Since the 1890s, standard vodkas have been 40%alcohol by volume (ABV) (80U.S. proof).[3] TheEuropean Union has established a minimum alcohol content of 37.5% for vodka.[4][5] Vodka in the United States must have a minimum alcohol content of 40%.[6]
In English literature, the wordvodka appeared around the late 18th century. In a book of travels published in English in 1780 (presumably, a translation from German),Johann Gottlieb Georgi correctly explained that "kabak in the Russian language signifies a public house for the common people to drinkvodka (a sort of brandy) in".[10] In 1799,William Tooke glossedvodka as "rectified corn-spirits",[11] using the traditional English sense of the wordcorn to refer to any grain, not justmaize. In 1800, the French poetThéophile Gautier glossed it as a "grain liquor" served with meals in Poland (eau-de-vie de grain).[12]
Another possible connection ofvodka with water is the name of the medieval alcoholic beverageaqua vitae (Latin, literally, 'water of life'), which is reflected in Polishokowita, Ukrainianоковита, Belarusianакавіта, and Scandinavianakvavit.Whiskey has a similar etymology, fromIrish andScottish Gaelicuisce beatha / uisge-beatha.
People in the area of vodka's probable origin have names for vodka with roots meaning 'to burn':Polish:gorzała;Ukrainian:горілка,romanized: horilka;Belarusian:гарэлка,romanized: harelka;Lithuanian:degtinė;Samogitian:degtėnė is also in use, colloquially and inproverbs;[13]Latvian:degvīns;Finnish:paloviina. InRussian during the 17th and 18th centuries,горящѣе вино or горячее вино (goryashchee vino 'burning wine' or 'hot wine') was widely used. Others languages include GermanBranntwein,Danishbrændevin,Dutch:brandewijn,Swedish:brännvin, andNorwegian:brennevin (although the latter terms refer to any strong alcoholic beverage).
History
The "vodka belt" countries of Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe are the historic home of vodka. These countries have the highest vodka consumption in the world.
Scholars debate the beginnings of vodka[14] because there is little historical material available.[15][16] For many centuries, beverages differed significantly compared to the vodka of today, as the spirit at that time had a different flavor, color, and smell, and was originally used as medicine. It contained little alcohol, an estimated maximum of about 14%.Distillation techniques were developed inRoman Egypt by the 3rd century, but the description ofaqua ardens ("burning water", i.e., alcohol) made by distilling wine with salt appears in Latin works only by the 12th century. The process was well known among European medieval chemists by about 1300.[17]
Poland
The world's first written mention of the wordwódka was in 1405 fromAkta Grodzkierecorder of deeds,[18] in the court documents from thePalatinate of Sandomierz in Poland.[18] At the time, the wordwódka referred to chemical compounds such asmedicines andcosmetics' cleansers. The production ofliquor begins in the mid-15th century, with varied local traditions emerging throughout Europe, in Poland as vodka (Polish:wódka orgorzałka). In the 16th century, the Polish word for the beverage wasgorzałka (from theOld Polish verbgorzeć meaning "to burn"), which is also the source of Ukrainianhorilka (горілка). The word written inCyrillic appeared first in 1533, about a medicinal drink brought from Poland to Russia by the Russian merchants.[18]
In these early days, the spirits were used mostly as medicines.Stefan Falimierz asserted in his 1534 works onherbs that vodka could serve "to increase fertility and awaken lust".Wodka lub gorzałka (1614), by Jerzy Potański, contains valuable information on the production of vodka. Jakub Kazimierz Haur, in his bookSkład albo skarbiec znakomitych sekretów ekonomii ziemiańskiej (A Treasury of Excellent Secrets about Landed Gentry's Economy, Kraków, 1693), gave detailed recipes for making vodka fromrye.
Some Polish vodka blends go back centuries. Most notable areŻubrówka, from about the 16th century;Goldwasser, from the early 17th century; and agedStarka vodka, from the 16th century. In the mid-17th century, theszlachta (nobility of Poland) were granted a monopoly on producing and selling vodka in their territories. This privilege was a source of substantial profits. One of the most famous distilleries of the aristocracy was established byElżbieta Izabela Lubomirska and later operated by her grandson,Alfred Wojciech Potocki. The Vodka Industry Museum, located at the park of the Potocki country estate has an original document attesting that the distillery already existed in 1784. Today, it operates as "Polmos Łańcut".[19]
Vodka production on a much larger scale began in Poland at the end of the 16th century, initially atKraków, whence spirits were exported toSilesia before 1550. Silesian cities also bought vodka fromPoznań, a city that in 1580 had 498 working spirits distilleries. Soon, however,Gdańsk outpaced both these cities. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Polish vodka was known in the Netherlands, Denmark, England, Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary,Romania,Ukraine,Bulgaria and theBlack Sea basin.
Early production methods were rudimentary. The beverage was usually low-proof, and the distillation process had to be repeated several times (a three-stage distillation process was common). The first distillate was calledbrantówka, the second wasszumówka, and the third wasokowita (fromaqua vitae), which generally contained 70–80% ABV. Then the beverage was watered down, yielding a simple vodka (30–35% ABV), or a stronger one if the watering was done using analembic. The exact production methods were described in 1768 byJan Paweł Biretowski and in 1774 byJan Chryzostom Pasek. The late 18th century inaugurated the production of vodka from various unusual substances including even thecarrot.[20]
Though there was a substantial vodka cottage industry in Poland back to the 16th century, the end of the 18th century marked the start of real industrial production of vodka in Poland (Kresy, the eastern part of Poland, was part of theRussian Empire at that time). Vodkas produced by the nobility and clergy became a mass product. The first industrial distillery was opened in 1782 inLwów byJ. A. Baczewski. He was soon followed by Jakub Haberfeld, who in 1804 established a factory atOświęcim, and by Hartwig Kantorowicz, who started producingWyborowa in 1823 atPoznań. The implementation of new technologies in the latter half of the 19th century, which allowed the production of clear vodkas, contributed to their success. The first rectification distillery was established in 1871. In 1925, the production of clear vodkas was made aPolish government monopoly.[20]
AfterWorld War II, all vodka distilleries were taken over by Poland'sMarxist–Leninist government. During the martial law of the 1980s, the sale of vodka was rationed. Following the success of theSolidarity movement and theabolition of single-party rule in Poland, many distilleries began struggling financially. Some filed for bankruptcy, but many were privatized, leading to the creation of various new brands.[20]
Russia
Russian Vodka in various bottles and cups
Early history
A type of distilled liquor designated by the Russian wordvodka came to Russia in the late 14th century. In 1386, theGenoese ambassadors brought the firstaqua vitae ("water of life") to Moscow and presented it to Grand PrinceDmitry Donskoy. The liquid obtained by distillation of grapemust was thought to be a concentrate and a "spirit" of wine (spiritus vini in Latin), whence came to the name of this substance in many European languages (like Englishspirit, or Russianспирт,spirt). As the Genoese passed through Moscow and brought with themaqua vitae, Russian monks transformed the practice of distilling wine into vodka production.[21] Another theory is that the practice came to Russia through the trade routes of theHanseatic League, with the earliest mention of imported wines being in 1436.[21]
Perhaps one of the earliest terms linked to vodka production wasvarenoe vino ("distilled wine") which appears in a 1399 document. Another term used wasperevara, a precursor to vodka, which last appears in official documents in 1495. The termkorchma is one of the oldest official terms used for vodka, which was used alongsidevarenoe vino, but later came to denote illegally produced vodka by the 16th century. Other terms that referred to vodka includedgoriachee vino ("burning wine"),zhzhenoe vino ("burnt wine"), andkhlebnoe vino ("bread wine").[22][23][24]
This "bread wine", as it was initially known, was for a long time produced exclusively in theGrand Principality of Moscow and in no other Russian principality (this situation persisted until the era of industrial production). Thus, this beverage was closely associated with Moscow.Ivan III created the first Russian state monopoly on vodka in 1474, and by 1505, the first exports of distilled Russian vodka had arrived in Sweden.[25]
By the 16th century, the consumption of vodka was widespread in Russia, withSigismund von Herberstein stating that nobles at the Russian court "at the beginning of the meal always drankaqua vitae", although Herberstein makes no further mention of the drink.[21] Around the same time, government-run taverns known as kabaks replaced privately-run korchmas.[24]Giles Fletcher, who was the English ambassador in Russia, wrote:
In every great towne of his Realme he hath aCaback or drinking house, where is soldaquavitæ (which they callRussewine)mead,beere,&c. Out of these hee receiveth rent that amounteth to a great summe of money.
Until the mid-18th century, the drink remained relatively low in alcohol content, not exceeding 40% ABV. Multiple terms for the drink were recorded, sometimes reflecting different levels of quality, alcohol concentration, filtering, and the number of distillations; most commonly, it was referred to as "burning wine", "bread wine", or even in some locations simply "wine". In some locations, grape wine may have been so expensive that it was a drink only for aristocrats. Burning wine was usually diluted with water to 24% ABV or less before drinking. It was mostly sold in taverns and was quite expensive. At the same time, the wordvodka was already in use, but it described herbaltinctures (similar toNalewka), containing up to 75% ABV, and made for medicinal purposes.
A Vodka museum in Russia, located in Verkhniye Mandrogi,Leningrad Oblast
The first written usage of the wordvodka in an official Russian document in its modern meaning is dated by the decree of EmpressElizabeth of 8 June 1751, which regulated the ownership of vodka distilleries. By the 1860s, a government policy of promoting the consumption of state-manufactured vodka made it the drink of choice for many Russians. In 1863, the government monopoly on vodka production was repealed, causing prices to plummet and making vodka available even to low-income citizens. The taxes on vodka became a key element of government finances in Tsarist Russia, providing at times up to 40% of state revenue.[26] By 1911, vodka comprised 89% of all alcohol consumed in Russia. This level has fluctuated somewhat during the 20th century but remained quite high at all times. The most recent estimates put it at 70% (2001).
Post-Soviet Russia
Vodka remains a major source of state revenue and therefore of power. Seizing control of the state spirits monopolyRosspirtprom and itsKristall distillery was instrumental forVladimir Putin to consolidate his power as prime minister and president.[27] Under his rule, the "Putinka" ("little Putin") brand of vodka became a bestseller, partly to Putin's financial benefit.[27]
From the 1960s, unflavoured Swedishbrännvin also came to be called vodka. The first Swedish product to use this term wasExplorer Vodka, which was created in 1958 and initially was intended for the American export market. Although it ultimately failed in that market, it remains one of the most popular vodka brands in Sweden today.[29][30] In 1979,Absolut Vodka was launched, reusing the name of the oldAbsolut Rent Brännvin ("absolutely purebrännvin") created in 1879.
After Sweden joined the European Union in 1995, the regulations were changed so that privately owned companies could produce Vodka.[31]
Vodka has become popular among young people, with a flourishingblack market.[32] In 2013, the organizers of the so-called "vodka car" were jailed for two and a half years for having illegally provided thousands of liters to young people, some as young as 13.[33]
Production
An old Ukrainian vodka stillVodka bottling machine, Shatskaya Vodka (Shatsk, Russia)
Vodka may be distilled from anystarch- orsugar-rich plant matter; most vodka today is produced fromgrains such assorghum,corn,rye, orwheat. Some vodkas are made frompotatoes,molasses,soybeans,grapes,rice,sugar beets and sometimes even byproducts of oil refining[34] or wood pulp processing. In some Central European countries, such as Poland, some vodka is produced by just fermenting a solution of crystal sugar and yeast. In theEuropean Union, there are talks about the standardization of vodka, and theVodka Belt countries insist that only spirits produced from grains, potato, and sugar beet molasses be allowed to be branded as "vodka", following the traditional methods of production.[35][36]
In the United States, many vodkas are made from 95% puregrain alcohol produced in large quantities by agricultural-industrial giantsArcher Daniels Midland, Grain Processing Corporation,[37] and Midwest Grain Products (MGP).[38] Bottlers purchase the base spirits in bulk, then filter, dilute, distribute and market the end product under a variety of vodka brand names.[39] Similar methods are used in other regions such as Europe.[40]
This pure grain alcohol, also known asrectified spirit,neutral spirit, orethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, is also available directly to consumers in some areas, as products such asEverclear, Polmosspirytus rektyfikowany, and others. In contrast to very high ABV vodkas such as the BulgarianBalkan 176° with 88% ABV, these grain alcohol products are not considered vodka; they have not (yet) gone through the filtration and refining process used to produce vodka.[4][40][41]
A study conducted onNPR'sPlanet Money podcast revealed negligible differences in taste between various brands of vodka, leading to speculation as to how much branding contributes to the concept of "super-premium vodkas".[42]
A common property of the vodkas produced in the United States and Europe is the extensive use of filtration before any additional processing including the addition offlavorants. Filtering is sometimes done in thestill duringdistillation, as well as afterward, where the distilled vodka is filtered throughactivated charcoal and other media to absorb trace amounts of substances that alter or impart off-flavors to the vodka. However, this is not the case in the traditional vodka-producing nations, so many distillers from these countries prefer to use very accurate distillation but minimal filtering, thus preserving the unique flavors and characteristics of their products.
The master distiller is in charge of distilling the vodka and directing its filtration, which includes the removal of the "fore-shots", "heads" and "tails". These components of the distillate contain flavor compounds such asethyl acetate andethyl lactate (heads) as well as thefusel oils (tails) that impact the usually desired clean taste of vodka. Through numerous rounds of distillation, or the use of a fractioning still, the taste is modified and clarity is increased. In contrast, the distillery process for liquors such aswhiskey,rum, andbaijiu allow portions of the "heads" and "tails" to remain, giving them their unique flavors.
Repeated distillation of vodka will make its ethanol level much higher than is acceptable to most end users, whether legislation determines strength limits or not. Depending on the distillation method and the technique of the still master, the final filtered and distilled vodka may have as much as 95–96% ethanol. For this reason, most vodka is diluted with water before bottling.
A vodka distillery inBialystok, Poland, where the bison grass vodka "Żubrówka" is producedFinnish-grown six-row barley and glacial spring water,Finlandia Vodka
While most vodkas are unflavored, many flavored vodkas have been produced in traditional vodka-drinking areas, often as home-made recipes to improve vodka's taste or for medicinal purposes. Flavorings include red pepper, ginger, fruit flavors, vanilla, chocolate (without sweetener), and cinnamon. In Russia, vodka flavored with honey and pepper,pertsovka in Russian, is also very popular. In Poland and Belarus, the leaves of the localbison grass are added to produceżubrówka (Polish) andzubrovka (Belarusian) vodka, with slightly sweet flavors and light amber colors. In Lithuania and Poland, a famous vodka containing honey is calledkrupnik.
This tradition of flavoring is also prevalent in theNordic countries, where vodka seasoned with herbs, fruits, and spices is the appropriate strong drink for several seasonal festivities. Sweden has forty-odd common varieties of herb-flavored vodka (kryddat brännvin). In Poland and Ukraine, a separate category (nalyvka in Ukraine andnalewka in Poland) is used for vodka-based spirits with fruit, root, flower, or herb extracts, which are often home-made or produced by small commercial distilleries. Their alcohol contents vary between 15 and 75%. InEstonia, vodkas are available with barberry, blackcurrant, cherry, green apple, lemon, vanilla, and watermelon flavors.[43]
In most cases, vodka flavoring comes from a post-distillation infusion of flavors. Through the fermentation process, grain mash is transformed into a neutral alcohol beverage that is unflavored. The process of flavoring vodka so that it tastes like fruits, chocolate, and other foods occurs after fermentation and distillation. Various chemicals that reproduce the flavor profiles of foods are added into vodka to give it a specific taste.
Since the year 2000, because of evolving consumer tastes and regulatory changes, several 'artisanal vodka' or even 'ultra premium vodka' brands have appeared.
European Union regulation
The success ofgrape-based vodka in the United States in the early twenty-first century prompted traditional vodka producers in the Vodka Belt countries ofPoland,Finland,Estonia,Lithuania, andSweden to campaign forEU legislation that would definevodka as only spirits made from grain or potatoes.[35][36] This proposition provoked heavy criticism from South European countries, which often distill usedmash from wine-making into spirits; although higher-quality mash is usually distilled into some variety ofpomace brandy, the lower-quality mash is better turned into neutral-flavored spirits instead. Any vodka not made from either grain or potatoes would have to display the products used in its production. This regulation entered into force in 2008.[5]
Canadian regulations
UnderCanadian regulations, vodka is a potable alcoholic distillate obtained from potatoes, cereal grain, or any other material of agricultural origin fermented by the action of yeast or a mixture of yeast and other microorganisms.[45]
United States regulations
In 1956, it was put into revenue ruling that sugar not more than 0.2% and trace amounts of citric acid are not considered flavoring agent. The meaning of "trace amounts" of citric acid was clarified as not more than 1,000 ppm in 1995.[46]
It is no longer defined as "to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color."[47] The law includes other requirements: Vodka cannot be aged in wood; it may or may not be charcoal filtered; and it must meet minimum distillation and bottling proofs.[48]
In late February 2022, with theRussian invasion of Ukraine, some North American liquor stores and bars expressed symbolic solidarity with Ukraine, and opposition to Russia, by boycotting Russian vodka brands.[52][53]
One critic argued that boycotts of Russian-branded vodka may inadvertently affect U.S. vodka manufacturers and noted that only 1.2 percent of U.S. vodka imports come from Russia.[54]
Illegal production
In some countries,black-market or "bathtub" vodka is widespread because it can be produced easily and avoids taxation. However, severe poisoning,blindness, or death can occur as a result of dangerous industrial ethanol substitutes being added by black-market producers.[55] In March 2007 in a documentary,BBC News UK sought to find the cause of severejaundice among imbibers of a "bathtub" vodka in Russia.[56] The cause was suspected to be an industrial disinfectant (Extrasept)—95% ethanol but also containing a highly toxic chemical—added to the vodka by the illegal traders because of its high alcohol content and low price. Death toll estimates list at least 120 dead and more than 1,000 poisoned[vague]. The death toll is expected to rise due to the chronic nature of thecirrhosis that is causing jaundice.[citation needed]
Vodka can also be used in cooking and various recipes are improved by the addition of vodka or rely on it as a key ingredient.Vodka sauce is a pasta sauce made from tomato sauce, cream, and vodka that gained popularity in the 1970s. Vodka can be used in baking as a substitute for water: pie crusts can be made flakier with vodka.[59] It may be used in seafood dishes, cheesecake, orbitters.[60][61]
^abcLeszek Wiwała (2010).Od gorzałki do wódki – zarys historii polskiej wódki (History of Polish vodka). Wydawnictwo Leon.ISBN978-83-928861-0-5.[page needed]
^ab"Spirits in bulk".Akwawit-Polmos. Archived fromthe original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved4 August 2017.The agricultural ethyl alcohol we produce is the basic component of clear and fine vodkas. Our product is used for manufacturing vodkas of the best brand in Poland.
