NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Vodka

Vodka (Polish: wódka, Russian: водка) is one of the world's most popular distilled beverages. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x800, 452 KB) Summary Vodka bottling machine, Shatskaya Vodka distillery, Shatsk, Ryazan Oblast, Russia, 2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x800, 452 KB) Summary Vodka bottling machine, Shatskaya Vodka distillery, Shatsk, Ryazan Oblast, Russia, 2005. ... Coat of arms Shatsk (Russian: ) is a town in Ryazan Oblast, Russia, located on the Shacha River (Tsnas tributary) some 195 km southeast of Ryazan. ... A distilled beverage is a liquid preparation meant for consumption containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol) purified by distillation from a fermented substance such as fruit, vegetables, or grain. ...

It is typically a colorless liquid containing ethanol purified by distillation from a fermented substance such as grain or molasses. Except for various types of flavorings, vodka consists of water and alcohol (ethanol). Color is an important part of the visual arts. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, drinking alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, slightly toxic chemical compound, and is best known as the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ... Laboratory distillation set-up using, without a fractionating column 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Fermentation (biochemistry). ... This article is about cereals in general. ... Molasses or treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, drinking alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, slightly toxic chemical compound, and is best known as the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ...

Vodka usually has an alcohol content of 35% to 50% by volume. The classic Russian and Polish vodka is 40% (USA 80 proof). This can be attributed to the Russian standards for vodka production introduced in 1894 by Alexander III from research undertaken by the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. According to the Vodka Museum in Moscow, Mendeleev found the perfect percentage to be 38. However, since spirits in his time were taxed on their strength, the percentage was rounded up to 40 to simplify the tax computation. At strengths less than this, vodka drunk neat (not mixed with other liquids) can taste "watery": above this strength, the taste of vodka can have more "burn". Some governments set a minimum alcohol content for a spirit to be called "vodka". For example, the European Union sets a minimum of 37.5% alcohol by volume.^[1] The volume of a solid object is the three-dimensional concept of how much space it occupies, often quantified numerically. ... Alcoholic proof is a measure of how much ethanol is in an alcoholic beverage, and is approximately twice the percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV, the unit that is commonly used presently). ... Alexander III (10 March 1845 â€“ 1 November 1894) reigned as Emperor of Russia from 14 March 1881 until his death in 1894. ... A chemist pours from a round-bottom flask. ... Portrait of Dimitri Mendeleyev by Ilya Repin Dmitri Mendeleev (Russian: , Dmitriy Ivanovich Mendeleyev ) (8 February [O.S. 27 January] 1834 in Tobolsk â€“ 2 February [O.S. 20 January] 1907 in Saint Petersburg), was a Russian chemist. ... Moscow (Moskva) (Russian: , romanised: Moskva, IPA: see also other names) is the capital of Russia and the countrys economic, financial, educational, and transportation centre. ...

Although vodka is generally drunk neat in its Eastern European and Scandinavian homeland, its growth in popularity elsewhere owes much to its usefulness in cocktails and other mixed drinks, such as the Bloody Mary, the Screwdriver, the vodka tonic, and the vodka martini. Eastern Europe is, by convention, a region defined geographically as that part of Europe covering the eastern part of the continent. ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe which includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ... A traditional cocktail. ... A Bloody Mary with lots of vegetable garnishes. ... Wikibooks Bartending has a page on the topic of Screwdriver A Screwdriver is a cocktail made with orange juice and vodka, created sometime before October 24, 1949 (see Earliest Reference). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The martini is the classic cocktail. ...

Etymology

The origins of vodka (and of its name) cannot be traced definitively, but it is believed to have originated in the grain-growing region that now embraces Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, and western Russia. It also has a long tradition in Scandinavia. Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe which includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ...

The word is a diminutive of "water" (voda, woda, вода) in some Slavic languages (such as Upper Sorbian), although it is not clear whether this is related to vodka. A diminutive is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) comprise the languages of the Slavic peoples. ... Upper Sorbian (hornjoserbÅ¡Ä‡ina) is a minority language of Germany spoken in the historical province of Upper Lusatia, today part of Saxony. ...

The word can be found in the court documents from Sandomierz in Poland dating to 1405.^{[citation needed]} A number of Russian pharmaceutical lists contain the terms "vodka of bread wine" (водка хлебного вина) and "vodka in half of bread wine" (водка полу хлебного вина).^[2] As alcohol had long been used as a basis for medicines, this implies that the term vodka could be a noun derived from the verb vodit’, razvodit’ (водить, разводить), "to dilute with water". Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmakon (Ï†Î¬ÏÎ¼Î±ÎºÎ¿Î½) meaning drug, and lego (Î»ÎÎ³Ï‰) to tell (about)) is the study of how substances interact with living organisms to produce a change in function. ...

Bread wine was a spirit distilled from alcohol made from grain (as opposed to grape wine) and hence "vodka of bread wine" would be a water dilution of a distilled grain spirit.

While the word could be found in manuscripts and in lubok (лубок, pictures with text explaining the plot, a Russian predecessor of the comic), it began to appear in Russian dictionaries in the mid-19th century. In Russian, Lubok (Cyrillic: Ð›ÑƒÐ±Ð¾Ðº) stands for: The bark of tilia, which had a variety of uses in Russia. ... See comedian Stand up comedian List of Comedians List of British comedians comics comic book comic strip underground comics alternative comics web comic sprite comics manga graphic novel List of comic characters This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the...

Another possible source for the word vodka may have been the name of the medieval alcoholic beverage aqua vitae (Latin, literally, "water of life"), which is reflected in Ukrainian оковита, Belarusian акавіта and also яковита is Southern Russian dialects ^[3]. Aqua vitae (L. water of life), is an archaic name for a concentrated aqueous solution of ethanol. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

Interestingly, peoples in the area of vodka's probable origin have names for vodka with roots meaning "to burn": Polish: gorzałka; Ukrainian: горілка, horilka; Belarusian: гарэлка, harelka; Lithuanian: degtinė (prior purification of lithuanian language belarusian loanword arielka was used); Latvian: degvīns; Finnish: paloviina; Danish; brændevin; Swedish: brännvin; Norwegian: Brennevin (although the Swedish and Norwegian terms refer to any strong alcoholic beverage); in Russian during 17th and 18th century горящее вино (goryashchee vino, "burning wine") was widely used. Horilka (Ukrainian: Ð³Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ð»ÐºÐ°, from hority, to burn) is essentially Ukrainian vodka. ... The Swedish word BrÃ¤nnvin and the Finnish word Viina, are general terms for distilled beverages from potatoes or grain, which may or may not be flavoured. ... The Swedish word BrÃ¤nnvin and the Finnish word Viina, are general terms for alcoholic beverages distilled from potatoes or grain, which may or may not be flavoured. ... A 500 ml plastic bottle of BrennivÃn featuring its distinctive black label. ...

History

For many centuries beverages contained little alcohol. It is estimated that the maximum amount was about 14% as only this amount is reachable by means of natural fermentation. The still allowing for distillation – “the burning of wine” – was invented in the 8th century. The term still is a contraction of the verb to distill. A still is an apparatus used to distill miscible or immiscible (eg. ... Laboratory distillation set-up using, without a fractionating column 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ...

The process of distillation was kept secret for a long time. The first description of a distilling apparatus comes from the 13th century. The device was later described by a university professor in his treatise about wine. To produce beverages containing 60% alcohol with the device, the distillation process had to be repeated several times. The general knowledge about distillation was being slowly developed until 1800, when Edward Adam invented the process of rectification which removed its "bad taste". Further changes were made in 1817 by Johannes Pistorius, a German brewer, who built the first machine which could produce a beverage containing 85% alcohol in just one distillation. In Ireland in 1830 an apparatus was designed that could work continuously and allowed for production of beverage containing almost 90% alcohol. A similar rectification machine, but working periodically, was for the first time used in 1852 in a brewery in Saint Denis by Pierre Savalle. The present-day distillation-rectification machines, designed in the 19th and 20th centuries, are essentially modernized versions of those devices. Currently, such machines can work continuously and produce beverages containing 95.6% alcohol without any taste or smell. (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... Edward Adam invented still modifications to improve chemical rectification. ... Rectified spirit or rectified alcohol is high concentration alcohol purified by the process of rectification (repeated or fractional distillation). ... 1817 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Notable people called Johannes Pistorius include: Jan de Bakker van Woerden (Johannes Pistorius Woerdensis) (1499 - 1525), a catholic priest, who was martyred because of his religious beliefs. ... Liberty Leading the People by EugÃ¨ne Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Saint Denis can refer to: a Christian saint: see Denis Seine-Saint-Denis a France Several communes in France: Saint-Denis,in the Aude d partement Saint-Denis, in the Gard d partement Saint-Denis, in the Seine-Saint-Denis d partement, home of Saint Denis Basilica Saint-Denis, in... Pierre Savalle was a Polish physician, known for his 1534 work On Herbs and Their Potency. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The process of distillation with still was widely promoted throughout Europe by Dutch traders. In the 17th century they also played a great role in exchanging the various types of alcohols such as mead, wine, beer, and also the stronger ones such as rum, cognac, whisky and vodka, between the countries of their origin. Mead Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage made of honey, water, and yeast. ... A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... Leffe, a Belgian beer, served in branded glasses Schlenkerla Rauchbier straight from the cask Beer brewed from wheat. ... This article is about the beverage. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... A glass of whisky Whisky (Scottish Gaelic: }, or whiskey (Irish: ), refers to a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented grain mash and aged in wooden casks (generally oak). ...

Poland

In Poland, vodka (Polish: wódka), has been produced since the early Middle Ages. The first written record of vodka in Poland dates from 1405 in the Sandomierz court registry.^{[citation needed]} The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Flag of Sandomierz Sandomierz Coat of Arms Sandomierz(Sandomir) ( listen) is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants (2006). ...

These early spirits were used as medicines. Stefan Falimierz asserted in his 1534 works on herbs that vodka could serve "to increase fertility and awaken lust". Wódka lub gorzała (1614), by Jerzy Potański, contains valuable information on the production of vodka. Jakub Kazimierz Haur, in his book Skład albo skarbiec znakomitych sekretów ekonomiej ziemiańskiej (A Treasury of Excellent Secrets about Landed Gentry's Economy, Kraków, 1693), gave detailed recipes for making vodka from rye. This article is about the plants used in cooking and medicine. ... Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ...

Some Polish vodka blends go back centuries. Most notable are Żubrówka, from about the 16th century; Goldwasser, from the early 17th; and aged Starka vodka, from the 16th. In the mid-17th century, the szlachta (nobility) 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 by Princess Lubomirska and later operated by her grandson, Count Alfred Wojciech Potocki. The Vodka Industry Museum, now housed at the headquarters of Count Potocki's distillery, has an original document attesting that the distillery already existed in 1784. Today it operates as "Polmos Łańcut." This article is about the creation of words by combining words. ... Å»ubrÃ³wka (ZubroÅka / Ð—ÑƒÐ±Ñ€Ð¾ÑžÐºÐ°, also known in English as Bison Grass Vodka) is a brand of dry herb-flavoured vodka distilled from potatoes, 80 proof. ... Danziger Goldwasser (English translation: Gold water from GdaÅ„sk, Literally: Danzigs gold water) is the registered tradename of a strong (38%) root and herbal liqueur that has been produced since the 16th century in GdaÅ„sk, Poland. ... Starka is a traditional lithuanian alcohol drink, popular also in Poland and Russia, similar to aged vodkas and bitters, but not to be confused with them. ... StanisÅ‚aw Antoni Szczuka, a Polish nobleman Szlachta ( ) was the noble class in Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the two countries that later jointly formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ... Noble Family Czartoryski Coat of Arms Czartoryski Parents August Aleksander Czartoryski Maria Zofia Sieniawska Consorts StanisÅ‚aw Lubomirski Children with StanisÅ‚aw Lubomirski ElÅ¼bieta Lubomirska Julia Lubomirska Aleksandra Lubomirska Konstancja MaÅ‚gorzata Lubomirska Date of Birth May 21, 1736 Place of Birth ? Date of Death November 11, 1816 Place... Noble Family Potocki Coat of Arms Piława Parents Jan Potocki Julia Lubomirska Consorts Józefina Maria Czartoryska Children with Józefina Maria Czartoryska Artur Potocki Alfred Józef Potocki Julia Ewa Potocka Zofia Ewa Potocka Date of Birth March 3, 1785 Place of Birth Paris Date of Death... Polmos ÅaÅ„cut logo The Polmos ÅaÅ„cut distillery is one of the oldest producers of liquors and liqueurs in Poland. ...

Large-scale vodka production began in Poland at the end of the 16th century, initially at Kraków, whence spirits were exported to Silesia before 1550. Silesian cities also bought vodka from Poznań, 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, Moldavia, Ukraine and the Black Sea basin. Motto: Ex navicula navis (From a boat, a ship) Coordinates: , Country Poland Voivodeship Lesser Poland Powiat city county Gmina KrakÃ³w City Rights June 5th, 1257 Government - Mayor Jacek Majchrowski Area - City 326. ... Silesia (English pronunciation [], Czech: ; German: ; Latin: ; Polish: ; Silesian: ÅšlÅ¯nsk) is a historical region in central Europe, located along the upper and middle Oder River, upper Vistula River, and along the Sudetes, Carpathian (Silesian Beskids) mountain range. ... PoznaÅ„ ( ; full official name: The Capital City of PoznaÅ„, Polish: StoÅ‚eczne Miasto PoznaÅ„ (Latin: , German: , Yiddish: ×¤Ö¼×±×–×Ÿ Poyzn) is a city in west-central Poland with over 578,900 inhabitants (2002). ... Motto: Nec temere, nec timide (No rashness, no timidness) Coordinates: , Country Poland Voivodeship Pomeranian Powiat city county Gmina GdaÅ„sk Established 10th century City Rights 1263 Government - Mayor PaweÅ‚ Adamowicz Area - City 262 kmÂ² (101. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem specific to England â€” the anthem of the United Kingdom is God Save the Queen. See also Proposed English National Anthems. ... For other uses of Moldavia or Moldova, see Moldova (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ...

Early production methods were primitive. 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 called "brantówka," the second — "szumówka," the third — "okowita" (from "aqua vitae"), which generally contained 70–80% alcohol by volume. Then the beverage was watered down, yielding a simple vodka (30–35%), or a stronger one if the watering was done using an alembic. The exact production methods were described in 1768 by Jan Paweł Biretowski and in 1774 by Jan Chryzostom Simon. The beginning of the 19th century inaugurated the production of potato vodka, which immediately revolutionized the market. An alembic is an alchemical still consisting of two retorts connected by a tube. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

The end of the 18th century marked the start of the vodka industry in Poland. Vodkas produced by szlachta and clergy became a mass product. The first industrial distillery was opened in 1782 in Lwów by Jan Baczewski. He was soon followed by Jakub Haberfeld, who in 1804 established a factory at Oświęcim, and by Hartwig Kantorowicz (1823) at Poznań. The implementation of new technologies in the second 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 a Polish government monopoly. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Motto: Semper fidelis Oblast Lviv Oblast Municipal government City council (Ð›ÑŒÐ²Ñ–Ð²ÑÑŒÐºÐ° Ð¼Ñ–ÑÑŒÐºÐ° Ñ€Ð°Ð´Ð°) Mayor City chairman Lyubomyr Bunyak Area 171,01 kmÂ² Population - city - urban - density 808,900 ? 4786/kmÂ² Founded City rights 13th century 1353 Latitude Longitude 49Â°51â€² N 24Â°01â€² E Area code +0322 Car plates ? Twin towns Corning, Freiburg... Modern Monopolowa bottle produced in Austria Baczewski is a name of a Polish szlachta family and a brand of one of the most popular European fine spirits producer. ... Arms of OÅ›wiÄ™cim View into part of the market square. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... PoznaÅ„ ( ; full official name: The Capital City of PoznaÅ„, Polish: StoÅ‚eczne Miasto PoznaÅ„ (Latin: , German: , Yiddish: ×¤Ö¼×±×–×Ÿ Poyzn) is a city in west-central Poland with over 578,900 inhabitants (2002). ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Poland is a republican representative democracy under a parliamentary system. ...

After World War II, all vodka distilleries were taken over by Poland's communist government. During the 1980s, the sale of vodka was rationed. After the victory of the Solidarity movement, all distilleries were privatized, leading to an explosion of brands. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... Solidarity (Polish: ; full name: Independent Self-governing Trade Union Solidarity â€” NiezaleÅ¼ny SamorzÄ…dny ZwiÄ…zek Zawodowy SolidarnoÅ›Ä‡) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980 at the then Lenin Shipyards, and originally led by Lech WaÅ‚Ä™sa. ...

Russia

A drink similar to modern vodka first appeared probably sometime in the period 950-1100 CE.^{[citation needed]} It was not originally called vodka — instead, the term bread wine (хлебное вино) was used. Until mid-18th century, it remained relatively low on alcohol content, not exceeding 60% by volume. It was mostly sold in taverns and was quite expensive: in 17th century, a keg (12 liters) of bread wine was estimated to cost as much as one and a half or two cows. At the same time, the word vodka was already in use, but it described herbal tinctures (similar to absinthe), containing up to 75% by volume alcohol, and made for medicinal purposes. Image File history File links VodkaBelt. ... Image File history File links VodkaBelt. ... The vodka belt The Vodka Belt is an informal term for the territory covered by countries where vodka is historically the most popular alcoholic beverage. ... In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract (e. ... A reservoir glass filled with a naturally colored verte next to an absinthe spoon. ...

The first written usage of the word vodka in an official Russian document in its modern meaning is dated by the decree of Empress Elizabeth of June 8, 1751, which regulated the ownership of vodka distilleries. The taxes on vodka became a key element of government finances in Tsarist Russia, providing at times up to 40% of state revenue.^[4] By the 1860s, due to the government policy of promoting consumption of state-manufactured vodka, it became 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. 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). Emperor is also a Norwegian black metal band; see Emperor (band). ... Charles van Loo. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Adam Smith is appointed professor of logic at the University of Glasgow March 25 - For the last time, New Years Day is legally on March 25 in England and Wales. ...

Ukraine

Horilka (Ukrainian: горілка) is the Ukrainian term for "vodka".^[5] Horilka may also be used in a generic sense in the Ukrainian language to mean moonshine, whisky or other strong spirits. Among East Slavic peoples, the term horilka is used to stress the Ukrainian origin of a vodka, for example, in Nikolai Gogol's historic novel Taras Bulba: "and bring us a lot of horilka, but not of that fancy kind with raisins, or with any other such things—bring us horilka of the purest kind, give us that demon drink that makes us merry, playful and wild!".^[5] Horilka (Ukrainian: Ð³Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ð»ÐºÐ°, from hority, to burn) is essentially Ukrainian vodka. ... Ukrainian (ÑƒÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—ÌÐ½ÑÑŒÐºÐ° Ð¼Ð¾ÌÐ²Ð°, ukrayinska mova, ) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. ... Look up Moonshine in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A glass of whisky Whisky (Scottish Gaelic: }, or whiskey (Irish: ), refers to a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented grain mash and aged in wooden casks (generally oak). ... A distilled beverage is a liquid preparation meant for consumption containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol) purified by distillation from a fermented substance such as fruit, vegetables, or grain. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled East Slavs and Early East Slavs. ... Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol (Russian: ; IPA: ; Ukrainian: ) (April 1, 1809 â€” March 4, 1852) was a Russian-language writer of Ukrainian origin. ... For other uses, see Taras Bulba (disambiguation). ...

A pertsivka or horilka z pertsem (pepper vodka) is a vodka with whole fruits of capsicum put into the bottle, turning horilka into a sort of bitters. Horilkas are also often made with honey, mint, or even milk,^[6] the latter not typical of vodkas of other origins. Some claim that horilka is considered stronger and spicier than typical Russian vodka.^[7] Capsicum is a genus of plants from the nightshade family (Solanaceae), native to Mexico, and now cultivated worldwide. ... bitter An antique (probably 1880s) bitters bottle from Germany that sold for $1240. ...

Today

Vodka is now one of the world's most popular spirits. It was rarely consumed outside Europe before the 1950s. By 1975, vodka sales in the United States overtook those of bourbon, previously the most popular hard liquor and the native spirit of that country. In the second half of the 20th century, vodka owed its popularity in part to its reputation as an alcoholic beverage that "leaves you breathless", as one ad put it — no smell of liquor remains detectable on the breath. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (453 Ã— 604 pixel, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Avshar Armenian Vodka. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (453 Ã— 604 pixel, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Avshar Armenian Vodka. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Bourbon bottle, 19th century Bourbon is an American form of whiskey made from (pursuant to U.S. trade law) at least 51% corn, or maize, (typically about 70%) with the remainder being wheat and/or rye, and malted barley. ...

According to The Penguin Book of Spirits and Liqueurs, "Its low level of fusel oils and congenerics — impurities that flavour spirits but that can contribute to the after-effects of heavy consumption — led to its being considered among the 'safer' spirits, though not in terms of its powers of intoxication, which, depending on strength, may be considerable."^[8] Fusel alcohols, also sometimes called fusel oils, are higher order (more than two carbons) alcohols formed by fermentation and present in cider, mead, beer, wine, and spirits to varying degrees. ... A congener (from Latin roots meaning born together or within the same race or kind) has several different meanings depending on the field in which it is used. ...

Russian culinary author William Pokhlebkin compiled a history of the production of vodka in Russia during the late 1970s as part of the Soviet case in a trade dispute; this was later published as A History of Vodka. Pokhlebkin claimed that while there was a wealth of publications about the history of consumption and distribution of vodka, virtually nothing had been written about vodka production. Among his assertions were that the word "vodka" was used in popular speech in Russia considerably earlier than the middle of the 18th century, but the word did not appear in print until the 1860s. William Pokhlebkin (August 20, 1923 â€“ April 15 (burial date), 2000) (Russian: ) was primarily known in Russia as an author of numerous culinary books. ... Soviet redirects here. ... A History of Vodka is a book by V.V. Pokhlebkin. ...

Production

Vodka may be distilled from any starch/sugar-rich plant matter; most vodka today is produced from grains such as sorghum, corn, rye or wheat. Among grain vodkas, rye and wheat vodkas are generally considered superior. Some vodka is made from potatoes, molasses, soybeans, grapes, sugar beets and sometimes even byproducts of oil refining or wood pulp processing. In some Central European countries like Poland some vodka is produced by just fermenting a solution of crystal sugar and yeast. In the European Union talks about the standardization of vodka the Vodka Belt countries insist that only spirits produced from grains, potato and sugar beet molasses must be allowed to be branded as "vodka", following the traditional methods of production.^[9]^[10] Starch (CAS# 9005-25-8) is a complex carbohydrate which is insoluble in water; it is used by plants as a way to store excess glucose. ... Magnification of grains of sugar, showing their monoclinic hemihedral crystalline structure. ... An assortment of grains The word grain has a great many meanings, most being descriptive of a small piece or particle. ... Species About 30 species, see text Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are utilised as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. ... â€œCornâ€ redirects here. ... Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References: ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ... For other uses, see Potato (disambiguation). ... Molasses or treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. ... Binomial name (L.) Merr. ... It has been suggested that Veraison be merged into this article or section. ... Two sugar beets - the one on the left has been cultivated to be smoother than the traditional beet, so that it traps less soil. ... The vodka belt The Vodka Belt is an informal term for the territory covered by countries where vodka is historically the most popular alcoholic beverage. ... For other uses, see Potato (disambiguation). ... Two sugar beets - the one on the left has been cultivated to be smoother than the traditional beet, so that it traps less soil. ... Molasses or treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. ...

Distilling and filtering

A common property of vodkas produced in the USA and Europe is the extensive use of filtration prior to any additional processing, such as the addition of flavourants. Filtering is sometimes done in the still during distillation, as well as afterward, where the distilled vodka is filtered through charcoal and other media. This is because under U.S. and European law vodka must not have any distinctive aroma, character, colour or flavour. 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 flavours and characteristics of their products. This article is about flavor as a sensory impression. ... The term still is a contraction of the verb to distill. A still is an apparatus used to distill miscible or immiscible (eg. ... Laboratory distillation set-up using, without a fractionating column 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed... Charcoal is the blackish residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. ...

The "stillmaster" is the person in charge of distilling the vodka and directing its filtration. When done correctly, much of the "fore-shots" or "heads" and the "tails" separated in distillation process are discarded. These portions of the distillate contain flavour compounds such as ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate (heads) as well as the fusel oils (tails) that alter the clean taste of vodka. Through numerous rounds of distillation, or the use of a fractioning still, the taste of the vodka is improved and its clarity is enhanced. In some distilled liquors such as rum and baijiu, some of the heads and tails are not removed in order to give the liquor its unique flavour and mouth-feel. Ethyl acetate is the organic compound with the formula CH3CH2OC(O)CH3. ... Ethyl lactate also known as Lactic acid ethyl ester, 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid, ethyl ester, Actylol, or Acytol is a monobasic ester commonly used as a solvent. ... Fusel alcohols, also sometimes called fusel oils, are higher order (more than two carbons) alcohols formed by fermentation and present in cider, mead, beer, wine, and spirits to varying degrees. ... This article is about the beverage. ... Baijiu (Chinese: ç™½é…’; pinyin: ) or Shaojiu is potent Chinese alcohol. ...

Proper distillation and excluding some of the heads also removes methanol from vodka (and other distilled liquors), which can be poisonous in larger amounts. Methanol is formed when cellulose is fermented. This can be avoided by fermenting sugar with a high quality Turbo Yeast, so little methanol is formed. A fermentation of sugar, water, and Turbo Yeast will typically produce 1 ppm (one millionth) in the mash. This is much less methanol than found in ordinary orange juice and about one twentieth of that found in commercial whisky and cognac. Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naptha or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (ethyl alcohol). ...

Repeated distillation of vodka will make its ethanol level much higher than legally allowed. Depending on the distillation method and the technique of the stillmaster, the final filtered and distilled vodka may have as much as 95-96% ethanol. As such, most vodka is diluted with water prior to bottling. This level of distillation is what truly separates a rye-based vodka (for example) from a rye whisky; while the whisky is generally only distilled down to its final alcohol content, vodka is distilled until it is almost totally pure alcohol and then cut with water to give it its final alcohol content and unique flavour, depending on the source of the water.^[11] Rye whisky describes two types of whiskies, theoretically distilled from rye. ...

Flavoring

Apart from the alcoholic content, vodkas may be classified into two main groups: clear vodkas and flavoured vodkas. From the latter ones, one can separate bitter tinctures, such as Russian Yubileynaya (anniversary vodka) and Pertsovka (pepper vodka).

While most vodkas are unflavoured, many flavoured vodkas have been produced in traditional vodka-drinking areas, often as home-made recipes to improve vodka's taste or for medicinal purposes. Flavourings include red pepper, ginger, fruit flavours, vanilla, chocolate (without sweetener), and cinnamon. Ukrainians produce a commercial vodka that includes St John's Wort. Poles and Belarusians add the leaves of the local bison grass to produce Żubrówka (Polish) and Zubrovka (Belarusian) vodka, with slightly sweet flavour and light amber colour. In Ukraine and Russia, vodka flavoured with honey and pepper (Pertsovka, in Russian, Z pertsem, in Ukrainian) is also very popular. In Poland, a famous vodka containing honey is called krupnik. Binomial name Hypericum perforatum L. St Johns wort (IPA pronunciation: , rhyming with hurt, or ) used alone refers to the species Hypericum perforatum, also known as Klamath weed or Goat weed, but, with qualifiers, is used to refer to any species of the genus Hypericum. ... Bison grass (Hierochloe odorata) is an aromatic herb which grows in northern Eurasia and North America. ... Å»ubrÃ³wka (ZubroÅka / Ð—ÑƒÐ±Ñ€Ð¾ÑžÐºÐ°, also known in English as Bison Grass Vodka) is a brand of dry herb-flavoured vodka distilled from potatoes, 80 proof. ... Zubrowka Vodka Zubrovka (in Russian Зубровка), also known as Żubrówka (Polish, pronounced: zhoob-ROOF-kah), Grasovka (German) or Bison vodka (English), is a brand of dry herb-flavored vodka distilled from rye grain, 80 proof. ... Polish Krupnik Krupnik, or Krupnikas as it is known in Lithuanian, is a traditional sweet vodka, similar to a liqueur, based on grain spirit and honey, popular in Poland and Lithuania. ...

This tradition of flavouring is also prevalent in the Nordic countries, where vodka seasoned with herbs, fruits and spices is the appropriate strong drink for midsummer seasonal festivities. In Sweden, there are forty-odd common varieties of herb-flavoured vodka (kryddat brännvin). In Poland there is a separate category, nalewka, for vodka-based spirits with fruit, root, flower, or herb extracts, which are often home-made or produced by small commercial distilleries. Its alcohol content is between 15 to 75%. Political map of the Nordic countries and associated territories. ... Midsummer may refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the diverse celebrations of it around the world, but more often refers to European celebrations that accompany the summer solstice, or to Western festivals that take place in June and are usually related to Saint John... A variety of nalewkas in various stages of preparation. ...

The Poles make a very pure (95%, 190 proof) rectified spirit (Polish language: spirytus rektyfikowany). Technically a form of vodka, it is sold in liquor stores, not pharmacies. Similarly, the German market often carries German, Hungarian, Polish, and Ukrainian-made varieties of vodka of 90 to 95% alcohol content. A Bulgarian vodka, Balkan 176°, is 88% alcohol. Rectified spirit or rectified alcohol is high concentration alcohol purified by the process of rectification (repeated or fractional distillation). ... Rectified spirit or rectified alcohol is high concentration alcohol purified by the process of rectification. ...

Other processing

Due to the low freezing point of alcohol, vodka can be stored in ice or a freezer without any crystallization of water. In countries where alcohol levels are generally low (the USA for example, due to alcohol taxes varying with alcohol content), individuals sometimes increase the alcohol percentage by a form of freeze distillation. Freezing Point (Chinese: å†°é»ž, bing1 dian3) is a news journal in the Peoples Republic of China which has been the subject of controversy over its criticism of Communist Party officials and the sympathetic ear it lent to a Chinese historian who had criticized official history textbooks. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Fractional freezing. ...

This is done by placing the vodka in an open vessel (bowl, etc) in the freezer, and then after it has reached a temperature below the freezing point of water, adding ice cubes, to which the free water within the vodka will crystallize, leaving a higher alcohol concentration behind.

Vodka and the EU

The recent success of grape-based vodka in the United States has prompted traditional vodka producers in the Vodka Belt countries of Finland, Poland and Sweden to campaign for EU legislation that will categorize only spirits made from grain or potatoes as "Vodka" instead of spirits made from any ethyl alcohol (provided, for example, from apples and grapes).^[9]^[10] This proposition has provoked heavy criticism from south European countries, which often distill used mash from wine-making into spirits (although higher quality mash is usually distilled into some variety of pomace brandy, lower-quality mash is better turned into a neutral-flavoured spirits instead). Any vodka then not made from either grain or potatoes would have to display the products used in its production. A final decision is expected this year (in 2007). Image File history File links Current_event_marker. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... It has been suggested that Veraison be merged into this article or section. ... The Law of the European Union is the unique legal system which operates alongside the laws of Member States of the European Union (EU). ... Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ... Mashing is a stage in the brewing process where grains are steeped in water at specific temperatures, to facilitate enzyme activity and starch conversion. ... Pomace brandy is a liquor distilled from pomace wine. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Many people have claimed that home-made vodka can be made by mixing blue gatorade, urine, and rubbing alcohol. The preceding sentence was written by Jonathan Muller. He attends WCS High School. And he likes boys.

Health

Vodka consumed in sufficient amounts, as any alcoholic beverage, can cause dehydration, digestive irritation and other symptoms associated with a hangover because these are inherent properties of ethanol, even if to a lesser degree than the methanol, fusel oils, and other alcohols which are absent in pure vodka. A hangover (veisalgia) describes the sum of unpleasant physiological effects following heavy consumption of drugs and liquor, particularly alcoholic beverages. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naptha or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (ethyl alcohol). ... Fusel alcohols, also sometimes called fusel oils, are higher order (more than two carbons) alcohols formed by fermentation and present in cider, mead, beer, wine, and spirits to varying degrees. ...

In some countries, black-market vodka or "bathtub" vodka is widespread, as it can be produced easily to avoid taxation. However, severe poisoning, blindness, or death can occur as a result of impurities, notably methanol presence.^[12] In March 2007, BBC News UK made a documentary to find the cause of severe jaundice among imbibers of the "bathtub" vodka. ^[13] The cause was found to be an industrial disinfectant (Extrasept) added to the vodka by the illegal distillers because of its high alcohol content and low price of acquisition. Death toll estimates list at least 120 dead and more than 1,000 poisoned. The death toll is expected to rise due to the chronic nature of the cirrhosis that was causing the jaundice. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into underground economy. ... Bathtub gin refers to any style of homemade spirit made in amateur conditions. ... Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or psychological factors. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naptha or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (ethyl alcohol). ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... Jaundice, also known as icterus (attributive adjective: icteric), is a yellowing of the skin, conjunctiva (a clear covering over the sclera, or whites of the eyes) and mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia (increased levels of bilirubin in red blooded animals). ... Cirrhosis of the liver is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrotic scar tissue as well as regenerative nodules, leading to progressive loss of liver function. ...

Entertainment

In some countries vodka is considered an essential addition to meals,^{[citation needed]} especially meat dishes. As for English-speaking countries, in addition to its widespread popularity in pre-mixed drinks, it has recently obtained a particular cult popularity: the exotic "vodka bars" have made an impression upon the nightclub scenes, e.g. in Australian cities.

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