Vodka is a colorless liquid containing purified ethanol, and is the most consumed spirit beverage in the world. The word Vodka is derived from the root of the Slavic word “Voda”, which means “water” or “tiny water”
Alcohol can be distilled from many different natural ingredients such as grains (mostly corn, rye and wheat), potatoes, grapes, beef, soy, corn and even from leftovers created in the process of refining oil. The final characteristics of vodka are largely determined by the basic ingredients used in the early vodka production stages.
Modern Vodka
Today, most vodkas are produced from different types of grain, though some use grapes and some Polish vodkas are still produced from potatoes. The most popular vodkas in the United States and Western Europe are manufactured from rye, corn or wheat. Modern vodkas are very heavily filtered, as today’s sophisticated consumers demand a clean, tasteless vodka that easily slides down the throat without leaving any distinctive aroma.
As vodka is a tasteless, odorless spirit, it is a favorite mix for various popular cocktails such as Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Vodka and Tonic and Vodka Martini. Visitors to Russia and most Scandinavian countries definitely notice that it is very common for vodka to be drunk ‘neat’.
In East Europe, vodka is less filtered, resulting in a drink that still contains the various tastes and aromas of the original materials from which the vodka was produced. An interesting fact is that in most Eastern European countries, it is considered a bad habit to mix vodka with any other beverage. It is customary to drink the vodka “straight”.
The recent popularity of flavored vodkas is not something new. Traditionally, vodka had also been mixed with various spices and fruits, such as pepper. Many nations have a tradition of mixing their vodkas with various medicinal herbs such as chamomile. Today’s vodka comes in many flavors such as strawberry, citrus, vanilla, cherry and many more.
The alcohol content of Vodkas
Vodka usually contains an alcohol content of 37% to 50%. Vodka that contains lower alcohol proof may taste “watery”. Vodkas with a higher than 50% alcohol content may have a “burning” sensation when consumed.
Most vodkas today contain about 40% alcohol. There are several reasons for this:
- Historically, Russian emperor Alexander III (who is rumored to have always made toasts with a large glass filled with vodka), decided on a set of standards for vodka production in his country. One of these rules was the standard for vodka to contain 40% alcohol.
- The modern reason for the common 40% content is taxation. Countries such as the United States and most European nations base their taxes on the alcohol content of the spirit. That is why many vodka exporters use 40% as it is both satisfying taste wise and not overly taxed.
Vodka demand worldwide
Today, vodka is the most popular spirit worldwide. Ideal for mixing cocktails, it would be fair to say that vodka can pair up with almost any drink. The rise of popularity has drawn many new players to the vodka producers’ market. Many new vodka importers and vodka exporters have joined the market, due to the high demand for quality vodka.
