Vodka Facts, History and Making Process

Over the last one thousand years, vodka managed to rise from the simple medicinal remedy, created by the freshly discovered process of distillation, to the popular alcohol spirit that is consumed by the billions of consumers all around the world. A cold environment which can sustain only grain-based products forced the people of this land to focus their ingenuity and efforts into creating fermented drinks from grain (mostly beer), but after the arrival of distillation pots around the 9th century, they were given the ability to create more powerful spirits. The first recorded mention of the word vodka (which means "little water" in Russian) comes from the 9th century, and the first distillery was formed almost two hundred years later in 1174.

Similar as whisky, vodka had its hurdles in the path of its rising popularity. Russian government noticed early its popularity, and successfully managed to monetize and control its manufacturing and sales, but after several centuries, they removed the taxes and enabled individual brewers to produce and sell their drinks. During the last one hundred years, vodka remained the absolute most popular drink in Russia (ranging from 70 to 89% of consumption), and since the 1950s, its popularity greatly rose in the remainder of the world. Few factors that contributed to the vodka's success were its neutrality, ability to be mixed into many popular cocktails, lack of flavor in drinker's breath, and big marketing campaign that promoted it across entire world (most notably in James Bond movies).

Here are some of the most interesting facts about this incredible drink:

• Vodka is a colorless liquor, distilled form the grains and fruits to the strength of 90% alcohol content.
• Regulation of many countries demand a minimum of 40% of alcohol content in vodka.
• The first mentioning of distillation comes from the 1st century AD Greece. They used this process for extracting salt from sea water.
• Alcohol content in the commercially sold vodka ranges from 35 to 60 percent.
• Many countries around the world have their recipes for making vodka. They sometimes don't even use grains but include fruits, molasses and more.
• One of the reasons vodka became popular in Russia was of its ability to remain liquid even in the coldest regions of northern Siberia.
• Vodka is an excellent disinfectant and was used for a long time for treating soldiers in many wars. Medical staff often gave large quantities of vodka to the wounded soldiers as an anesthetic.
• Moderate use of vodka can have many benefits on the human metabolism. It keeps cholesterol and arteries healthy, its excellent remedy against cold sore and fever, prevents stroke, heart attack, and Alzheimer's,
• Vodka can be stored for only 12 months.
• One ounce of vodka contains 65 calories.
• The most popular cocktails are Bloody Mary and Martini.