The history of Vodka

Vodka is a traditional alcoholic drink distilled from

fermented grains or potatoes. Sometimes some flavors are
added. It is a clear, colorless drink and can be mixed with
other drinks.
The word Vodka is derived from the Slavic word Voda,
meaning “water,” then K was added and it became Vodka.
The history of vodka:
It is hard to define a precise date of the beginning of vodka
manufacture because of the lack of written resources.
However, vodka originated in Eastern Europe. The first
production of vodka was probably in Poland in the 8 century
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and in another area in Russia dating back to the 9 century

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based on various sources.

According to Gin and Vodka Association (GVA), the first
document distillation of vodka was 300 years ago in
Khynovsk. However, vodka at that time was quite different in
comparison to today’s vodka. The vodka of that time had
different taste, color and odor, was originally used as a drug
and contained little alcohol (about 14%) that can be obtained
through natural fermentation.
Poland:
In Poland, vodka was produced since the beginning of middle
ages as a varied local tradition, like cognac in France or
whisky in Scotland. The first written document mentioning
the use of word “vodka” in Poland dates back to 1405 AD as
it was a famous drink then. It was also used as a medical and
cosmetic compound. The word “vodka” also appeared in 1533
AD as a medical compound brought from Poland to Russia by
merchants. In Potanski’s book in 1614 AD, he talked about
vodka and stressed its value and method of production.
Krakov also wrote in his book in 1693 AD about the method
of making vodka from rye grains in detail.
Mixed vodka dates back to past centuries. The most
prominent types of it are Zubrowka from the 16 century,
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Starka from the 16 century also and Goldwasser from the

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17 century. In the mid-17 century, Laschta Company

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monopolized the manufacture and sale of vodka gaining much

profit from this franchise. Many distilleries were established
by the aristocrats. The most famous of them is the one
established by Princess Lubomirska that was later run by her
grandson and then turned into a vodka museum in the
Potoskipark. In this museum, there is the original document
proving that distillation was already found in 1784 AD.
In the 17 and 18 centuries, the Polish vodka became known
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in the Netherlands, Denmark, England, Russia, Germany,

Austria, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and the Black
Sea basin. The early production means were primitive and
distillation had to be repeated many times. Alcohol percentage
was 70-80% then the percentage decreased to 40-50% when
distillation is repeated.
The read production of vodka dates back to the end of the
18 century (the eastern part of Poland that was ruled by the
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Russian Empire then). Instead of being limited to the noble
glass and the clergy, vodka became available to all people.
The first industrial distillation factorywas established in 1782
followed by the Oswiecim factory in 1840. Distilleries then
were built one after another.
The new techniques were started to be used in the last half of
the 19 century and contributed to the production and success
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of clear vodka. In 1871, the first right distillation factory was

established. In 1925, the new vodka was produced and
monopolized by the Polish government. After WWII, all
Polish distilleries were seized by the Marxian-Leninian
government, and according to the martial laws of 1980, vodka
sale was rationed. After the solidarity movement, several
distillation factories started their work and several brands
appeared.
Russia:
In 1386, the Genoa ambassadors brought what was called “life
elixir” or “water of life” to Moscow. This liquid was obtained
through distilling grapes. According to the myth, in 1430,
there was a priest called Isidore from Chudov monastery
inside the Kremlin in Moscow who made the first Russian
vodka recipe. He had the tools and knowledgeready for
distillation, and he became the innovator of the highest-
quality alcoholic drinks. At that time, vodka was called bread
wine and its production was limited for a long time to
Moscow and not any other empire.
The first time the word vodka was mentioned was in the
Russian archives that gained its modern meaning by Emperor
Elizabeth’s decree in 1751 regulating the ownership of
distillation. In 1860, by the government’s decision to
encourage vodka consumption, it became the favorite drink
for many Russians. In 1863, the government’s monopoly of
vodka production was cancelled leading to the decrease of
vodka price and making it available to all people. By 1911,
vodka had constituted 89% of the total alcohol consumption
in Russia.
In late 1971, William Pokhlebkin, the author of a Russian
cooking book, collected and wrote the history of vodka. He
stressed that the word vodka was used among the common
Russian long beforemid-18 century, but the word had not
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appeared until 1860.

Sweden:
Until 1950, vodka had not been used as a Swedish distilled
drink, and it had been called instead Brännwin, meaning
“burnt wine,” which is the basis of the word “brandy.” These
drinks were produced in Sweden in the late 15 century
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although the gross production was still small until the

17 century. In the early 18 century, production was extended
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even though drinks were banned several times due to the lack
of grains. Thus, potato was used and prevailed in the early
19 century. Gradually from 1960, the unflavored
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Swedish Brännwin was called vodka. The first Swedish

product that used this name was Explorer Vodka that was
made in 1958. The goal was in the beginning to export it to
the US markets. In 1979, Absolut Vodka brand was launched.
Vodka became a popular drink among the youth with the
existence of a flourishing black market.
Method of vodka manufacture:
Vodka can be distilled from any type of sugar-free or sugar-
rich plant materials. Most vodka today is produced from
grains, such as white or yellow maize, barley, wheat or rye.
The vodka made from wheat or rye is considered of the best
types. Some types of vodka are made from potato, sugar beet,
soy beans, grapes, carrot or sometimes pulp-processed wood.
When making vodka from grains or potato, active enzymes
should be added to the mash for breaking down the
carbohydrates and turning them into fermentable sugars.
When making vodka from fruit, there is no need to add
enzymes as fruit contains sugars.
In some middle Europe countries, such as Poland, vodka is
made through fermenting sugar and yeast solution. Currently,
there is an argument between the EU countries for unifying
vodka. The vodka countries insist that the products made
distilled from grains or potato are the ones described as vodka
according to the traditional distillation methods in production.
In the US, several types of vodka are made from 95% ethanol
that is produced in huge amounts by the major industrial
agriculture companies: Archer Daniels Midland and Midwest
Grain Processors.
Preparation and distillation method:
Whether we use one type of grain or a mixture of grains, they
should first be heated until boiling, then the heat should be
decreased gradually and the mixture should be left to cool
down slowly. The same applies to potato and maize as they
are cleaned and put in water on fire.
The mixture is then put in airtight containers and left to
ferment for 3-5 days. Sometimes, pressure is controlled which
helps pass leak out CO and preserve O . The mixture is
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occasionally stirred. Sometimes, yeast is added later to the

mixture and the mixture stirred and kept in a room with a
temperature of 27-29°. After that, we move to the distillation
process.
The mixture is then transferred to a distillery, and the
temperature is raised during the distillation process to 78°.
The more the mixture is heated, the more the materials
vaporize and condense and the toxic and bad materials are
removed. The main (first) distillation is considered
responsible for directing vodka distillation. Based on that
distillation, it is later determined whether there is a need for a
second or third distillation. Distillation makes the ethanol
level higher than acceptable; its percentage may reach 95-
96%, so vodka is usually diluted with water to decrease this
percentage.
Filtration:
There is a common property in producing vodka in the US
and Europe which is filtration before adding any flavor. This
process is often carried out during or after distillation through
an active-coal filter or other means to absorb any unwanted
flavor or taste that may change the vodka flavor. This process
may also increase the vodka clarity. The countries that
produce vodka as a tradition, such as Poland and Russia, do
not use this technique where fine distillation is preferred to
preserve the unique flavor and properties of this product.
Flavors:
There are some types of vodka to which other flavors are
added, such as red pepper, ginger, fruit, vanilla, chocolate,
cinnamon, cherry or apple flavors. In Russia, honey and
pepper are added which is a very popular flavor. In Poland,
bison grass is added.
Aging:
Vodka is usually not left to age. After its fermentation and
distillation, an alcoholic drink is produced that can be
immediately bottled and sold. Vodka is considered an
economical drink as it is easily made during a short period
from available materials.