A European epic
In Russia, it was through Genoese merchants who had established trading posts on the shores of the Black Sea as early as the 13th century that distilled alcohol (inspired by an Italian proto-grappa) gradually began to replace kvas as the national drink. In its Polish version, vodka finds its origin in a transfer of practices inspired by French cognac and Scotch whisky. In both cases, the appearance of vodka was the result of the adaptation of European distillation techniques to local agricultural production. In general, it is produced from wheat, potato or beet molasses, which are cultivated en masse in the territories corresponding to European Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and the Baltic countries. The distilled alcohol is then mixed with water. Due to these agricultural specificities resulting from the climate and soil, Europe has sometimes been divided into "alcohol crowns". The "wine crown" extends from Portugal to Moldavia, on the Mediterranean and Pontic shores where mild temperatures allow the cultivation of grapes. The "beer crown" extends from Slovakia to Ireland via Denmark (barley and hop producers) to Ireland. Finally, the "vodka crown" stretches from Russia to Iceland. And here again, there are differences: the further east you go (Russia), the more grain-based vodkas you come across, the further west (Poland), the more it tends to be made from potatoes. But the matter gets even more complicated, as vodka has even been the subject of fierce debates in the European Parliament. The issue is that Southern European countries that produce alcohol distilled from grape marc (grappa type) tend to use the name "wine vodka" to sell their product. However, Eastern European countries, historically producers of "classic" vodka, would like this label to be reserved for beet, grain and potato spirits. Vodka has therefore covered very different realities over the centuries, terroirs and practices.
Etymology
In fact, it has only been called "vodka" since the 18th century. The word is a contraction of the Russian voda (in Polish woda) which means "water", with the suffix -ka, which symbolizes smallness. Vodka is therefore "small water"! Before that, wodka was a medicinal drink in Poland, while the drink we know by that name was called gorzałka. In Russia, it was generally called goryacheye vino (mulled wine), because the word "wine" was used to describe all kinds of alcoholic beverages indiscriminately. Both expressions have the same root, gor, which gave "heat", "burning". But heat and burning vary significantly depending on the production. Today, if the majority of vodkas are between 40° and 45°, some can go down to 32°, or even up to 97°!
History of practices
The alcoholic strength of vodka is a major commercial, political and social issue. Legend has it that it was the famous Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleïev who first determined that the ideal alcoholic strength of vodka was 38°, as part of his doctoral thesis. It is now known that this is not the case, as vodka production had already been standardised at around 40° before. But the anecdote is part of the myth of Russian paternity. In the 16th century, it was Ivan the Terrible who first established a state monopoly on what vodka was. He created the tabak, which were the only places where it could be drunk and which therefore quickly became very popular. Because it is very popular, vodka represents a significant financial stake for the state. The monopoly was abolished in 1863 as part of the reforms of the liberal Tsar Alexander II. His finance minister, Mikhail von Reutern, created a 40% tax on the selling price of alcohol to make up for the shortfall. This tax will be reformed a few years later, resulting in lower prices. Vodka became more accessible to the peasant and working classes and the scourge of alcoholism began to take hold. In the Soviet Union, the manufacture and sale of vodka was first banned and then reintroduced under strict state control. As a result, the production of home-made alcohol, samogon (a sort of equivalent to our hooch), was stimulated. Samogon is cheaper than vodka, but also much more dangerous because it is highly concentrated. Generally speaking, vodka has greatly influenced the demographic changes in Russia. The fall of the USSR, by ending the state monopoly in a context of crisis, resulted in a serious increase in alcohol-related deaths. Alcoholism became a phenomenon of even more gigantic proportions and the consumption of very cheap, adulterated toxic vodkas exploded. This has caused both a drop in life expectancy and fertility. Nowadays, everything is being done to divert Russians from drinking: in many cities it is forbidden to drink on the public highway and the sale of alcohol is prohibited after a certain time. Vodka has become a "social fact" that has taken its toll and no longer has a good press. In the big cities, young people prefer wine or beer and the older generation prefers cognac.
How to consume vodka?
Don't worry, vodka has not disappeared from Russian customs, and during your stay you will pass through the tasting box. It is absolutely necessary to taste the "best vodka in the world", Beluga, which Russians reserve for special occasions. The mid-range vodkas (Russkyi Standart, Tsarskaya, Baikal among others) remain excellent products, much more refined than most of the vodkas found on the European market. On the other hand, unless you have the soul of an adventurer, it is best not to touch the bottles on the bottom shelf
Down the hatch. Vodka in Russia is, of course, drunk neat, and in shots. During a big meal, toasts are toasted and toasted in a precise order that must be respected
Zakouskis. Even in more intimate settings, vodka will inevitably be accompanied by zakouskis, hors d'oeuvres with a spicy taste to complement the alcohol. The most classic of these are ogurets, the large pickled gherkin that you bite into, and dried smoked fish
Za zdorovié! (To your health!) Contrary to popular belief, you don't toast in Russian by saying "na zdrovié", which is actually... Polish. Do not offend your host!
