RUSSIA: Amidst EU dispute, Russia puts forth claim to title of the 'Mother of All of Vodkas'
Record ID:
755521
RUSSIA: Amidst EU dispute, Russia puts forth claim to title of the 'Mother of All of Vodkas'
- Title: RUSSIA: Amidst EU dispute, Russia puts forth claim to title of the 'Mother of All of Vodkas'
- Date: 14th October 2006
- Summary: (L!1) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) PRODUCTION LINE AT KRISTALL VODKA PLANT FEMALE WORKER BOTTLES GOING ALONG PRODUCTION LINE
- Embargoed: 29th October 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA3MV9JTG1KUT4SP45Z814ODM5Y
- Story Text: As the European Union debates regulations about quality control in vodka production, Russia is trying to convince its western neighbour that it's the true birthplace of the powerful, colourless liquor usually distilled from grain.
Vodka producers in Finland, Poland, and Sweden are campaigning for European Union legislation that will categorize only spirits made from grain and potat s as "vodka" instead of any spirit made from any ethyl alcohol, for example, from apples and grapes.
This proposition has provoked heavy criticism from south European countries, which often distil used mash from wine-making into vodka. Any drink then not made from either grain or potat s would then have to be labelled as "Spirit Drinks" instead.
Russia has thrown itself into the fray and g s one step further. It says that the name 'vodka' should be applied to strong spirits made from grain only.
"We have rather strict standards about vodka quality," said Tatyana Savuchinskaya, head of quality control at the Kristall vodka factory in Moscow. "Such standards cover the main component for making ethyl alcohol, and with every year our standards are getting stricter."
Vodka is now one of the world's most popular spirits, but before the 1950s it was rarely consumed outside eastern Europe. It has spread in part thanks to some high-profile fans, such as Pablo Picasso, who once said, "the three most astonishing things in the past half-century were the blues, cubism, and Polish vodka."
Except for various types of flavourings, vodka consists of water and ethanol, and usually has an alcohol content ranging from 35 to 50 per cent. The classic Russian vodka is 40 per cent (80 proof), which is the Russian standard for vodka production introduced in 1894 by Alexander III. That decree was made based on research carried by the famous Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev, the same man who create the Periodic Table.
Mendeleev found the perfect percentage to be 38, but since spirits in his time were taxed on their strength the percentage was rounded up to 40 to simplify the tax calculation.
While the question of who invented 'vodka' is hotly contested, there's no doubt that the word is a diminutive of the Slavic word "voda" which means "water".
It is generally accepted, however, that vodka originated in the fertile grain-growing region that now includes Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, and western Russia. It also has long roots in Sweden and Finland.
"The origins of this traditional drink is tied to the fact that in Russia there was always a surplus of grain," said Yulya, a tour guide at the Vodka Museum in Moscow. "On the other hand, in Europe there was always a surplus of grapes. Hence, we can say that this is a true native Russian drink."
The word 'vodka' can be found in 16th century chronicles from the Russian city of Novgorod, but at that time vodka was used to denote herbal alcoholic medicines. A drink similar to modern vodka probably first appeared sometime in 15th century. It was not called 'vodka' at that time, but rather was known as 'bread wine'. Until the mid-18th century, the alcohol content of this drink didn't exceed 20 per cent by volume and it was quite expensive. The first written usage of the word 'vodka' pertaining to this drink dates to a 1751 decree by Russian Empress Elisabeth for regulating the ownership of vodka distilleries. Taxes on vodka became a vital source of revenue in Tsarist Russia, providing up to 40 per cent of state income.
By the 1860's, due to government efforts promoting consumption of state-manufactured vodka, it became the drink of choice for many Russians. In 1863, the government monopoly on vodka production was repealed, causing prices to plummet and making vodka available even to low-income citizens.
"It seems to me that European people should consult with Russia about the quality of vodka and about the value of spirit in vodka, everything, the clearance of water for vodka," said Valeri Blagoveshensky, a Moscow financial analyst. "That's it. Everybody should consult with us because we are drinking vodka."
The results can sometimes be devastating, however. Russia has 25,000 alcohol-poisoning related deaths each year, many of which are caused by poor quality, often illegally made, vodka.
The average male mortality rate in Russia is 58.5 years, in large part due to high consumption levels of vodka, many doctors and experts claim. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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