Vodka history of origin. Who invented alcohol and how did vodka appear?

18.10.2021

Vodka and Russia in the mass consciousness - the concepts are almost identical. Not a single event, both joyful and sorrowful, can do without this strong alcoholic drink. Traditionally considered an integral part of Russian culture.

Despite this, many interesting facts about the origin of vodka, its connections with the history of our country, the culture of consumption of the drink, remain a secret behind seven seals. Let's take a short excursion into the past and figure out what is true and what is stereotyped, not confirmed by historical sources.

Is Russia the birthplace of vodka?

In fact, it’s not that simple. Russia got acquainted with the predecessor of vodka, a product of the distillation of fermented grape juice called "aqua vitae" (water of life) relatively recently, only in the 14th century. For the first time, he was brought to Moscow by the Genoese ambassador, who was leaving for Lithuania on commercial matters. This strong alcoholic drink did not make much impression on the Russian courtiers of that time. Much more popular were honey and, "aqua vitae" came to be used mainly as a medicine.

According to legend, the first vodka producer in Russia was the monk of the Chudov monastery Isidor. It is he who is credited with the authorship of the creation of a completely new strong alcoholic drink. The originality of the drink was that it was produced only on the basis of grain raw materials. It is grain that is the exclusive drink of the Russian state.

The first patented Russian national vodka was in 1894, containing 40 parts by weight of ethyl alcohol and passed through a charcoal filter. In 1953, vodka of this brand was awarded the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Bern.

Vodka is bread wine.

Name "vodka" appeared much later than the alcohol itself.

Vodka is a diminutive form of the word "water", i.e. "little water", "little water". The drink received this name for its crystal purity and transparency, mystery and simplicity at the same time.

For a long time, vodka was called "Wine" adding various epithets to this term:

"boiled wine" and "digest" - one of the first names associated with the production of vodka;

"bread wine" - the common name for vodka in the second half of the 17th century;

"Orzhanoye Vintso", "Zhitnaya Wine" - the designation of vodka until the middle of the 19th century;

"green wine", "intoxicating wine", "harmful potion" - folklore, colloquial terms;

"bitter wine" - vodka with bitter herbs, later - a synonym for a miserable life.

"burning, burnt wine", "hot wine" - Ukrainian "vodka";

"tavern" - vodka of illegal production, that is, moonshine.

Vodka in the history of Russia.

As a Russian national drink, it has played an important role in the history of the country.

In the time of Catherine II, when the highest quality vodka was first obtained, its price was several times higher than the price of the rarest cognacs in France. All the monarchs of the world considered it an honor to receive such a drink as a gift. The great Swedish botanist Karl Linnaeus, having tasted the Russian national strong drink, wrote a whole study on vodka: "Vodka is in the hands of a philosopher, doctor and commoner. An interesting work for everyone," published in 1790. Russian vodka was highly appreciated by Emmanuel Kant, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Voltaire.

After the Napoleonic Wars, vodka was brought to France, where it had tremendous success as a noble drink of the country's liberators from the tyrant Bonaparte.

Many famous Russian noble families lived on income from vodka production... Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin had the opportunity to get an education at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum thanks to the distillery in Boldino, owned by his grandfather, Lev Alexandrovich Pushkin.

All over the world it has the status elite high quality drink which is in great demand on the world market.

Isabella Likhareva

Many foreigners associate vodka with Russia, is it really a national drink? Who invented vodka? Many people may be interested in this question.

It is known that back in the Middle Ages, conducting various experiments, alcohol was discovered in Europe, which is associated with alchemists. But regarding vodka, many believe that it was invented in Russia.

Indeed, the well-known chemist Dmitry Mendeleev came up with the ideal ratio of water and alcohol - 40% to 60%. Does this mean that he invented vodka?

How mankind discovered alcohol for itself, no one knows. Archaeologists found out that the Papuans of new Guinea could not yet light a fire, but they already knew how to make intoxicating drinks. The earliest graphic mentions of wines were recorded in the 4th millennium BC. NS. Shards of clay vessels with remnants of wine traces on them date back to an even earlier period. But, spirits in those days were not invented yet.

The distillation of liquids was first described by the greatest philosopher of Ancient Greece - Aristotle, born in 384 BC. NS. One must think that similar experiments on the extraction of alcohol were carried out before, there is simply no documentary evidence of this.

The first drink resembling vodka was invented by the Persian physician Ar-Razi. Distillation of alcohol-containing elements made it possible to identify ethyl alcohol. This gave rise to the emergence of alcoholic beverages.

But the Arabs did not take alcohol by mouth, it was used as medical and cosmetic products.

Reference! What year was vodka invented? It is believed that an Arab doctor invented an alcohol-based drink in 860 - then it was used only for medicinal purposes.

In the Middle Ages, alchemists developed and improved various techniques and methods of distilling fermenting raw materials into the “soul of wine”. Who was the first to invent alcohol, probably, will forever remain a mystery to mankind.

The unsolvable controversy of scientists

The Italians invented the distillation apparatus in the 9th century. Around the same time, the secret of obtaining spiritus blame was revealed to scientists in other countries. Doctor, scientist, alchemist - the Frenchman Arnaud de Villger became the founder of the extraction of wine alcohol in Europe, he was able to separate alcohol from fermenting raw materials. The idea was picked up by the monks of France and then Italy. In 1360, a rare church economy did not actively trade in the "water of life".

Vodka in its literal sense was invented by the Poles. Then they called the drink bread wine and used it as a medicinal tincture. It was in the distant Middle Ages. All adult citizens of the country could produce and sell such vodka. The word itself also comes from the Polish language, which means "water", Wikipedia also mentions this.

In the 16th century, Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the boyars to secure a monopoly on the production of this drink.

But the myth about the origin of vodka arose during the Soviet Union, when the well-known culinary specialist William Pokhlebkin published the book "The History of Vodka". It says that the alcoholic drink appeared in Moscow when Russia was under the yoke of the Golden Horde. Many researchers argued about who invented vodka. Fierce discussions continue today. Wikipedia, for example, displays the conflict between Pokhlebkin and Pidzhakov. The latter, as evidence of the false theory of the scientist-researcher, refers to the absence of any direct documents confirming this fact. There is no historical evidence that unequivocally gives an answer to who invented vodka and when exactly the discovery was made. Many professors and just amateurs are still trying to find the answer to this question.

There is no reliable data on this fact, therefore the version is classified as false. But in the minds of many people the idea was fixed that vodka appeared precisely on the Russian land.

A little about the product

Vodka has the following components:

Water- the main component;
Ethanol;
Methyl alcohol- a dangerous component, however, it is contained in small doses even in the best grades of alcohol;
Fusel oils- their presence indicates the low quality of the product.

The taste of classic vodka is characterized as pungent and bitter. In some species, various flavors are added to soften the aqueous-alcoholic composition. This can be pepper, cinnamon, chocolate (no sugar), vanilla, etc.

Reference! What is classic vodka made of? The raw materials for it are potatoes or cereals, purified water.

Many Russian poets and writers glorified vodka, for example, Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote: "It's better to die from vodka than from boredom!"

Aureliy Markov is the author of the words: "A bottle of excellent vodka is a good substitute for knowledge of foreign languages."

The emergence of an alcoholic beverage based on alcohol in Russia

A prototype of vodka was brought to Russia in the 14th century, when a merchant from Genoa delivered "Aqua Vitae" or "Living Water". This was back in 1386.

Alchemists from the Provence region had by that time learned how to convert grape must into alcohol, like an Arab alembic.

Reference!"Alcohol" in translation from the Latin language means spirit. In Russia, vodka was called bread wine, since it was made from cereals of wheat, rye, and barley.

Despite the fact that the concept of vodka in Russia already existed, it was precisely as the trade name of this drink that it sounded only in the USSR. This happened in 1936 according to GOST.

The basis was taken alcohol-rectified, made from raw materials based on grain or potatoes. Subsequently, in Russia, vodka began to be produced only on the basis of grain crops.

The massive planting of vodka began during the time of Ivan the Terrible, this was done to replenish the royal treasury. Sometimes people were forcibly forced to buy this drink, and, by the way, it cost a lot.

Before the distribution of vodka, Russian people did not drink strong alcoholic drinks, preferring:

mead,
weak berry wines,
beer.

Ivan IV forbade, on pain of death, the production of alcoholic beverages at home.

As a result, the tsar's treasury was replenished, but people for a long time considered selling vodka shameful, and drunkards were not respected either. But gradually Russian society began to decay. There was such a thing as an alcoholic.

Reference. Many have heard of the concept of "Tsarskaya vodka". But you can't drink it. The composition includes hydrochloric and nitric acid. Their goal is to dissolve gold. The liquid has no color, later the solution turns orange.

There are many interesting facts in history regarding this popular drink in Russia. To learn more about it, you can visit the Vodka History Museum located in Moscow.

It covers the history of this drink for 500 years, presents 600 types of vodka, other related exhibits. Similar museums, but with fewer exhibits, are open to visitors in Uglich (RF), St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, Kharkov.

Truthfulness of the expression "drinking in buckets"

Popular expression "Drink vodka in buckets" has a historical meaning. Since in the time of Catherine II, this drink was sold in buckets of 12.3 liters.

Back in 1533, the first establishment was opened where you could have a couple of glasses of a strong drink, by the way, vodka was sold there as an elite drink. Bottled vodka was sold later in 1894.

Penalty glass

Where did the concept of penalty vodka come from? It turns out in Ancient Greece, and this is back in the 4-5 centuries BC. the inhabitants loved to host feasts.

The number of food and drinks was not limited, but there were certain rules of etiquette, according to which a person who was late for a feast had to pay a fine.

Sale patent

In 1894, the government in Russia opened a patent for the sale a domestic drink called "Moskovskaya Osobennaya", where 40 parts by weight of ethyl alcohol were passed through carbon filtration.

This drink has become Russian national brand.

Toast to health

The concept of "toast to health" appeared in the time of Ivan the Terrible, when various medicinal tinctures were made with alcohol, based on berries and medicinal herbs.

Reference! Such strong drinks were taken only for medicinal purposes.

Medal for drunkenness

The heaviest award in the world was the Medal for Drunkenness, which was established by Peter I. It was in 1714.

So the king came up with a panacea for alcoholism.

The emphasis was on the inscription, which informed everyone around about the status of the drunkard and the weight of the award.
Considering the collar and medals, such an insignia weighed 8 kilograms.
"Rewarding" was carried out by the police. The medal was attached to the neck in such a way that it was impossible to remove it.
A person had to pass a week with a similar label, this was enough to realize his actions.

About Mendeleev

The creation of vodka is associated with the Russian chemist Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev.

Reference! Indeed, he presented to his fellow scientists a thesis entitled "On the combination of alcohol with water." But the work has nothing to do with vodka and the establishment of a strength of 40%.

Until 1886, the standard strength of this alcohol-containing drink was established in Russia as 38.3%. But since it was also envisaged that the vodka would "shrink" so that it had guaranteed 38 degrees, it was decided to round this number to 40%.

DI Mendeleev himself took the concept of metrology as the basis of his work, and not the goal of creating an alcoholic beverage.

Science on guard of health

Allergy to alcohol. A diagnosis that sounds like a curse. If gluten is recognized as an undesirable component for the body, there is hope for salvation. Today, many world vodka producers, knowing the number of people with aversion to cereal grain protein, are releasing alternatives. What is this vodka made of? Alcohol is extracted from potatoes, grapes, fruits.

According to the regulations of the European Union, any vegetable crops are considered acceptable for the production of vodka.

No alcohol law

Even under Mikhail Gorbachev, a dry law was introduced. But it turns out that in Russia this was done several times.

The first stage took place in 1914. With the coming of the Bolsheviks to power, a number of laws were also passed regarding the reduction of vodka production.

The next ban was introduced in 1960. It was from this time that moonshine and other surrogates produced in an underground manner became popular.

Sales ban in regions

Currently, some regions of Russia have their own procedures regarding alcoholic beverages.

So, for example, in the Ulyanovsk region, alcoholic beverages are not sold on Saturday and Sunday, as well as every day after 20:00.
Dagestan has established legislation prohibiting the sale of alcohol on certain holidays.
In Yakutia, they went even further, here alcohol is not sold, starting at 20:00 and until 14:00 the next day.

Culture of consumption and presentation

Slavic peoples most often drink pure vodka, Europeans and Americans usually use strong alcohol to make cocktails. The most delicious, revealing its specific, burning bouquet, will be vodka chilled to 7-10 °. It is poured into glasses containing no more than 50 grams. It is not customary to add water to alcohol, vodka is considered completely ready to drink. For the same reason, ice is not put in it.

Drinking vodka is not a sign of bad taste or a violation of alcohol ethics. Alkaline mineral water is a good option for this. It reduces the concentration of alcohol in the blood, prevents strong intoxication. This is followed by vegetable and fruit juices, pickles, compotes. Because of the carbon dioxide content, sugary carbonated drinks accelerate the absorption of alcohol. The punishment for betrayal of vodka and the use of other drinks after it will be a painful hangover. In extreme cases, they drink it after weaker products: wine, liquor, but not vice versa.

Good vodka is a noble drink. You should not drink it hastily, the varieties differ in aromas, taste, and pungency. If a decent snack is not expected to be consumed, it is advisable to eat a hearty meal the day before. Fatty, hearty dishes weaken the intoxicating effect of vodka and allow you to drink it with pleasure, without fear of suddenly disappearing into oblivion.

What is served with vodka for a snack?

You can talk about it for a long time, but many people like to just drink it. But, everything is good in moderation. And yet, a special snack is needed for vodka. The famous Leopold Staff also jokingly said:

“Vodka should be drunk only in two cases: when there is a snack, and when it is not. But it is better to have a good snack with this strong drink. "

Previously, it was believed that it should be various dishes, such as sausages, caviar, sturgeon, salmon, pickled mushrooms, dumplings or pancakes.

In later times, not so nourishing, people were content with pickles, green onions, and boiled potatoes as a snack.

She is good with first courses: homemade noodles in chicken broth, red borsch, soups, fish soup. It is not customary to put vodka on the table at the same time as:

melon;
sweet dishes, chocolate.
watermelon;

From the point of view of health, fried fatty meats, hot peppers, horseradish, and adjika are poorly combined with alcohol. These products additionally load the digestive system and the liver, "distracting" them from neutralizing alcohol in the blood. Vegetables canned with vinegar (pickled), unlike salted counterparts, create an extra stressful situation for the kidneys.

Watch a video about who actually came up with vodka:

Hello dear readers of my blog! After the last holiday, I thought: why did they come up with vodka, and who invented alcohol? It turned out that alcoholic beverages have been known since the Middle Ages.

For the first time they were received by alchemists in experiments on the invention of the philosopher's stone, they derived a formula for a new substance, having tasted which, endowed with miraculous properties and called living water.

The ideal percentage of 40% alcohol and 60% water was made by the famous Russian chemist-inventor Dmitry Mendeleev. Now let's take a closer look at the history of the creation of the most famous alcoholic drink.

What led to the emergence of alcoholic beverages

It is possible to get alcohol from any fermentation products. The body also produces alcohols after consuming fermented milk products or fruits.

Of course, the human body cannot be reproduced, but under artificial conditions it became possible to obtain alcohol only after the invention of a device that could provide the distillation of fermented products. It is based on evaporation with further condensation of vapors into an alcohol solution (distillation process).

Information about the discoverers is contradictory. From some sources it is known that the distillation of mash was discovered in Central Asia by the Arabs. This discovery is attributed even before the tenth century.

Others, it is quite reasonable, believe that the alchemists of the Middle Ages, trying to find the philosopher's stone, easily invented the distillation process, which was later called distillation.

Who came up with the name

The first information about alcohol has been found since the Middle Ages. The name comes from the Latin word spiritus, which means soul. The discovery of alcohol is associated with the distillation of wine, which was used for alchemy. Wine was made long before strong drinks were obtained.

The name "vodka" was first coined in Moscow at the end of the nineteenth century. Before that, the drink obtained from wine was called boiled, bitter or bread wine.

Who opened the first pub in Moscow

In the fifteenth century, the production of bread wine was monopolized by John III. And already Ivan the Terrible opened the first drinking establishment - "Tsarev tavern". The menu included only a few types of vodka. No snacks were sold, resulting in very rapid drunkenness. From this time, the statistics of robberies, injuries and corruption on the basis of drunkenness begins.

In 1649, they began to fight drunkenness in Russia. A royal decree was created, which raises the price of vodka several times, and regulates the sale of only one glass (143.5 g) per person. The law had no force in society.

Catherine's reform

Taking care of the treasury during the Great Northern War, Peter the Great imposes a tax on the production and sale of vodka. Already Catherine II exempted producers of alcoholic beverages from taxes, but vodka had to be produced by a special method and only by the upper class. The rest of society could only buy it.

From now on, vodka, after distillation, was purified with coagulants. Proteins were used as cleansers, usually milk or egg proteins. The essence of the method: the protein, getting into the alcohols, begins to curdle together with the fusel oils contained in it.

The resulting mixture precipitated, which constituted a significant part of the product. Six liters of purified vodka accounts for a liter of milk or half a liter of egg whites.

Then they came up with special flavors in the vodka composition. At that time, these were natural additives from anise, lemon, pepper, mint, dill and others.

The name corresponded to the added products: Anise, Lemon, Horseradish, Dill. The wealthy estates had an entire list of products: from A to Z. Cocktails from various types of vodka were in vogue.

The measure "half a liter" was also invented in Russia. Its predecessor is a damask (1.23 l). There was an exact measure of weight: the mass of a bucket of vodka was 30 pounds. This eliminated tampering because water is heavier than alcohol, which increases the overall weight.

The emergence of strong alcohol in Europe

In 1881, vodka became one of the main exported products in Russia. For the first time it was presented in France, where it fell to the taste of the most sophisticated society. After 10 years, Nikolai the First abolished the state monopoly of alcoholic beverages in Russia.

This led to the enrichment of a certain circle of people. Since 1851, a tax-excise system has been introduced. The state produces alcohol and sells it to tax dealers. Then the excise system was introduced.

The inaccessibility of high-quality goods for the lower strata led to the fact that they came up with production from low-quality potato raw materials. This caused an increase in alcoholism and hit the health of the nation, which lowered incomes and led to fraud.

Since 1881, the state began to develop measures to combat drunkenness:

They were allowed to sell vodka in small portions (previously, “take-away” drinks were poured into buckets, because bottles were not produced in Russia).
They were obliged to sell alcoholic beverages in establishments where they prepared snack dishes (taverns).

Subsequently, high-quality rye vodka was produced for export, and in Russia they were content with a cheap potato substitute.

Mendeleev "nahimichil"

In order to improve the quality of the domestic product, in 1894 the production of vodka was transferred to state enterprises. A program was created, designed for several years, and a commission headed by the famous chemist Mendeleev. The tasks were set:

Develop technologies for deep cleaning of the product;
Promote the culture of correct vodka consumption;
Improve conditions in public catering facilities.

In general, the measures were supposed to lead to the elimination of home brewing and reduce the harmful effects.

Special merits in the development of a high-quality drink belong to Mendeleev. He investigated the reactions that occur when vodka is combined with water. For the first time, it has been proven that as a result of mixing vodka with water, a decrease in volume occurs.

Therefore, the greater the degree, the smaller the volume. For example, mixing alcohol with an equal amount of water will result in less volume than usual. Mendeleev invented a formula for mixing vodka with water based on the mass of substances.

He proved that for an ideal ratio, there should be three H2O per alcohol molecule. The greatest compression is obtained at a ratio of 45.88% alcohol to 54.12% water. This gives a 40 degree drink, which can only be obtained by measuring the ingredients by volume.

The weight of a liter of quality vodka is 953 grams. An increase in weight leads to a decrease in strength and vice versa. The quality standard of vodka was patented in Russia in 1894, its name is “Moscow special”.

The measures taken led to the streamlining of trade (it was conducted strictly in time), filling the budget and reducing drunkenness.

This is how vodka, which is known in the modern world, was produced. The history of its creation is long and tragic, intertwined with immense enrichment and poverty. Use this product with health benefits. Subscribe to my blog, leave reviews, and share recipes for strong, healthy drinks.

All the best!

Probably everyone knows what vodka is, but the history of its appearance on the territory of Eastern Europe and the subsequent evolution to the form in which it is known now resembles more a collection of myths and legends than reliable historical facts.

There are many versions about who and when invented vodka, one of the most widespread is that it was allegedly the work of D. I. Mendeleev, but this is not so, and there are many weighty historical facts to refute this theory, but about this more details below.

Prototype and first mention

Before starting the story about where and when vodka appeared in Russia, it must be said that the word itself is derived from the word water according to the same principle as the rarely used forms of the words mom and dad - mother and folder. Thus, the name itself does not have an initial connection to alcohol based on cereals or potatoes, but is associated with water.

But if we consider the historically formed product obtained during the distillation of mash on the basis of such raw materials, then the ancestor of vodka in the territories of Eastern Europe can be considered "bread wine", it is also "bread alcohol", in our time, a very close drink to it is —bread vodka— ...

This alcoholic drink appeared approximately between the second half of the 14th and the first half of the 15th centuries, until that moment alcohol based on grain or their products through distillation on the territory of present-day Russia or neighboring states, which then constituted a single state, had not been produced.

A possible reason for the creation of "bread wine" was the visit of the Genoese embassy in 1386. Along with them, the Italians brought a very high-quality strong alcoholic drink called "Aqua Vitae", which literally translates as "water of life".

In terms of organoleptic properties, it significantly surpassed any of the then available alcoholic beverages of the type — honey — or, which was associated with its production through a full-fledged distillation, which was open by that time in Italy.

If we talk about when vodka first appeared on earth as a water-alcohol solution obtained by distillation, then the Arabs already in the 7th-8th centuries produced such a product, but for medicinal purposes, and not for everyday use, which is prohibited by the Koran.

Inception

There are several versions, each of which has its own arguments and facts in its support, the main ones can be considered the versions of Pokhlebkin and Pidzhakov.

Pokhlebkin's version

According to his calculations, based mostly on indirect indicators, professional distilling and vodka production appeared between the 1440s and 1470s, while the latest date, according to him, is 1478. As the main evidence of the beginning of the mass production of alcohol, namely, mass production, according to Pokhlebkin, should be a criterion for the emergence of the industry, the introduction of specific taxation and the beginning of a state monopoly on this type of alcohol both within the state and in foreign trade can be considered. So, in 1474 a ban was introduced on the import and trade of "grain spirit" for German traders, which is reflected in the Pskov chronicles.

Pidzhakov's version

In his opinion, Pokhlebkin's assessments are too optimistic and there is no direct confirmation of them in the annals. Thus, Pidzhakov comes to the conclusion that in the 15th century there was no distillation either on the territory of the Muscovy or on the territory of the neighboring Lithuanian principality.

At the same time, he interprets the encountered word "digest" as referring to beer, and only a single mention of "melted wine" in one of the minor historical documents can be regarded as a mention of vodka, that is, there was no mass distillation, perhaps there was an experimental single production.

The first reliable source indicating that the alcoholic drink was produced in large volumes, in his opinion, is the "Treatise on the Two Sarmatias" by Matthew Mikhovsky from 1517. It says that the inhabitants of Muscovy "from oats ... make a burning liquid or alcohol and drink to escape ... from the cold." A later reference from 1525 testifies that "in Muscovy ... they drink beer and vodka, as we see it with the Germans and Poles."

The emergence of the 40-degree standard

In the period preceding the appearance of alcohol meters in the Russian Empire, the strength of "bread alcohol" was measured by means of an annealing procedure. If half of the liquid burned out when the liquid was set on fire, then such a drink was called "half-burn". Her fortress corresponded to 38% and was a production standard, it was from here, and not from any research, that the "legendary" norm of a water-alcohol solution appeared.

In 1817, the "semi-solid" strength of the drink became recommended, and in 1843, when the corresponding law was adopted, it became the official standard, but with a slight change, it was rounded up to 40%. Firstly, during production it is much easier to mix weight fractions of 4 to 6, and not 38 to 62, and if we take into account that serious punishment was due for violation of standards, then it was also safer for manufacturers.

And secondly, the excise tax was taken from each degree, and it is much more convenient to count round numbers, for which the Treasury advocated. In addition, 2% of the stock was a guarantee that in the event of shrinkage, leakage or slight dilution, the consumer would still receive a drink with a "semi-solid" strength.

This is how the historical statement of the strength of the aqueous-alcoholic solution, then called "table wine", was made at the level of 40%, which was formalized in the "Charter on drinking fees", which was approved on December 6, 1886. At the same time, the standard fixed only the lower limit, leaving the upper limit of the strength of the drink at the discretion of the manufacturer.

The emergence of modern recipes and production technology

With the start of the technical revolution in the second half of the 19th century, there was a need and an opportunity to produce alcohol in large quantities. First of all, the chemical industry, perfumery and medicine needed it. For this purpose, distillation columns were invented, which gave not only a lot, but also better, the obtained alcohol had 96% and a high degree of purification. In the Russian Empire, this technique appeared in the 1860s, while most of the rectified material was exported.

At the same time, the distillery industry began producing "table wine", which was a solution of rectified in water and, in fact, was the prototype of a modern strong drink. If you ask the question, who invented vodka from the point of view of its modern composition, then it was a technical committee led by M.G. Kucherov and V.V. Verigo, who developed both the recipe and the production technology, which remains the standard to this day, and then the drink received the name "state wine".

In 1914, the war began, and with it the "dry law", which lasted even after the communists came to power until 1924. In 1936, already in the USSR, the standard of a water-alcohol solution was approved, which was essentially identical to the work of Kucherov and Verigo, and the drink finally received the name vodka, and what was called "vodka" in tsarist times was renamed "vodka products".

Vodka and Mendeleev: truth and myths

In what form do not the myths circulate that Mendeleev invented 40-degree vodka, for example, the famous brand " the commission that developed and approved this standard. The "factual" basis for such stories is the work of the great scientist, entitled "On the combination of alcohol with water."

In this connection, he is considered the father of Russian vodka, although back in 1843 a 40-degree standard was established in the Russian Empire, when Mendeleev was only nine years old. His thesis contains information mainly on aqueous solutions of alcohol at 70 degrees or more, which is more important, there are no experiments at all on the effect of alcohol on the body, its organoleptic properties or the ideal formula of an alcohol solution for internal consumption.

By its very nature, a scientist's work is more about metrics than any other branch of knowledge. At the time of the introduction of the 40-degree norm, Dmitry Ivanovich studied at the gymnasium, which makes it impossible for him to participate in making such a historically significant decision. As for the aforementioned vodka commission in 1894, such was formed, but in 1895 at the direction of S. Yu. Witte.

At the same time, Mendeleev himself took part in it, but not as a permanent member at the meetings, but at the very end, as a speaker, but on the topic of excise duty, and not the composition of the drink.

Instead of an afterword

As with any sensitive topic, the history of the emergence of vodka is shrouded in many myths and legends, this is not due to someone's evil will, who wants to mislead, but for the sake of embellishment, which is typical for many of us.

Often in reality, the situation is more pragmatic and measured than in stories of a miraculous insight or a sudden discovery, which turns the story into a series of boring and mostly mercantilely grounded phenomena.

So "bread wine" appeared only due to the fact that the ruling stratum saw the possibility of making a profit from monopoly sales, and 40 degrees is a convenient rounding-off option that has turned up, offered by almost accountants.

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 that day back in 1865 in St. Petersburg.

The first vodka recipes appeared in Russia 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" a forty-degree vodka.

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.

"Thief of the mind"

Alcohol has been called the "mind thief" since ancient times. People learned about the intoxicating properties of alcoholic beverages about 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 cultural agriculture. The famous traveler Miklouho-Maclay observed the Papuans of New Guinea, who did not yet know how to make fire, but already knew the techniques of making intoxicated drinks.

The Arabs began to receive 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 Ragez in 860. The distillation of wine to obtain alcohol sharply aggravated 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 subsequently entered the code of Muslim laws - the Koran, and since then, for 12 centuries, alcohol has not been consumed in Muslim countries, and the apostates of this law were severely punished. Despite this, the cult of wine still flourished and was sung in poetry in the countries of Asia.

In the Middle Ages in Western Europe, they also learned to obtain strong alcoholic beverages by distilling wine and other fermenting sugary liquids. The first to carry out this operation was the Italian alchemist monk Valentius.

Bottles of Riga vodka produced by A. Wolfschmidt plant

Having tasted the resulting product, which intoxicated him, the alchemist said that he had discovered a miraculous elixir that makes the old man young, tired, cheerful, yearning cheerful.

Since then, spirits have quickly spread throughout the countries of the world, primarily due to the constantly growing industrial production of alcohol from cheap raw materials - potatoes, sugar production waste, and so on.

Alcohol so quickly entered everyday life that practically not one artist, writer or poet did not ignore this topic.

The volatile liquid obtained as a result of the distillation of the fermented wort was perceived as a concentrate - the "spirit" of wine (in Latin spiritus vini), hence the modern name of this substance in many languages, including in Russian - "alcohol".

Russian vodka

In Russia, vodka appeared 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 to Moscow by foreigners in 1429 - as a universal medicine. At the court of Prince Vasily II, the liquid was apparently appreciated, however, due to its strength, they preferred to dilute it with water. Historians suggest that the idea of brewing alcohol was the impetus for the production of Russian vodka, but from grain.

The method of production of vodka became presumably known in Russia in the second half of the 15th century. According to one version, the vodka recipe was invented by Isidor, a monk of the Chudov Monastery. Having the necessary distilling equipment, as well as experience in making less strong drinks, the monk made a strong drink, which later became known as vodka.

So the beginning of vodka production can be considered the year 1430 - this fact was confirmed by the International Arbitration, which secured the right to use the name "vodka" for Russia.

The production of vodka in Russia in mass quantities began in the middle of the 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 derived from "water". At the same time, in the old days, the terms wine, 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.

The dynasties of Russian "vodka kings", breeders, were laid in the Petrine era. In 1716, the first emperor of All Russia offered the noble and merchant classes the exclusive right to engage in distillation on their lands.

In the middle of the 18th century, the production of vodka in Russia, along with state-owned factories, was occupied by noble landowners, owners of estates scattered throughout the country. Russian "home" vodkas produced by the Kurakin princes, the Sheremetevs, the Rumyantsevs and others enjoyed an excellent reputation.

Manufacturers sought to achieve a high degree of vodka purification, using natural animal proteins for this - milk and egg white.

The state standard for vodka was first introduced in Russian history at the end of the 19th century. This was largely facilitated by the research of famous chemists Nikolai Zelinsky and Dmitry Mendeleev, members of the commission on the introduction of the vodka monopoly.

Mendeleev's merit lies in the fact that he developed the composition of vodka, which was supposed to correspond in strength to forty degrees. "Mendeleevsky" version of vodka in 1894 was patented in Russia as "Moscow special" (later - "Special").

Vodka with fruits.

Vodka is perceived as a national symbol of Russia, along with samovar, balalaika, matryoshka, caviar. Remaining until the end of the 20th century one of the most widespread Russian national drinks, vodka served as the basis for a huge number of tinctures, the preparation of which has become a special branch of home production in Russia.

Monopoly

The state (tsarist) monopoly on the production and sale of vodka has been introduced in Russian history several times.

In 1533, the first "tsar's tavern" was opened in Moscow, and the entire vodka trade became the prerogative of the tsarist administration. In 1819, Alexander I re-introduced the state monopoly, which existed until 1828.

In Russia, since 1894, a state monopoly was periodically introduced, which was strictly observed in 1906-1913.

The state monopoly on vodka existed throughout the entire period of Soviet power (formally - from 1923), while the technology of production of the drink was improved, and its quality was at an invariably high level.

In 1992, by decree of the President of Russia 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 returned the monopoly, but the state was unable to strictly control its implementation.

No alcohol law

During the Russo-Japanese War, there was a ban on the sale of vodka in some provinces of the empire. The "dry 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.

Only in 1923 the sale of liqueurs with a strength of not more than twenty degrees was allowed. In 1924 the allowable fortress was increased to 30, in 1928 the restrictions were lifted.

Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986 launched an unprecedented campaign against drunkenness, and in fact against alcohol consumption. But this company, which led to the massive destruction of vineyards, the production of low-quality "underground" alcoholic beverages, the growth of drug addiction, and so on, was not crowned with success.

Real vodka should be practically tasteless and not taste like fusel oils.

The Medal "For Drunkenness" was established by Peter I in 1714. He decided that she would be a panacea for drunkenness. Probably, the first Russian emperor relied on an incriminating inscription that gave out a drink in a person, and on the weight of a medal. Together with the collar and chains, the medal weighed eight kilograms. They were "awarded" a medal at the police station and fastened in such a way that it was impossible to remove it. It took a week to wear the medal.

The favorite vodka of Peter I was aniseed. This drink was obtained by double distillation of "bread wine", then infused with aniseed and diluted by a third with soft spring water.

Until 1885, take-away vodka was sold only in buckets - 12 liters each. It was from that time that the popular expression "to drink vodka in buckets" remained in Russia. However, it was possible to drink on the spot the standard 50 grams (half a day) or 100 grams (a cup).

A bottle as a container for vodka, familiar to a modern person, began to be used only since 1894.

The bar culture, widely developed today, goes back to the time of Ivan the Terrible. Back in the 16th century, they came up with a format of establishments where it was customary to drink without a snack.

Vodka in tubes "for astronauts"

In January 1940, during the Soviet-Finnish war, the soldiers of the Red Army began to receive vodka rations, which they called "Voroshilov rations" or "People's Commissars 100 grams."

Since May 1942, vodka has been distributed daily to soldiers on the front lines. Moreover, later the rate was increased to 200 grams. On the Transcaucasian front, they did not give out 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 vodka production as the Russian national drink. This case was won by the Soviet Union by the decision of international arbitration.

Alcoholic beverages distributor website

Vodka "Oil"

The homeland of the strongest vodka is Scotland. The strength of Scottish vodka is 88.8 degrees. It is said to be especially popular with the Chinese, as the number 8 symbolizes infinity.

Today vodka is considered one of the strongest drinks, but initially it was no more than 10-15 degrees.

About 500 years ago, vodka was made in an earthen vessel - a pot, where fermented berries and fruits were placed, poured with boiling water, covered with a lid and sent to a Russian oven. In the process of condensation, alcoholic vapors flowed into the pan - this was what we now call vodka, only weak.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.