Vodka is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Ukraine. It is hard to imagine today any feast, whether it is a New Year, anniversary celebration, or a professional holiday, without a bottle of this strong 40-degree alcoholic beverage. Vodka is sipped neat, it is added to different dishes, and many cocktails are concocted on its basis. A bottle of this high-quality and elite alcoholic beverage is a delightful present for many people; therefore, it can be rather often seen in shops contained in sophisticated bottles or gift boxes. It is amazing how differently the same alcoholic beverage tastes, doesn’t it?
The Facts about Vodka that You Did Not Know
Even though vodka for many people is a rather common product, this alcoholic beverage has an interesting and longstanding history. We gathered some facts about vodka so that you could look at it from another angle.
Fact 1. According to one of the versions, vodka is based on the old Polish word gorzeć, which means “burn”. Since in the old times there were no special tools for measuring alcoholic beverages for strengths, they were tested rather simply – set afire. If the strength of the liquid was 38% or more its surface began to burn with green or blue flames. If the content of ethanol was less, the liquid did not burn at all.
Fact 2. Vodka is one of the oldest strong alcoholic beverages in this part of the world. The first records came to us from Poland. This country was the first place for the mass production of alcoholic beverages based on grain spirit. Afterward, such a distillery appeared on the territory of modern Ukraine. It was referred to as Baczewski Liqueur and Vodka Factory.
Fact 3. One of the popular names “kazenka” appeared due to the fact that for a long time the main manufacturer of this alcoholic beverage was the State that had a monopoly on it. That is the production belonged to the government. It was so in Ukraine until 2020 when public distilleries were listed for sale. The company Nemiroff bought one of the largest distilleries, which was located in Nemyriv, Vinnytsia region.
Fact 4. Vodka is not spoiled with age and acquires new flavor qualities. An alcoholic beverage can be maintained in barrels made of different species of wood in order to obtain a unique flavor.
Fact 5. Initially, vodka was not consumed as an alcoholic beverage. It was used as an antiseptic for tools, doctors’ hands, and wounds. Later pharmacists began to prepare treatment potions based on spirits, which perfectly saved the treatment capabilities of the natural raw material.
Fact 6. Vodka became the first alcoholic beverage that visited outer space. Soviet astronauts made such a gift to their American colleagues in 1975. Though later the representatives of the USSR claimed that it had been only a joke and the tubes contained soup, the photos of astronauts with like-named containers still can be found on the Internet.
Fact 7. In old times, vodka was used for weapon refinement. Since spirits can absorb moisture from the environment, such a method became rather effective protection for metal products.
Fact 8. The distilling plant in Nemyriv was one of the first plants that started to distill vodka not from potatoes but from grain. At the end of the 19th century it was the largest distillery, and its production was sold all over Europe.
Fact 9. Vodka is one of the least caloric alcoholic beverages. It does not contain yeast, sugar, carbohydrate, fat, and cholesterol.
Fact 10. The Nemiroff trademark is one of the most recognized in our country. It was registered in independent Ukraine as far back as 1992. Nowadays the production of the international brand is sold on five continents. In addition, the TM Nemiroff became a sponsor of the UFC.
