The History and Science Behind 40% ABV Vodka
Vodka belongs to the category of strong alcoholic beverages, and from the earliest times, it has been the most popular alcohol among Ukrainians. Even nowadays, when store shelves are overwhelmed with various wines, whiskeys, and other alcoholic beverages, it is hard to imagine a festive table without cool vodka. There is an immense number of cocktail recipes based on vodka for those who prefer them: sweet, and sour, with the addition of juices, soda, or other types of alcohol. It became possible because vodka, due to its neutrality, perfectly matches with other ingredients.
Vodka typically contains 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), which is considered the standard vodka alcohol percentage worldwide. But why is vodka 40% alcohol and not more or less?
40 degrees is considered the standard strength for vodka when measuring the proportion of ethanol to the whole volume. The traditional alcoholic beverage is transparent and has a neutral flavor, therefore manufacturers often mature water-alcohol mixture in wooden barrels adding lemon, pepper, and other ingredients to make the alcohol absorb special flavor. Nevertheless, why exactly 40 degrees? Who invented this standard maintained by manufacturers for centuries?
Why Is Vodka 40 Percent Alcohol (40% ABV)?
This is one of the most controversial issues, which has been discussed about vodka for many years. Especially taking into consideration that the market contains a rather large number of strong alcohols with 35-45 degrees.
The standard of 40 degrees as the benchmark for strength appeared due to several historical and practical factors:
Traditional Fire Testing: In the 14th century, before alcohol meters existed, strength was tested by setting the spirit aflame. Low-quality vodka, often called “napivhar” in Ukrainian (a rye distillate), was burnt until its volume was halved. The remaining liquid naturally settled at approximately 40 degrees.
Governmental Standards: During the peak of the alcoholic beverage industry, the government introduced unitary standards for all distilleries. This simplified the distillation process and facilitated easier quality control across a vast number of production sites.
Excise Duty Simplification: The introduction of a 40-degree standard was closely associated with the simplification of alcohol excise duty. Using a round number made tax calculations significantly easier for the state.
Ideal Balance: This alcohol level is considered the global benchmark because it preserves the perfect balance between flavour, safety, consistency, and mixability.
Nemiroff – the Golden Quality Standard
The Ukrainian brand Nemiroff offers its consumers more than 10 kinds of alcoholic beverages of the highest quality. In our collection, you may find not only traditional vodka, but also vodka flavored with honey and pepper, or with the addition of different berries and fruits. Every alcohol has a particularly peculiar flavor. Despite the variety of flavors, the standard of 40 degrees for each alcohol remains permanent.
Nemiroff premium lines: De luxe vodka and The Inked Collection flavored vodka
