Vodka

In all three categories, the growth is mainly in the premium segment. The average vodka is at its ceiling. New brands are appearing on the market from countries where Vodka originated, such as Poland, Estonia, Russia and the Ukraine. Often these are modern wheat Vodkas. But Vodka made from potatoes or rye also has its appeal to some vodka lovers. The success of premium brands such as Grey Goose (France), Belvedere (Poland), Ketel One (Netherlands) and Absolut (Sweden) is gaining traction. Experts believe that Vodka is becoming a “survival of the fittest” race; only the strongest will survive. Premium brands, therefore, make great efforts to create an exclusive appearance, while taking great care in the selection of ingredients, distillation method and filtering techniques. Variants such as “single malt vodka,” “vintage vodka,” “single estate vodka” and “organic vodka” made from organic grain fit this trend. There is an increasing distinction between premium, super-premium and ultra-premium. With the rise of premium and super-premium brands, a new consumer trend is also emerging. A growing group is drinking the better Vodka pure or on the rocks to enjoy more of the flavor of the Vodka itself.

Vodka, “water” in Slavic languages, is probably the oldest spirit in the world. Russia and Poland both claim to be the first. Spirits were already being made in Russia and Poland in the eighth and ninth centuries, but it is questionable whether we can already call it Vodka. The first written evidence of “real” Vodka comes from Poland in 1405.

The distillation technique was primitive, and the drink was mixed with fruits and spices to disguise its harsh taste. Vodka at the time had an alcohol content of only 14 percent. Purifying Vodka by filtering it over activated carbon, a special type of charcoal, did not become fashionable until the nineteenth century. Vodka was originally made from grape must, where today Vodka is mainly distilled from grains. Today, the alcohol content of the drink is between 35 and 70 percent. Vodka comes in many different qualities. The more often distilled, the purer the Vodka. The process of distilling was discovered in the late Middle Ages. Scientists discovered that when alcohol was heated, it evaporated faster than water. The collected vapor was cooled to liquid, which contained a higher percentage of alcohol: a distillate. Because of this discovery, people started experimenting with alcohol based on various products, for example grain and sugar cane. In Eastern Europe, this technique was probably spread by monks who had previously done this in Western European cities. Russian brandy, “Vodka,” soon became a sought-after drink among all walks of life in Russia and Poland.

The great popularity of Vodka created a thriving Vodka industry, with up to 500 Vodka distilleries established in some cities in Russia and Poland around 1700. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, distilleries became state-owned. Many Vodka producers fled abroad, including the famous Smirnoff family, which established businesses abroad. This family owned the largest distillery in Moscow before the Russian Revolution and supplied Vodka to the Czar. After World War II, Vodka became increasingly popular. Today it is still one of the most popular spirits: about 4.5 billion liters of Vodka are consumed per year. The drink is most popular in Russia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. In fact, in 2006 Smirnoff was the best-selling liquor brand in the world. That same year, research showed that as many as 2.5 million Russians were addicted to the drink. As a solution to this problem, the government raised the minimum price of half a liter of Vodka. The European Parliament decided, through the Schnellhardt Compromise, that Vodka may be made from various raw materials without losing the generic name Vodka. The only condition is that the raw material used must be stated on the label. Especially American and Russian variants may therefore still be sold as Vodka within the European Union.

The production process of Vodka

Vodka is distilled to a maximum of 95% and diluted with water. The alcohol content is then between 35% and 70% (most Vodkas, available on the market have an alcohol content of around 40% to 45%). Vodka is distilled from grains such as wheat, barley, rye or potatoes, among others. The grain is brought to germination, creating fermentable sugar from the starch. This is fermented with water into a slightly alcoholic liquid. Then this liquid is distilled and is often stored in tanks with charcoal that adsorb all odors and impurities. After this, the liquid is filtered. Vodka has no aging process, like most other distilled spirits, but enters the market directly from the distillation tank into the bottle. Most Vodka ends up containing almost nothing but ethanol and water.