only new questions will be added.

The only thing missing is a bear

A similar story happened with tobacco. explosive growth oncological diseases occurred after traditional tobacco products were replaced by cigarettes in the first half of the 20th century, the contents of which were first tobacco production waste, and subsequently chemically synthesized from cellulose and harsh chemicals. For a long time this has nothing to do with tobacco in principle, but it is tobacco that is blamed and banned for diseases.

But let's move on to the history of vodka.

"Bread wine" in Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries

Until the 19th century, almost all strong alcohol obtained by distillation (distillation) and subsequent infusion was called “vodka”. Yes, initially vodka, like brandy, cognac, gin, whiskey, grappa, rum, tequila, was obtained by distillation, and crops were used for this. The main raw material for the production of first “hot bread wine”, and then vodka, was rye as the main Russian grain crop. There is little sugar in rye, so rye was first germinated to get malt, which has much more sugar. Braga was made from malt, and vodka was produced from mash by the method of distillation.

The level of alcohol consumption in Russia by the beginning of the 20th century was moderate against the general European background. Vodka accounted for 93% of all alcohol consumed

Distillation from potatoes and beets was not popular, since the alcoholic beverage from them turned out to be of much worse quality. It was not possible to remove fusel oils in the desired volume from potato distillation, the taste and smell of such a distillation was much worse than “bread wine” from rye, barley and wheat.

By the end of the 18th century, grain vodkas, obtained by distillation of "bread hot wine", became the hallmark of the Russian alcohol market. Vein vodkas from “hot grape wine” and “hot fruit and berry wine” were also made in Russia, but the priorities in their production still belonged to other countries. In Russia, such vodkas were made from imported raw materials, whether it was “hot wine” or ready-made French vodka, which was used to make liqueurs.

Vodka distillate

This is what the process of making "bread wine" was like.

1. Braga was obtained from raw materials, a low-alcohol drink with a low alcohol content (up to 11 °).
2. Braga was poured into a distiller, in which the liquid was heated and began to evaporate. Couples by outlet tube removed, cooled and condensed.
3. The resulting drink with a high alcohol content retains the taste and smell of the raw materials from which it was produced. Undesirable impurities were removed using coal, milk or eggs.

Speaking about the quality of strong alcohol, many people use the word "sivuha" in a clearly negative connotation. This is an erroneous judgment based on a misunderstanding of the issue. Fusel oils give the drink taste and smell. A bouquet of expensive cognacs and whiskeys is created not by flavors, but by natural organoleptics, the very “fuel oil” that wrinkle the noses of “connoisseurs”, and aging in oak barrels. However, the disgusting smell of moonshine is also created by fusel oils. Everything depends on the composition and the ability to get rid of the excess.

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Industrial distillation of alcohol using 19th century technology

For spirits obtained by distillation, the combination of taste, smell and degree of purity is critical. Harmful and unpleasant fusel oils are removed, leaving those that correspond to the original raw materials:

• Grapes (in brandy, cognac and grappa)
• Malt (in whisky)
• Apples (in Calvados)

Erofeichi, ratafia and tincture

Until the second half of the 19th century, “erofeichi” and ratafia (“pourings of the highest kindness”, “sweet vodka”) were prepared from quarter alcohol 80 ° (obtained by the fifth distillation) by infusing fruits, berries and herbs in an alcohol distillate. For additional purification of ratafia from unwanted fusel oils, karluk (“fish glue”) was used, whose cost was a hundred times higher than the cost of sturgeon caviar. It is clear that only very rich people could afford such drinks.

In addition, purified distillates were used in medicine for the production of tinctures - tinctures of medicinal herbs.

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Rectified spirit vodka

With the development of the chemical industry and technology in the 19th century, the production of rectified alcohol became possible. Unlike distillate alcohol, rectified alcohol was chemically purer and much cheaper. It was possible to produce such alcohol from almost anything: potatoes, beets, sawdust (hydrolytic alcohol). The rectification method produced alcohol with a strength of up to 96 °, the content of fusel oils that give taste and smell was extremely reduced, and the volumes and speed of production using this technology were simply incomparable with production using distillation technology. And it was economic reasons that led to the fact that vodka-distillate was completely replaced by rectified vodka.

Rectification of alcohol according to the technology of the 19th century

The consequences were sad.

• The culture of drinking has completely changed. Vodka distillate was a food drink that had its own taste and smell. Rectified vodka itself has no taste, it is drunk not for the sake of taste, but for the sake of alcohol. Rectified vodka is drunkenness for the sake of drinking, and don't fool yourself.
• Cheap vodka became one of the economic foundations of the Russian Empire, and then the USSR, and an instrument of control from a political point of view. “From 1767 to 1863, wine farming provided 33% of state revenues, exceeding receipts from direct taxes - the poll tax and dues from state peasants. In the 1850s this figure rose to almost 38%. (Goryushkina N. E, 2011).
• The most important consequence: vodka from rectified spirits ousted from the market not only all the traditional types of Russian “bread wine”, but also beer and mead brewing was destroyed: beer and mead brewing were brought to naught, and people were doomed to consume mainly vodka. As a result, by the beginning of the XX century. in the structure of drinks consumed, the share of vodka was 93%. (Zaigraev G. G., 2009). From now on, vodka was called only a water-alcohol solution that did not have any nutritional and taste value.

Vodka became so firmly established in the everyday life of the population that any fluctuations in the selling price, and even more so - the introduction of "dry laws" led to severe social consequences. But that's a topic for another article.

Myths about Russian vodka

By itself, the word "vodka" in the 19th century was more of a tax term than a common name for a particular liquor. You can argue as much as you like that vodka was invented in Russia, but in fact the technology was not invented here. Russian specificity was the use of a water-alcohol mixture that has no nutritional value. Pure vodka is drunk for the sole purpose of intoxication. The name (“vodka”), raw materials (rye) and strength (40%) became the Russian brand. But even here there are many questions, each of which has several answers. This confusion is beneficial to many, and first of all, of course, to manufacturers.

Vodka as a Russian brand

In the late 70s of the 20th century, the Soviet Union was almost banned from selling vodka under the name "vodka". Soviet trade organizations such as Soyuzplodimport were very surprised and did not believe the very possibility of selecting the brand "Russian vodka": "How so, is this our original, kondovo-sieve ?!". But like this. It turned out that even there are no patents for the brand. The argument “Everyone knows that vodka was invented in Russia” did not work.

It turned out that even in the dictionary of V. Dahl there is no independent word “vodka”, it is mentioned there only in the context of “wine” (which, in fact, vodka was in his time). Until 1936, the name "table wine" was used, although from 1895 it was a completely different product, which received the official name: vodka.

The brand was defended thanks to the scientific research of William Pokhlebkin, who managed to prove the Russian priority in the creation of the term and technology for the production of vodka. But objectively, his argumentation has a number of gaps and stretches: yes, bread wine obtained by distillation was mentioned in historical documents a whole century earlier than Polish vodka. But after all, it was about a different product, and the differences are fundamental.

Polish vodka was made from potatoes and beet sugar, was cheap and of low quality. It was practically not cleaned, and the disgusting smell and taste were masked with herbs. Russian vodka was made from cereals and refined with charcoal, milk and eggs. The product was more expensive, but the quality was incomparable to Polish vodka.

It is likely that attempts to select the brand "vodka" will be in the future. Wait and see.

Russian vodka and raw materials for its preparation

As we have already discussed above, there was no unique technology for the production of strong alcohol in Russia and in the Russian Empire. Likewise, strong alcohol was produced all over the world. And if we talk about some unique Russian know-how, then these include raw materials for the production of vodka and technology for cleaning the haul.

Reception of vodka by the lower ranks of the Russian destroyer. Early 20th century

Russian bread wine was obtained from rye malt, using the same technology used to produce whiskey. So why such a difference in taste, smell and color?

One reason is cleaning technology. Whiskey is poured into oak sherry casks, which are aged for three years. Oak wood absorbs fusel oils, while saturating the whiskey with aromatic and tannins. It is clear that due to total absence in Russian winemaking, this technology was closed here. Purification was carried out by precipitating fusel oils with milk, eggs, and karluk.

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Since the change in technology and the start of the production of vodka from rectified spirits, the uniqueness of the Russian recipe for making vodka has gone. Russian could be considered "bread wine". Alas, there is nothing Russian and traditional in the water-alcohol mixture.

When a manufacturer of rectified vodka writes “Cleaned with milk” (or silver, or something else) on the bottle, he misleads the buyer. There is nothing to clear in the rectificate and there is no need. Refining rectified vodka with milk is like sunflower oil without cholesterol, which is not present in any sunflower oil, was not and cannot be by definition.

Did Mendeleev invent vodka

This is perhaps one of the most enduring and stupid legends. Information about cooperation with Mendeleev was once launched by the vodka industrialist Pyotr Arsenyevich Smirnov. For the 19th century, Smirnov was simply an advanced marketer. Expanding the production of vodka, he sent hired people to taverns, where they demanded to sell them “smirnovka”. The innkeepers drew conclusions and bought Smirnoff vodka, business went on.

Petr Arsenievich Smirnov

Smirnov also knew how to work with a reputation. The rumor that Mendeleev is related to his vodka is an example of this. D.I. Mendeleev in his youth collaborated with one of the most famous vodka manufacturers Vasily Kokorev. But even while working with Kokorev, Mendeleev did not deal with the production of vodka. Kokorev attracted Mendeleev as a consultant in the field of oil production and transportation. No more.

Mendeleev is credited with the "ideal ratio" of water and alcohol in vodka. But the absolutely non-drinking D.I. Mendeleev did not do this either. The standardization of the strength of vodka was carried out under Peter I, and at that time it was 38-39 degrees. To check the quality and prevent attempts to dilute the bread wine, it was heated and set on fire. Half of a quality product burned out, and since the combination of alcohol with water has its own characteristics, the alcohol content in it was the same 38-39 degrees. How so?

If you mix a liter of alcohol and a liter of water, the resulting volume will be less than two liters. Because it will not be a mixture of water and alcohol, but an alcohol hydrate. An alcohol hydrate molecule is much smaller than water and alcohol molecules in a separated state. And one more feature: there are many such alcohol hydrates, and their properties are also different. Mendeleev in his work “On the Combination of Alcohol with Water” proved that the solution with a weight content of alcohol of 46% corresponds to the greatest compression. With this ratio, the volume of the solution is minimal.

So where did vodka 40 degrees come from? The Russian Minister of Finance M.Kh. suggested rounding the figure 38.5 to 40. Reitern. This made it easier to calculate tax deductions. 40 degrees does not determine either the quality or the “drinkability” of vodka, the figure is conditional and simply makes life easier for officials.

Distillation of vodka at home

And why not return to the traditional methods of obtaining strong alcohol and vodka, including the distillation method? If the peasants did it, why can't the city dweller do it?

There are several reasons for this. Here are the main ones.

• Distillation is a complex process. In addition to special equipment, a lot of experience is needed. It is not easy to qualitatively purify alcohol from fusel oils, aldehydes and esters. After all, it was not in vain that the ancestors used karluk for this, and not just coal and milk. Stool poisoning is a common occurrence. There is no need to risk your own and other people's health, if you can not risk it.
• The traditional "bread wine" was made from rye. Actually, even today, elite brands of rectified vodka are produced from Alfa alcohol, the raw material for which is rye. Cheaper varieties of vodka are made with an admixture of potato and beet alcohol. At home (for example, in a city apartment), it is simply unprofitable to create a distillery, and most "moonshineers" distill mash obtained from anything other than cereals.

What is the difference between cheap vodka and expensive brands? In fact, nothing. Pure ethyl alcohol, from which vodka is produced, does not contain any impurities that affect the taste and smell of the drink. You pay for bottle design and marketing.

Homemade vodka tinctures allow you to get better quality alcohol than when trying to recreate the whole process completely, from mash to distillation and infusions.

As a conclusion

Vodka obtained by rectification has no nutritional value. She has two assignments.

• Traditional. In Russian cuisine, vodka performs the same role as ginger in Japanese: with its help, you can immediately remove the aftertaste of the previous dish, completely concentrating on the next piece. We do not use fine spices, we do not have a special philosophy of food, gourmetism is not peculiar to us. Well, that's how it happened. Good vodka is able to shade and enhance the taste of simple and rather rough food from the point of view of foreigners: boiled potatoes, onions, pickles and lard. And vodka does a great job with this function.
• Vodka is a powerful adaptogen. The production of ethyl alcohol is part of the normal physiology of the human body. Decrease in ethanol naturally produced by the body - apathy, depression, bad mood. And with age, the ability to produce ethanol naturally declines. Chronic alcoholics do not have this opportunity at all. In reasonable controlled doses, alcohol can act as a drug. The trouble is that the line is narrow, and it is very easy to cross it imperceptibly.

The main thing we can do to bring back a healthy drinking culture is to return the nutritional value to alcohol. Yes, rectified alcohol is much more affordable than distillates. Yes, it does not have its own taste and smell. But why not improve its properties with traditional methods - by infusing fruits, vegetables and herbs with vodka? These are the recipes we try to select and test.

Drink me on the site. rf you will find recipes for vodka tinctures at home, without the use of complex technological equipment and easily reproducible without specific skills. We see alcohol not just as "mood drinks" but as complete foods that increase appetite, aid digestion, and enhance and emphasize the taste of food.