What is a vodka? This word is familiar to all Ukrainians, which cannot be said about the inhabitants of Russia and many other countries of the former Soviet Union. Most likely, the readers of the article also belong to the second category, otherwise they would hardly have become interested in it.
In the presented article, the meaning of the word "vodka" will be described in detail, as well as interesting facts on this topic are presented. Interested in? Then start reading soon!
Gorilka - what is it?
We will not beat around the bush, but immediately give an answer to your question. Speaking in the simplest and most understandable language possible, without going into deep details, the vodka is a Ukrainian alcoholic drink that is very similar to Russian vodka. Many people think that vodka and vodka are no different, but this is not entirely true. We will talk about the main differences between these two drinks a little later.
Origin
The term "hot wine" in the old days meant a drink that had the ability to burn. This concept was spread on the territory of the Slavic states as early as the XVII century, but because of the peculiarities of the Russian language in modern Russia, it has not taken root. And all because, due to the variety of interpretation options, the term changed in every way (burnt, burning, combustible), which is why it eventually lost its original meaning. Only one form of the word has survived to this day - "strong drink".
But in Ukraine, such a term, on the contrary, has been fixed, because all Ukrainians understood it the same way. And the reason for this is again the features of the national language. Gorilka is a derivative of the verb "burn". The well-known Soviet scientist William Pokhlebkin wrote about all these nuances and historical circumstances in his work History of Vodka.
Gorilka, as a rule, was drunk in taverns and shreds. Tavern and shinok are a kind of bars that were common on Ukrainian lands several centuries ago. In addition to drinking alcoholic beverages, one could also spend the night there. Thanks to Ukrainian merchants, in the XVI century the vodka first appeared on the territory of Russia. The Russians called this drink "Cherkasy wine." In those days, the inhabitants of Ukraine were called Cherkasy, and most alcoholic beverages were called wine.
If we talk about the word “vodka” that has taken root in Russia, then, according to professional linguists, it came from the Polish “wood”. Woodka is an abbreviated form from the expression "aqua vita", which in translation means "living water".
Differences between vodka and vodka
As mentioned earlier, vodka and vodka are not the same thing. The main difference between these drinks is that they were made from different ingredients. The composition of the original Russian vodka includes rye, sometimes with the addition of barley, wheat or oats. The vodka was made only from wheat, and a little later from potatoes. In addition, the Russians filtered their vodka, and the Ukrainians simply interrupted the pungent smell of the untreated vodka with herbs.
The manufacturing processes of modern vodka and modern vodka are also very different. Producers of vodka from Ukraine claim that they use only natural artesian water to make their product. Russian vodka is produced from distilled water.
High quality vodka is made from malt alcohol. The vodka contains alcohol produced by the enzymatic method. On top of that, the vodka goes through the process of so-called “silver” filtration, which eliminates the sharp taste and smell of the drink.
Taste features of the vodka
According to experts, Ukrainian vodka has a milder taste than Russian vodka. And the reason for this is the modern production technology of this product and the natural components used in the manufacture. Due to this, when using a vodka, you can catch the light aroma of bread or honey, depending on which ingredients the manufacturer made his drink from. Today, the obvious smack of alcohol or vinegar is a sign of poor-quality burner.
Now you know what the word "vodka" means, as well as what is the method of production of this drink and its main differences from Russian vodka. In no case do we promote alcoholism and provided this information solely for theoretical familiarization. Remember that alcohol can cause irreparable harm to your health!