Why is a tank called a tank? Why did Soviet tank crews call the American tank M3 "Lee" a "mass grave for seven"?
The reason for the emergence of this unofficial holiday was the defense of his doctoral dissertation “On the combination of alcohol with water” by Dmitry Mendeleev, which took place on this day back in 1865 in St. Petersburg.
First vodka recipes appeared in Rus' 500 years ago, as evidenced by the exhibits of the Moscow Museum of the History of Russian Vodka. But it was Mendeleev who found the “ideal” proportion and “created” forty-proof vodka.
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Vodka is a special drink, the taste of which is simply impossible to reveal without a hearty and salty snack. Therefore, vodka should be accompanied by the following dishes - caviar, sturgeon, salmon, smoked meats, pickled mushrooms, herring with boiled potatoes, and so on.
"The Mind Stealer"
Alcohol has been called the “thief of sanity” since ancient times. People learned about the intoxicating properties of alcoholic beverages approximately eight thousand years BC, when they were made from honey, fruit juices and wild grapes.
It is believed that winemaking arose even before the beginning of cultivated agriculture. The famous traveler Miklouho-Maclay observed the Papuans of New Guinea, who did not yet know how to make fire, but already knew how to prepare intoxicating drinks.
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The Arabs began to obtain pure alcohol in the 6th-7th centuries and called it “al kogol”, which means “intoxicating”. The first bottle of vodka was made by the Arab Raghez in 860. The distillation of wine to produce alcohol sharply worsened drunkenness and it is possible that this was the reason for the prohibition of the use of alcoholic beverages by the founder of Islam, Muhammad (570-632).
This prohibition was subsequently included in the code of Muslim laws - the Koran, and since then, for 12 centuries, alcohol has not been consumed in Muslim countries, and apostates of this law have been severely punished. Despite this, the cult of wine still flourished and was sung in poetry in Asian countries.
In the Middle Ages, Western Europe also learned to produce strong alcoholic beverages by distilling wine and other fermenting sugary liquids. The first to perform this operation was the Italian alchemist monk Valentius.
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Bottles of Riga vodka produced by the A. Wolfschmidt plant
Having tasted the resulting product, which intoxicated him, the alchemist declared that he had discovered a miraculous elixir that makes an old man young, a tired man cheerful, and a sad man cheerful.
Since then, strong alcoholic drinks have quickly spread throughout the countries of the world, primarily due to the ever-growing industrial production alcohol from cheap raw materials - potatoes, sugar production waste, and so on.
Alcohol entered everyday life so quickly that almost no artist, writer or poet avoided this topic.
The volatile liquid obtained as a result of the distillation of fermented wort was perceived as a concentrate - the “spirit” of wine (in Latin spiritus vini), where it comes from modern name this substance in many languages, including Russian - “alcohol”.
Russian vodka
Vodka appeared in Russia at the end of the 14th century - grape alcohol (aqua vitae - “living water”) was first brought by Genoese merchants in 1386. The drink became famous at the grand ducal court, but did not make an impression.
The next time “living water” was brought by foreigners to Moscow in 1429 - as a universal medicine. At the court of Prince Vasily II, the liquid was apparently appreciated, but due to its strength, they preferred to dilute it with water. Historians suggest that the idea of diluting alcohol served as the impetus for the production of Russian vodka, but from grain.
© Sputnik / Levan Avlabreli
The method of producing vodka allegedly became known in Russia in the second half of the 15th century. According to one version, the recipe for vodka was invented by the monk of the Chudov Monastery, Isidore. Having the necessary distillery equipment, as well as experience in making less strong drinks, the monk made a strong drink, which later became known as vodka.
So the year 1430 can be considered the beginning of vodka production - this fact was confirmed by International Arbitration, which assigned the right to use the name “vodka” to Russia.
The production of vodka in Russia in mass quantities began in the mid-15th century, and already at the beginning of the 16th century there is information about the export of vodka from Russia to neighboring Sweden, where it first became known from the Russians, and not from the Germans. This was the first experience of Russian vodka export, which was later destined to conquer the world.
The word “vodka” itself appeared in Russia in the 17th-18th centuries and, most likely, is a derivative of “water”. At the same time, in old times The terms wine and tavern were also used to denote vodka.
With the development and improvement of vodka production in Russia, remarkable results have been achieved in terms of purification and taste characteristics of the drink.
In the era of Peter the Great, the dynasties of Russian “vodka kings” and breeders began. In 1716, the first All-Russian Emperor offered the noble and merchant classes the exclusive right to engage in distilling on their lands.
© photo: Sputnik / Dmitry Korobeinikov
In the middle of the 18th century, the production of vodka in Russia, along with state-owned factories, was carried out by noble landowners and owners of estates scattered throughout the country. Russian "homemade" vodkas, produced in the estates of Prince Kurakin, Count Sheremetev, Count Rumyantsev and others, enjoyed an excellent reputation.
Manufacturers sought to achieve high degree purification of vodka, we used natural animal proteins for this - milk and egg white.
The state standard for vodka was introduced for the first time in Russian history at the end of the 19th century. This was greatly facilitated by the research of famous chemists Nikolai Zelinsky and Dmitry Mendeleev, members of the commission for the introduction of a vodka monopoly.
Mendeleev's merit lies in the fact that he developed the composition of vodka, which should have a strength of forty degrees. The "Mendeleev" version of vodka was patented in Russia in 1894 as "Moscow Special" (later - "Special").
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Vodka with fruit.
Vodka is perceived as national symbol Russia, along with the samovar, balalaika, matryoshka, caviar. Remaining until the end of the 20th century one of the most widespread Russian national drinks, vodka was the basis for a huge number of tinctures, the preparation of which became a special branch of home production in Russia.
Monopoly
The state (tsarist) monopoly on the production and sale of vodka was introduced several times in Russian history.
In 1533, the first “tsar’s tavern” was opened in Moscow, and all trade in vodka became the prerogative of the tsar’s administration. In 1819, Alexander I reintroduced the state monopoly, which lasted until 1828.
© photo: Sputnik / Alexey Danichev
In Russia, since 1894, a state monopoly began to be periodically introduced, which was strictly observed in 1906-1913.
The state monopoly on vodka existed throughout the entire period of Soviet power (formally - since 1923), while the technology for producing the drink was improved, and its quality was at a consistently high level.
In 1992, by decree of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the monopoly was abolished, which entailed a number of negative consequences (financial, medical, moral and others).
Already in 1993, a new decree was signed that restored the monopoly, but the state was unable to strictly control its implementation.
No alcohol law
During Russo-Japanese War there was a ban on the sale of vodka in some provinces of the empire. The “Prohibition Law,” which was introduced in Russia at the very beginning of the First World War, continued to operate even after the establishment of Soviet power.
It was only in 1923 that the sale of liqueurs with a strength of no more than twenty degrees was allowed. In 1924, the permissible strength was increased to 30, and in 1928 the restrictions were lifted.
In 1986, Mikhail Gorbachev launched an unprecedented campaign to combat drunkenness, and in fact, the use of alcohol. But this company, which entailed mass destruction vineyards, the production of low-quality “underground” alcoholic products, the growth of drug addiction and so on, was not successful.
Real vodka should be practically tasteless and not reek of fusel oils.
The medal "For Drunkenness" was established by Peter I in 1714. He decided that it would become a panacea for drunkenness. Probably, the first Russian emperor relied on the accusatory inscription, which identified the person as a drinker, and on the weight of the medal. Together with the collar and chains, the medal weighed eight kilograms. They “awarded” the medal at the police station and secured it in such a way that it was impossible to remove it. The medal had to be worn for a week.
© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Somov
Peter I's favorite vodka was aniseed. This drink was obtained by double distillation of “bread wine”, then infused with anise seed and diluted by a third with soft spring water.
Until 1885, takeaway vodka was sold only in buckets - 12 liters each. It was from that time that in Russia there remained popular expression"drink buckets of vodka." However, you could drink the standard 50 grams (half a glass) or 100 grams (a glass) on the spot.
The bottle as a container for vodka is familiar to modern man began to be used only in 1894.
The bar culture, widely developed today, has its roots in the times of Ivan the Terrible. Back in the 16th century, they came up with a format for establishments where it was customary to drink without a snack.
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Vodka in tubes "for astronauts"
In January 1940, during the Soviet-Finnish War, Red Army soldiers began to receive vodka rations, which were called "Voroshilov rations" or "People's Commissar 100 grams."
Since May 1942, vodka was issued daily to soldiers on the front line. Moreover, later the norm was increased to 200 grams. On the Transcaucasian front, they were not given vodka, but 300 grams of dry wine or 200 grams of port.
From 1977 to 1982, Poland and the USSR argued in court over the priority of producing vodka as the Russian national drink. The Soviet Union won this case by decision of international arbitration.
Alcohol distributor website
Vodka "Oil"
Scotland is the birthplace of the strongest vodka. The strength of Scottish vodka is 88.8 degrees. It is said to be particularly popular among the Chinese because the number 8 symbolizes infinity.
Today vodka is considered one of the strongest drinks, but initially it contained no more than 10-15 degrees.
About 500 years ago, vodka was made in a clay vessel - a korchaga, into which fermented berries and fruits were placed, poured with boiling water, covered with a lid and sent to a Russian oven. During the condensation process, alcohol vapors flowed into the pan - this was what we now call vodka, only weak.
The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.
The first Russian monopoly on alcohol was established back in 1474 by Ivan III. Strict state control over the production and sale of alcohol was introduced.
Under Ivan the Terrible, taverns, where vodka was usually served, were replaced by “tsar’s taverns,” which were farmed out to the treasury. By paying a certain amount of money, the tax farmer received the right to sell alcoholic beverages.
In 1648, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, “tavern” riots swept across Moscow and other cities. The artisans, supported by the peasants, demanded the abolition of the “farm-out” for the tavern business and distilling. But the unrest was suppressed. In 1652, the tsar convened the Zemsky Sobor, which reformed the “drinking business.” From now on, feudal lords were forbidden to keep taverns on their estates and estates, as well as to conduct wine trade, which had previously been widely practiced.
Another state monopoly was introduced in 1696 by Peter I. To increase profits, a tax farming system was again established, which was combined with the government sale of wine. The term “vodka” itself was officially established in Russia in 1751 by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the treasury began to lose control of the alcohol business, and income fell. In 1817, a decree was issued reintroducing the “state sale of drinks” at a single price - 7 rubles per bucket.
At first, this gave results and money flowed into the treasury. But gradually wine sales began to decline. As it turned out, there were many abuses in the drinking departments. In this regard, Nicholas I abolished the state wine monopoly in January 1828 and once again introduced a tax farming system. However, the arbitrariness of tax farmers, as well as widespread drunkenness, led to the fact that in 1863 the authorities were forced to replace taxation with an excise tax.
On May 14, 1885, the law “On the fragmented sale of drinks” was passed, abolishing taverns and replacing them with wine shops selling take-away alcohol in glass bottles. But sales began to fall again, and in 1893, Minister of Finance S.Yu. Witte submitted to the State Council a proposal to return the monopoly on wine. It covered the purification of alcohol, as well as the trade in spirits.
What is vodka, what and how is it produced, what is the difference between distilled vodka and vodka made from rectified spirit.
Substitution of terms as a historical factor
Vodka is a water-alcohol solution considered the Russian national alcoholic drink. Vodka is a transparent 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 tame bear, has become part of the national Russian flavor for foreigners, and like everything familiar, it does not raise any questions. But in vain. Over the past two centuries, vodka has undergone such strange changes that people discussing it will probably be talking about something different. The 40-degree clear liquid familiar to everyone (at least from store shelves), even from different manufacturers, is not at all the same thing. And if you look at its history, instead of clarity, only new questions will be added.
All that's missing is a bear
A similar story happened with tobacco. Explosive growth oncological diseases occurred after traditional tobacco products were replaced in the first half of the 20th century by cigarettes, the contents of which were first waste from tobacco production, and were subsequently synthesized chemically from cellulose and harsh chemicals. This has long had 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–19th centuries
Until the 19th century, “vodka” was the name given to almost all strong alcohol obtained by distillation (distillation) and subsequent infusion. Yes, initially vodka, like brandy, cognac, gin, whiskey, grappa, rum, and tequila, was obtained by distillation, and grain 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 grain Russian culture. There is little sugar in rye, so the rye was first germinated to produce malt, which has much more sugar. The malt was used to make mash, and from the mash, vodka was produced by distillation.
The level of alcohol consumption in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century was moderate compared to the general European background. Vodka accounted for 93% of all alcohol consumed
Distillation from potatoes and beets was not popular, since the alcoholic beverage produced from them was of much worse quality. It was not possible to remove fusel oils in the desired volume from the potato distillation; the taste and smell of such distillation was much worse than “bread wine” made from rye, barley and wheat.
By the end of the 18th century, bread vodkas, obtained by distilling “hot bread wine,” became the hallmark of the Russian alcohol market. Wine vodkas from “grape hot wine” and “fruit and berry hot wine” were also produced in Russia, but the priorities in their production still belonged to other countries. In Russia, such vodkas were made from imported raw materials, be it “hot wine” or ready-made French vodka, which was used to produce liqueurs.
Vodka distillate
This is what the process of producing “bread wine” was like.
- From the raw materials, mash was obtained, a low-alcohol drink with a low alcohol content (up to 11°).
- The mash was poured into a distiller, in which the liquid was heated and began to evaporate. The vapors were removed through the outlet tube, cooled and condensed.
- The resulting drink with a high alcohol content retains the taste and smell of the raw materials from which it was produced. Unwanted impurities were removed using coal, milk or eggs.
When talking about the quality of strong alcohol, many use the word “fusel” with a clearly negative connotation. This is an erroneous judgment based on a misunderstanding of the issue. Fusel oils give the drink taste and smell. The bouquet of expensive cognacs and whiskey is created not by flavorings, but by natural organoleptics, that same “fusel” that makes “connoisseurs” wrinkle their noses, and aging in oak barrels. However, the disgusting smell of moonshine is also created by fusel oils. It all comes down to composition and the ability to get rid of unnecessary things.
That's all. Mendeleev said nothing about the taste, smell, or the benefits and harms of this solution. Mendeleev was not interested in the ideal ratios of alcohol and water in vodka.
Why is only vodka from Russia true Russian vodka?
(Only vodka from Russia is Russian vodka genuine!)
When creating this page, materials from the book by V.V. were used. Pokhlebkina "The History of Vodka", Moscow, Tsentrpoligraf, 1997.
The following factors are decisive for creating real Russian vodka:
Raw materials.
Recipe. Composition.
Special methods for purifying alcohol and water-alcohol mixtures from harmful impurities.
Technology system.
Equipment.
On every historical stage These main components in the production of vodka played far from the same role. For example, the 18th century was the most fruitful period of research in the field of composition and formulation of vodkas, in the field of introducing various flavoring components into mash and intermediate water-alcohol blends. At this time, homeowner distilling was rapidly developing; vodka was made not for sale, but for oneself. Therefore, they did not stop at any costs. And in the second half of the 19th century and in the 20th century, the main attention was focused on updating equipment, on the introduction of technological innovations, and importance was attached to time, temperature and the speed of various production cycles.
For centuries, rye served as the main raw material for Russian vodka. Rye grain was the most characteristic raw material feature of vodka until the 70s of the 19th century. Over the past 100 years, especially after the 1930s, much big role Wheat began to play a role in the production of mass varieties of vodka, and during certain periods of economic devastation and war, potato vodka was also produced. However, the best, highest grades of vodka continue to be based on traditional rye raw materials (grain, bran). As additives to the obligatory rye for Russian vodka, other grain raw materials are used - oats, wheat, barley and buckwheat, in different, but always small proportions.
Grain raw materials, and especially rye grain, provide Russian vodka with enormous advantages over potato vodka, which F. Engels once paid attention to. Russian rye vodka does not cause such consequences as a severe hangover, nor does it lead to an aggressive mood in the consumer, which is usually characteristic of the effects of potato and especially beetroot vodka (as a result of which moonshine made from “pure” beet sugar is extremely harmful).
The second most important raw material component of vodka is water, or more precisely, soft water with a softness of no more than 4 mg/eq. Until the 20s of the 20th century, such water was Moscow (2 mg/eq.) and Neva water (4 mg/eq.), that is, the water of the upper reaches of the Moscow River, Klyazma and Neva. The water from the Mytishchi springs (springs) was and remains of excellent quality, from where a water pipeline was laid to Moscow (more than 20 km) already in the 18th century. Currently, water for vodka (Moscow) is taken partly from Mytishchi springs, as well as from the Ruza rivers, a tributary of the Moscow River, and Vazuza, a tributary of the Volga in its upper reaches (west of Moscow), which flow in a densely wooded area and have a soft ( 2-3 mg/eq.), clean, tasty water.
Before creating a blend with grain alcohol, the water undergoes a variety of additional purification: sedimentation, filtration through river and quartz sand, special additional aeration (i.e., it is saturated with pure liquid oxygen), but in no case is it subjected to boiling and distillation, as is usually done producers of pseudo-vodkas in other countries (USA, Finland, Italy, Germany, etc.). This is an important traditional difference and advantage of Russian vodka, which has survived to this day. It has a special softness and drinkability, because the water in it is not soulless, but alive and, despite the absence of any smell or taste, at the same time it is not tasteless, like distilled water. At the same time, the degree of purification of Russian raw water is such that it retains crystal transparency and exceeds in terms of illumination any distilled water, devoid of natural shine and crystal “play of iridescence”, lost or faded after the distillation process.
Malt served as an important raw material component in the preparation of mash (wort) in Russian distillation. Russian malt has always been and remains exclusively rye. Even at the beginning of the 20th century, when wheat began to be used as the main grain raw material, and even in the 30-50s of the 20th century, when in a number of economic reasons The percentage of simple, cheap potato vodka produced increased, but still only rye malt remained the malt component of Russian vodka. Not only its application, but also its production, its special germination conditions are essential and even decisive for the quality of traditional Russian vodka. Therefore, back in the 18th century, academician Tobias Lowitz and practical landowner V. Prokopovich paid attention to the rules for obtaining rye malt for distilling, and gave strict recommendations on this matter.
Initially, it was used in Russian distillation rye sourdough, the same as for baking black rye bread. In the 18th century, a transition was made everywhere to brewer's yeast, which had greater activity and accelerated general process leavening the entire mash. WITH late XIX- at the beginning of the 20th century, special naturally pure yeast cultures were grown at distilleries, intended exclusively for distillery production. They are used to pour the wort into fermentation tanks. The correct maturation of the mash and hence the overall quality of the resulting end products - ordinary grain alcohol and vodka - also greatly depends on their quality.
Recipe. Composition.
Mash composition recipe, ratio of grain, water, malt, yeast and other additives aromatic herbs(St. John's wort, wormwood, anise, caraway), young buds of various Russian trees (birch, willow, willow, willow), leaves of berry plants (cherries and black currants) and ending with overseas spices (star anise, ginger, galangal, cloves, nutmeg and etc.), has always been the subject of searches and continuous improvement by Russian distillers and received a special expansion of the range in the 17th - first half of the 19th centuries.
However, the most characteristic Russian recipe method for mash composition should be considered the addition of small but accentuating quantities of other grain components to the main rye grain: barley, buckwheat flour, buckwheat flour, oatmeal, wheat bran, crushed millet, that is, certain residues of grain farming, which usually accumulated in mills and grain crushers, in large landowner farms of various industries as residues from the processing of various grains into flour and cereals. Such additives were not made specifically or systematically, but it was nevertheless noted that they, constituting no more than 2-3% of the total weight of the grain part of the mash, are capable of giving vodka some kind of elusive, but organoleptically perceptible taste, giving each release of vodka its own individual face, without at the same time changing its overall traditional appearance. At the end of the 18th century, Russian academicians working in the field of chemistry and botany became interested in the empirical observations of home-grown distillers. They conducted laboratory experiments and gave recommendations on the use of various mini-additives to the main rye grain raw material in distilling.
As for the composition of the ratio of water and alcohol, it should be said that the path to modern ratio The formation of parts by weight of water and alcohol in vodka was a long process and went through a number of stages. First, the alcohol was diluted by two-thirds with water according to the Greek (Byzantine) tradition. And in the end they came to a close ancient, scientifically based D.I. Mendeleev's result - the content of pure alcohol in water - is 40o.
That is why the quality of water for vodka is still extremely important, and the water of Russian clean (for now) small forest rivers, replete with springs and having a clean sandy-rocky bottom, is unique in its softness and taste. By the way, the region of Vazuza, Ruza and the upper reaches of the Moscow River, since the 30s, has always been closed, reserved and remained extremely sparsely populated and strictly controlled, although it was located near Moscow.
Cleaning methods.
Among the technological methods for making vodka from the very beginning of its production great place purification methods took over Russian distilling. Their development has no analogues in the distillery industry Western Europe. The fact is that the habit of the Russian consumer with ancient times to aromatic traditional honey and beer Russian alcoholic drinks forced the first distillers of the 15th century, who, due to the primitiveness of distillation processes and the imperfection of the then distillation equipment, received tasteless alcohol with a repulsive odor, to develop in every possible way ways to get rid of this odor, and therefore look, first of all, for effective ways purification of grain alcohol from impurities - fusel oils, esters, aldehydes. It was impossible to improve the distillation process, since there was no closed copper-glass equipment. Therefore, all hope was placed on quality improvement methods tested in mead making and delivery, which were also applied to vodka. These cleaning methods included:
A. Mechanical methods:
1. Sludge of raw alcohol (raki, simple bread wine) with its rapid, strong cooling. (Taking the crayfish out into the cold immediately after distillation).
2. Transfer to another container after settling and freezing.
3. Filtration of raw alcohol, water-alcohol mixtures and vodka.
Filtration processes in Russian distilling were developed long time and extremely carefully, knowledge in this area was accumulated and passed on from one generation of distillers to another. Through long-term empirical observations, filtration was extremely improved by the beginning of the 19th century, but nevertheless continued to be improved throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. It was conducted through the following materials:
a) felt used for felt boots;
b) cloth;
c) felt (in the 19th century);
d) river, sea and quartz sand;
e) crushed stone;
f) ceramic chips;
g) cotton fabric;
h) linen cloth;
i) cotton wool;
j) blotting paper different thicknesses and density;
l) charcoal (in the 17th-19th centuries - ordinary, in the 20th century - activated).
Issues related to filtration through coal occupy a special place in the history of Russian distillation. Russian distillers have empirically proven one of the fundamental rules that ensure the special qualities of Russian vodka, namely, that it is impossible to directly filter raw alcohol or any other type of pure alcohol through coal, that it is necessary to dilute it with water to at least 45-50o, and even better up to 40o, because coal cannot remove the impurities of fusel oils from high-proof alcohol. Moreover, starting from late XVIII century appealed Special attention to increase the absorption capacity of charcoal by preliminary preparation of wood intended for charcoal. For this purpose, methods have been developed to improve the initial quality of wood raw materials, such as:
a) mandatory removal of bark before charcoaling;
b) cleaning the logs from knots (they were cut out);
c) freeing the wood from the core, especially if it was different in color (darker) from the rest of the tree, from its outer layer;
d) old trees, more than 40-50 years old, were generally excluded from coal production.
Finally, it was empirically found that coal of different types of wood has different absorption abilities, and therefore it is not at all the same thing which coal to use when filtering - higher or lower grades of vodka. If we arrange all types of coal in order of absorption capacity from highest to lowest, then this list will look like this:
a) beech;
b) fake;
c) oak;
d) alder;
e) birch;
f) pine;
g) spruce;
h) aspen;
i) poplar.
The first four types are expensive and were used mainly in the 18th century for the home distillation of nobles and partly in the 19th century for the production of higher grades of vodka. In addition, their use is limited to certain geographic regions. Alder charcoal was used by private distillers until 1861. Linden was even used in Soviet time until 1940. Almost the main type of coal in Russian distillation became very early, from the 15th century, birch coal, the cheapest, most widespread, produced on a massive scale in Tsarist Russia throughout the 19th century as an indispensable component of household items (for samovars) and having a relatively high absorption capacity. How effective were simple birch filters in Russian distillation already in the 19th century, before the invention of active and activated carbon shows an experiment carried out in the 80s of the 19th century. In grain alcohol, in which even traces of aldehyde could not be detected by laboratory chemical methods, after diluting this alcohol with water to 45o and filtering through crushed birch charcoal in four columns, up to 0.011% of aldehyde was retained, that is, practically the alcohol was purified “cleanly”, completely , since after this it was impossible to detect any signs of the presence of an aldehyde even with a solution of rosanilic acid, which could cause changes in color and even the shade of color of an aqueous sample containing at least thousandths of a percent of aldehyde.
It is no coincidence that the wonderful absorption abilities of charcoal prompted one of the students of D.I. Mendeleev, the future academician N.D. Zelinsky, who took an active part in creating filters for Russian vodka, to the idea of using carbon filters in gas masks in 1915 as an ideal means of combating poisons.
Along with mechanical purification methods, already at a fairly early stage of vodka production in the 17th century and especially in the 18th century, biological methods of purification and absorption began to be actively used, which gave an extremely beneficial effect, especially when freeing vodka from foreign odors.
1. The use of coagulants in the distillation process, that is, the introduction into raw alcohol (raku) and other grain alcohol distillates of such natural biologically active coagulating materials that interact with alcohol impurities and remove these impurities in the process of distillation of alcohol. These included milk, whole eggs and egg whites.
2. Sometimes freshly baked black bread was used as a coagulant, usually as the final stage of purification of pre-war grain alcohol, after using milk as an initial coagulant.
Of course, these natural methods of purifying vodka greatly increased its cost, especially since when using them it was possible to distill only 45% of the volume of the prepared mash, so the remaining 55%, including coagulants, simply went to waste. But in the landowner's economy, the remains of the stillage (albeit an expensive one, consisting of eggs, bread and milk) were still used to feed livestock and were practically not irretrievably lost. But biological purification produced an alcohol product that was ideal in purity and taste.
3. Ash, potash (burnt ash of wormwood-chernobyl), and later soda, mixed into double or triple alcohol, were also used as a purifier, in a mixture with which the highest purification was carried out - obtaining quadruple rectified alcohol.
4. However, since high-class distillation was not available everywhere and since the process of distilling the product from side odors and fusel oils itself is complex, they were often applied not to the semi-finished product, but to the finished product, to vodka (i.e. to bread alcohol after diluting it with water), such purely wine-making purification methods as freezing and fining, which were a combination of mechanical and biological means of purifying the product.
Freezing was a purely Russian and very cheap trick. But it gave a wonderful effect. Thanks to the Russians severe frosts, as well as the preservation of huge glaciers in the summer, which practically held ice until the fall, freezing large quantities of vodka did not seem difficult. Vodka was frozen in special small barrels that had an exposed bottom or a special plug, through which the alcohol, which did not freeze in the cold, was drained. All the water contained in the vodka, with fusel oils frozen to it in the form of a thin layer, turned into an ice piece that was easily thrown away.
Another operation - pasting, on the contrary, was quite expensive, but did not require much time and gave a more subtle biological and organoleptic effect, making it possible to perfectly clean grain alcohol or new vodka from all kinds of impurities and odors. Finishing consisted of adding fish glue (karluk) to the vodka that had been left to settle, which, as a result of the diffusion process, seemed to “comb” all the vodka from fusel oils and other chemical (non-ethyl) impurities, which were then retained along with the karluk during simple filtration through cotton fabric.
5. Along with methods for purifying grain alcohol and vodka, Russian distilling used methods to improve the organoleptic properties of a vodka drink, which also had an ancient tradition back in mead making. Thus, at first, hops and other forest herbs (the so-called potion) were used to enhance the strength and aroma of vodka, then in the 18th century, plant additives were added to the juice of some forest berries (rowanberries, raspberries, strawberries), which ultimately led to the development of a separate industry in alcoholic beverages. vodka industry and the creation of so-called Russian flavored vodkas, liqueurs and tinctures.
Technology system
The technological scheme of Russian distillation, if we take into account all the additional processes for purifying raw materials, semi-finished products and finished products, of course, was not similar to the Western European distillation process, while the distillation process itself was in principle no different from the generally accepted one. The only, but extremely remarkable feature of Russian distillation before the era of imperialism was that the main recommendation to distillers was to distill as quietly and slowly as possible and not to allow the mash to reach more than half its volume, or even to distill only 45% of the volume, Moreover, the same rule applied not only to the first rut, when crayfish and simple wine were produced, but also to the subsequent stages of distillation - doubling and tripling. Of course, such a practice led to significant losses of raw materials and semi-finished products and was possible only in the conditions of the Russian serf, non-commodity, non-market economy, when there could be no talk about the profitability of any production, and they cared only about the quality of the product or product, which was the decisive condition for the entire technology , costs and production time. In other words, the nobleman who produced vodka did not take into account any costs or losses in order to obtain a high-quality product.
To illustrate this historical fact, let’s give just one example: from 1200 liters of mash containing 340 liters of grain and rye malt and 12 liters of brewer’s yeast, only 3.5 buckets of simple but “good” bread wine came out. That is, 42 liters, which with the then obligatory admixture of about a bucket of milk and after re-warning could give only 15 liters of good, pure grain alcohol, from which the landowner-producer could get, by traditional mixing with three parts of water, only 20-25 liters of first-class vodka -foam. For the owner, who received grain free of charge from his peasants, who had free firewood from his own forest and the same almost free workers-distillers, the yield of vodka, which constituted barely two hundredths of the total mass of the mash, that is, the primary raw material, was not terrible and was not considered as a loss or extreme disadvantage, since the entire production process was aimed at satisfying the whims of the owner and his potential guests, and not at making a profit, not at selling vodka, and not at turning it into a market product. The governments of Peter I, Elizabeth I and Catherine II, giving and constantly expanding the privileges of the nobility for home distillation, freeing it from all control and taxation, at the same time consistently emphasized that all finished vodka products must certainly go only to personal, household, family needs of the nobility and in no case be subject to trade. And the nobility gave its honest promise to the monarchs to preserve vodka as a purely class privilege and not try to turn it into a source of profit. It was in such special social conditions of feudal Russia that vodka as a product reached highest quality, has acquired an extremely diverse assortment. (There were over a hundred different brands of vodka, each of which had its own special, often subtle, but nevertheless undeniable difference.)
In terms of its purity, vodka, produced in individual aristocratic estates of Russian magnates - Princes Sheremetyevs, Kurakins, Counts Rumyantsevs and Razumovskys, had such a high quality standard that it was not inferior to the famous French cognacs. That is why Catherine II did not hesitate to present such vodka as a gift to the crowned heads - Frederick II the Great and Gustav III of Sweden. She also sent it as an exquisite and exotic drink to Voltaire, who knew a lot about French wines, without any fear of becoming a victim of his murderous sarcasm.
That is, the high quality of Russian produce produced on noble farms homemade vodka Already in the 18th century, it gained prestige and made it the drink of the “cream of society,” a product with the highest reputation for nutritional purity and medical usefulness.
The development of capitalism in Russia in this regard was disastrous for the people. The thirst for profit contributed to the appearance on the Russian market of cheap varieties of potato and beetroot vodka, which became “folk vodka” and was sold only in whole buckets for takeaway. This contributed to the most unbridled drunkenness. The production of good, clean, high-quality vodka became unprofitable for private capitalists, who were entirely focused on the commercial production of vodka. Moreover, Russian rye vodka began to be systematically exported to Germany in the second half of the 19th century, while cheap potato vodka began to dominate the Russian domestic market as a mass product. That is why even the tsarist government, realizing that the market and market relations in Russia are not capable of regulating the quality of goods, but can only solve the issue of saturating the country with a certain mass of goods, came to the conclusion that it was necessary to introduce centralized production and trade of vodka in the country with constant strict government control against all possible abusers in this matter. This motive explained the introduction of the vodka monopoly in 1894 - 1902. After October revolution 1917, this policy of strict state control was continued and was carried out consistently until 1986. All these 70 years, Soviet state distilleries, the Soviet alcohol and liquor industry used the technological developments of such members of the Commission for the Introduction of a Vodka Monopoly in 1894 - 1902 as D.I. Mendeleev, N. Tavildarov, N.D. Zelinsky et al.
The monopoly state vodka was in Soviet Russia a product of the same high quality as the best samples of vodka from state-owned enterprises pre-revolutionary Russia. At the same time, those vodka companies that were founded in Europe and the USA by Russian emigrants did not possess either Mendeleev’s technological developments or original equipment designed specifically for the production of vodka. They based their activities on typical Western European and American distillation equipment and, therefore, produced well-distilled, conveniently and beautifully packaged, but devoid of the typical features, qualities and properties of Russian vodka. In other words, these were not vodkas, but pseudo-vodkas, because in terms of raw materials, technology, and even such a cheap component as water, they were sharply different from Russian vodka. As is well known, even the excellent quality Finnish vodka “Finlandia”, which uses entirely rye grain and rye malt, nevertheless differs sharply in taste from Russian Moscow vodka. This is explained by the fact that Finnish vodka uses the so-called Vasa roast, the grain of which does not have the characteristic “rye” taste of Russian zhit.
Add to Vasa rye the distillation process and the absence of Russian river water and you will understand why Finnish vodka, with all its high characteristics, is still different from Russian Moscow. Thus, purely biological and purely geographical reasons do not make it possible to reproduce Russian vodka somewhere outside of Russia, because both the equipment and the technological scheme can be reproduced, but it is impossible to artificially create the soft water of Russian forest rivers or the unpredictable climate of Russia, in the fields of which ears of corn are grown. real Russian life. That's why "only vodka from Russia is real Russian vodka
The history of vodka dates back to the 15th century, but there is still no clear answer as to what year vodka appeared and who was the first to prepare this strong alcoholic drink. Despite numerous studies, disputes about the place of origin, as well as the right to the name “vodka,” are still ongoing. One can imagine that in the old days, ties between peoples were close, borders were open, and goods moved freely from country to country, regulated only by supply and demand. The forerunner of the appearance of vodka can be considered aquavita (lat. aqua vitae), brought in by Genoese merchants in the 14th century, that is, alcohol in its modern sense. The liquid was obtained using a distillation cube invented by the Arabs and was undrinkable, as it had a high strength. Aquavita was used mainly for medicinal purposes.
According to one version, the recipe for vodka was invented by the monk of the Chudov Monastery, Isidore. Having at his disposal the necessary distillery equipment as well as experience in making less strong drinks, the monk made a strong drink, which after a while became known as vodka. It was 1430 that can be considered the beginning of vodka production. This fact was confirmed by International Arbitration, which assigned the right to use the name “vodka” to Russia.
It is necessary to clearly and unambiguously define the prescription framework within which vodka falls. The fact is that in past times, and even more so in the present, a fair amount of confusion has accumulated from names, interpretations and all kinds of recipes. All this wealth is called vodka, and only a small part of it is it. Vodka was also called moonshine, alcohol tinctures, and diluted alcohol.
The word “vodka” is quite ancient, and is an ancient diminutive form of the word “water”. The words “folder” and “mother” can be considered one of the few analogues in the modern language that have the same ancient form. From this we can conclude that the word is as ancient as the little changed basic words of the Russian language. This may indicate the ancient roots of the word and, probably, the drink it denotes. For the ancient Slavs, water was not just a liquid, as it is now. Not all water was suitable for drinking, but only living water, that is, running water, spring water, water from fast rivers and streams. This respectful attitude towards water was subsequently reflected in the designation of the pure and strong drink “vodka”. Byzantine wine (9th century) was diluted with water according to Greek tradition; water was one of the main components of honey drinks. Water in a broad sense was one of the elements worshiped by the ancient Slavs.
In the 10th-13th centuries, our ancestors stopped diluting wine with water, and made mead strong (up to 16% alcohol). This love for strong drinks and the gradual depletion of honey supplies prompted them to find new ways to prepare intoxicating drinks. In the 15th century, preserved honey almost completely disappeared, as one of the ancient, but difficult and time-consuming drinks to prepare. Drinks made from honey became popular in Europe and were exported there. At the same time, a certain excess of grain appeared in middle lane Russia. It was these factors that became decisive for the emergence of the first drinks that we could now call vodka.
The word "vodka" did not become common until the middle or even the second half of the 19th century. And only towards the end of the 19th century did this word become quite firmly entrenched in the lexicon; it is found in literary classics, the production of the drink is developed on an industrial scale, and the state takes control over sales, being a monopoly. Until the 19th century, vodka was distributed mainly in the “grain” provinces - Kursk, Oryol, Tambov, Moscow, as well as in the Kharkov and Sumy regions, where surplus grain production was distilled into alcohol.
The appearance of distillation and vodka itself was preceded by the appearance various types mash, fermented kvass and birch. Traditionally, kvass in Rus' was made from bakery waste: crumbs, coarse flour, bran, soured dough. There was a practice of storing kvass wort or grounds in old containers, which made it possible to achieve a stable taste. The fungal culture was formed over centuries and was carefully preserved in households. The strength and richness of kvass was formed using different types cereals and flour. The proportion of three or four types of cereals gave greater strength and richness to kvass, and in our case, raw materials. Sometimes kvass fermented and became intoxicating; later they began to make specially fermented kvass, the strength of which was no less than grape wine. The ancient term “created kvass” is known, which means “made”, “strong”, “intoxicating”. Berezitsa - fermented Birch juice- one of the ancient alcoholic drinks of ancient Europeans and a grain intoxicating drink - beer - were also known in our area, which undoubtedly paved the way for the production of stronger drinks, namely vodka. Created drinks, in other words, obtained through distillation, appear already in the 13th century. However, this is still far from vodka.
Another feature was the use of hops and various herbs, especially wormwood. Intoxicating drinks based on herbs with wormwood were called “green wine” or “potion”. Compared to their European counterparts, Russian drinks had large quantity plant components, and they were laid in the middle or beginning of the process.
So, gradually, in different ways, we approached the process of distilling fermented low-alcohol raw materials into a stronger drink. Sources of that time are silent about the properties, taste and recipe of the vodka of that time, but we can definitely answer that at the end of the 15th century there was already vodka in Russia. Various varieties appeared, differing in purity of purification and technology for removing fusel oils. So “Russian vodka” was the name for purified bread vodka, which was served on the tables of the nobility and sold abroad. “Cherkasy vodka” was of lower quality, had Polish-Ukrainian origin, and was closer to Ukrainian vodka, with an abundance of harmful impurities.
Since 1505, Russian vodka began to be exported to Sweden, Estonia, Peipus, and the lands of the Livonian Order. Since 1533, a state monopoly was introduced on vodka; taxes on sold vodka began to flow into the state treasury. And the “tsar’s taverns” bring significant profits. After such an important decision, vodka standards appear. Firstly, vodka began to be divided into varieties and quality levels with corresponding prices. This suggests that vodka is becoming popular, and the demand for non-strong drinks is growing. At the same time, inevitable side problems with drunkenness appear. Hence the strict government control, especially in cases where low-grade, cheap vodka comes into wide use. Since the end of the 16th century, any trade in vodka has been prohibited, except for state (royal) establishments. In the mid-17th century, due to a sharp decline in the quality of vodka, as well as frequent cases of counterfeiting of the Tsar’s vodka, the so-called “tavern riots” arose, after which the then Tsar, Alexei Mikhailovich, convened a council at which decisive reforms of the drinking industry were carried out. For a very long period from the 16th to the 18th centuries, the preparation of vodka was in the hands of the state. The quality of the drink improved, new varieties appeared, and ways were found to purify vodka from fusel oils. Various raw materials were tried to prepare the initial mash. At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I allowed distillation to anyone, imposing a tax on cubes, that is, units of equipment. Distillery is becoming additional opportunity making money for everyone who grows grain. Rye becomes the main raw material. It is not surprising that the quality of vodka declines at this time.
The term “vodka” appeared in documents only occasionally and as a kind of parallel term. The main name was “bread wine”. The name “vodka” appears in writing in the decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna dated June 8, 1751. This decree clearly defined who could have a distillation cube and who could not. In 1765, Catherine the Second gave the nobility privileges for the production of vodka, exempting those nobles who were involved in distilling from all taxes. However, restrictions were introduced on a different plane: each nobleman had the right to a certain volume of vodka production, according to his title, rank or position. Other classes (merchants, clergy and philistines) were deprived of the right to engage in distilling, and therefore to have income associated with it. In addition, these classes had to buy vodka produced by state distilleries for their needs. The wise decision of the empress led to the fact that competition in this area disappeared for a long time in the country, while at the same time the internal needs of the nobility were satisfied. However, by the end of the 18th century, confusion with new decrees created the ground for abuse, and the “vodka wars” continued. Paul I, who came to power and wanted to restore order, was killed, according to one version, precisely because of his strictness towards the privileges of the nobility in the production of vodka.
A real revolution in the quality of vodka produced occurred at the end of the 18th century, when the St. Petersburg chemist Toviy Lovitz began to use charcoal as a material for purifying alcohol from fusel oils. However, according to other sources, long before this, Russia had already used charcoal, mainly birch, for cleaning. In January 1865, Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev defended doctoral dissertation“On the combination of alcohol with water,” in which he proposed using a 40% alcohol share in vodka. This landmark study forever established a 40% alcohol solution as the standard for vodka. And to this day this ratio is used as the ideal one. In 1894 Russian government patents vodka with 40% alcohol content, passed through a charcoal filter, as national Russian vodka with the name “Moscow Special”.
Russian history knows several prohibitions on the consumption of strong alcoholic drinks and especially vodka. In the 20th century there were 2 such bans: in the First World War When the Russian government issued a decree to suspend the sale of vodka (1914-1918), this decree was extended into the early Soviet period (1918-1924). The second large-scale ban on the sale of alcohol was already in the perestroika era (1986-1990).
Vodka has always been a strategic product. Vodka sales have always supported the country's economy. The drink was exported, and on the domestic market, the constant popularity of vodka made its production not just profitable, but very profitable business. By 1937, the main recipes and types of Soviet vodkas appeared; alcohol was produced only from grain and purified with charcoal. A large amount of exported vodka brought the country the necessary money. Accordingly, the quality of the products was the highest. After the Great Patriotic War, vodka production resumed, and at the same time production technology improved. Sand-quartz filters for alcohol purification and cation filters for water softening appeared. By 1967, the export of vodka increased even more, and increasingly stringent requirements were imposed on quality. The proportion of impurities in rectified alcohol was thousandths of a percent or 1-2 ppm. Since 1971, 2 new varieties appeared in the USSR - “Posolskaya” and “Sibirskaya”, which, in addition to the existing and proven varieties “Stolichnaya”, “Extra” and “Moskovskaya Special”, began to be produced both for the domestic market and for export. The quality of Russian vodkas has always been highly valued abroad, and it was during this period that fierce competition arose with Western producers Absolut and Smirnoff.
Like any strong drink with ancient history, vodka requires drinking culture. It is traditionally believed that you should drink vodka in one gulp, “without breathing.” However, this method comes from drinking low-grade vodka, the taste of which is truly unenviable. But drinking good Russian vodka in one gulp means showing disrespect for the drink. If this is a worthy representative of high-quality Russian vodkas, then after cooling it to the required temperature and pouring the vodka into a glass, it is good to sip it in small portions, passing the drink through the mouth, releasing it further and passing it to the esophagus.
Any alcoholic drink is worthy of evaluation of its taste. Vodka is no exception. Firstly, the vodka must be cold. Not too much so as not to “burn with cold”, but not warm either. The optimal temperature is 8 - 10 °C. It is not customary to dilute vodka, unless it is part of a cocktail. You can drink vodka or have a snack. For example, you can drink mineral water Borjomi. It is this type of mineral water that is better than others for these purposes, because the pH of Borjomi is similar to the pH of blood. This combination allows you to slightly lower your blood alcohol concentration. Two types of snacks are recommended as snacks for vodka - cold and hot. The latter are rare, but preferable, since with good hot snacks a person gets drunk slowly and can control the situation quite clearly. Cold appetizers are better than having none at all.
The centuries-old traditions of drinking vodka in Russia have the same long-standing “snack food traditions”. Vegetable, mushroom, meat and fish dishes are worthy of proximity to Russian vodka. Pickled vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, as well as a whole battery of mushroom pickles are perfect with vodka as a snack. Just look at the famous Novgorod pickled cucumbers, traditionally prepared in large oak barrels. Mushrooms were always pickled in the same barrels. In Russia, with its abundance of rivers, fish was much more accessible than meat, and it is the abundance of fish snacks that suggests that this combination of “fish and vodka” has been tested for centuries and can be successfully used today. The whole variety of river fish is now being expanded marine species fish The famous herring has long been a strong leader among fish snacks. Classic dishes of Russian cuisine include savory pancakes with various fillings, such as caviar, Siberian dumplings, and sauerkraut.
It is not customary to mix vodka with other types of alcohol. Vodka really doesn't like mixing. Any experiments in drinking vodka together with beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages end in best case scenario headache. There are several tips on how to avoid excessive intoxication or a severe morning hangover, or simply poisoning.
Tip one: drink in moderation and little by little. No matter how trivial it may sound, vodka is a very strong and insidious drink. Usually when small quantity snacks or in the absence of them, vodka is drunk easily, and you don’t feel intoxicated. However, when a person gets up from the table, vodka immediately reminds of itself with a strong effect, but the moment is missed, the careless vodka lover is drunk and is not able to control himself. Physiologically, this is easily explained - while sitting, the stomach is compressed and vodka, getting inside, may not touch the walls of the stomach, and therefore not be absorbed. It is recommended to drink with long pauses and periodically get up from the table. This way you can assess your condition much more accurately.
Tip two: drink only proven, high-quality vodka. It is known that the miser pays twice. In relation to vodka, this can be “three times”. Low-quality vodka can be poison for both the body and the mind.
Tip three: BEFORE the feast, eat a little of what you planned to eat along with your favorite drink. Better yet, eat some fatty or oily foods.
Tip four: tea and only tea. This drink has always helped both before and after heavy drinking. Before the feast, a cup of strong tea will protect your stomach from the first portions of vodka, which irritate the walls. At the same time, it will create a kind of buffer, a gradual rather than sudden intoxication. After the feast, a few cups of green tea will relieve heaviness in the stomach and refresh. Of course, tea does not relieve hops, but it significantly helps remove alcohol from the body. First of all, it helps your kidneys, as tea has diuretic properties.
And finally, information for your information:
- remember that mixing vodka with any soda, and therefore with carbon dioxide, increases the absorption of alcohol.
- Smoking makes you more intoxicated.
- mixing with sweet liqueurs, liqueurs, etc. leads to a severe hangover.
- don’t go out into the cold while drunk and “ Fresh air", instead of the necessary freshness, intoxication may intensify! It is enough to open the window and simply ventilate the room.
- remember that strong alcohol gradually gains its strength (concentration in the blood) and the peak of intoxication occurs only after an hour of consumption!
- if you feel like you are losing consciousness from drinking alcohol, do not hesitate to ask for help or try to empty your stomach in any way known to you. It's possible that this poor quality product, and there is no reason to take risks.
Despite all the insidiousness, one should not blame vodka for anything. Let's stick to one simple rule: vodka is a festive drink that gives people fun and a feeling of satisfaction, and you should drink it only on a holiday and only of the best quality. Be moderate and stay healthy!