History of famous alcohol brands. Alcoholic drinks in the world

Relatively recently, the British company Drinks International published a list of the so-called "Millionaires' Club". It includes those alcohol brands whose sales volume in 2014 was equal to or exceeded one million standard 9 liter boxes. It is important that this took into account not only internationally recognized brands, but also local ones. In total, the list includes 169 brands: from No. 1 of the South Korean brand Jinro with last year's sales of 71 million boxes to No. 169 Kozatskaya Rada (Kozatska Rada) of the manufacturer Bayadera Group with 1 million boxes. The top 100 of this list ends with Beam Suntory's Muqinoka brand, with sales of 2.1 million cases. The second hundred are those with less than 2 million cases of sales in 2014.

The site vinepair.com decided to analyze the numbers of the first hundred of the "list of millionaires" as the most significant, and see who sets the fashion for today in the world of strong alcohol. And here's what happened:

According to the types of alcohol in the first hundred, the leader is confidently:

1. Whiskey - 231.9 million 9-liter cases sold in 2014. And by country of production, this figure is decomposed as follows:

Indian - 144.7 million boxes.

Scottish - 50.2 -“-

American - 21.5 -“-

Canadian - 7.6 -“-

Irish - 4.7 -“-

Japanese - 3.2 -“-

2. Vodka - 126.3 million cases

3. Soju - 99.4 million boxes; traditional Korean alcoholic drink

4. Rum - 75.2 million cases

5. Brandy/Cognac - 62.7 million cases

Brandy - 57.2 million cases

Cognac - 5.5 million boxes.

6. Cachaca - 44.4 million boxes; brazilian alcoholic drink

7. Liqueurs - 36.0 million boxes.

Ordinary liqueurs - 13.4 million boxes.

Bitters - 17.8 million boxes.

Anise - 4.8 million boxes.

8. Gin - 33.3 million boxes

9. Baijiu (Baijiu) - 20.9 million boxes; traditional Chinese alcoholic drink

10 Shochu (Sethu) - 17.2 million boxes; japanese hard liquor

11. Tequila - 5.9 million cases

12. Aquardiente - 4.0 million boxes; alcoholic drink with a strength of 29 ° - 60 °. Produced mainly in Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

13. Raki (Crayfish) - 3.5 million boxes; Turkish strong liquor

And now the list of the first hundred "millionaires":

Now I would like to dwell on the absolute winner of the "millionaires' club" Korean alcoholic Soju drink by HITE-Jinro. In 2014, 71 million 9-liter boxes or 639 million liters were sold! This number is more than double that of the Philippine brandy brand Emperador, which is in second place, with 33 million cases. Both brands are local, as their main markets are South Korea and the Philippines, respectively. At the same time, it should be pointed out that HITE-Jinro is the largest Soju manufacturer in South Korea, but not the only one.

71 million 9-liter cases of Soju is an incredible amount. Moreover, this brand has been a world leader for several years now, and its gap from its pursuers has been growing over the years. Over the past five years, Soju's sales volumes amounted to million 9-liter cases:

At this volume, sales growth should be more difficult, but Soju manages to cope with it. In 2014, sales of HITE-Jinro's Soju brand grew by 7% over the previous year. This is an additional 4.5 million boxes. How does it happen? After all, sales are concentrated mainly in South Korea. Only small volumes of the drink are sold in Japan and among Korean diasporas around the world.

Soju- This is the most popular Korean alcoholic drink, transparent, colorless. The alcohol content in it fluctuates in a significant range from 16.7% to 45% by volume. The most bought and popular brand Andong Soju has a strength of 20%. Usually, after distillation, Soju has an alcohol content of 30-35%, and then it is diluted with water to the desired strength. The taste of the drink is slightly sweet, because sugar is added to it. Soju flavored with lemon, watermelon and apple are popular. Drink Soju in small cups, doses of no more than 50 ml.

Traditionally, rice, wheat or barley have been used as raw materials. From 1965 to 1999, due to the shortage of rice in the country for a regular diet, the South Korean government banned the traditional technology of making Soju from rice. It began to be replaced by other crops that contain large amounts of starch - ordinary potatoes, sweet potatoes and tapioca. And although there were no problems with rice later, the technology for the production of cheap Soju did not return to the classic one.

Soju is Korean for "burning alcohol". In 2008, the term Soju was included in the Webster English Dictionary, and the use of this word in the American lexicon began in 1978.

After the Korean War, the Soju industry was enlarged, out of more than 250 enterprises, just over 10 were made. The market was divided between them. One of them, Jinro, was tasked with supplying Soju to the capital Seoul. This is a city with a population of 10 million, and with the suburbs and adjacent residential areas - this is already 25 million people, almost half of the population of the entire country. It is no coincidence that this distillery has become the largest in the country. Most of the country's distilleries supply the local population of small areas and communes, but Jinro sells its products throughout the country.

Soju is preferred in today's South Korea by 47.8% of the population, beer - 35.5% and wine (mainly rice) - 3.9%. The two most popular Soju brands are Chamisul (“Real Dew”) and Chum-Churum (“Like the First Time”).

The popularity of the drink is determined mainly by its low price and absolute availability. It goes well with various Korean dishes. Another factor that has contributed to the rise of Soju in the Korean alcohol market is its inseparable connection with the Korean identity. The Jinro strategy plays on this. At the same time, in South Korea itself, few people know that this brand is the best-selling in the world, but not in terms of the number of countries, but in terms of volume. And those who know about this are affirmed in the idea that since it sells the most, then this is the best, little understanding that the best may not be what is sold in large quantities in one country, but what is bought albeit in smaller quantities, but all over the world!

WITH
ama Jinro is a distillery company founded in 1924. It is the largest Soju producer in Korea and worldwide. This company's export of Soju began to Vietnam in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam War. (I wonder who the supplies went to then, the American army or the local Vietnamese?) In 2006, Jinro was bought by the local beer giant, Hite.

Jinro believes that 71 million cases is not yet the peak. 10 years ago, in 2005, sales volumes amounted to 75.5 million cases, but the next year they fell by 12 million at once. The next nine years were spent on restoring the previous figures in this rather saturated market. The company hopes that through exports, volumes can be raised to 100 million cases per year, promoting the brand as an inexpensive, white, mass-produced alcohol for a wide range of tastes. They hope that this figure can be reached in five years. At the same time, it is worth recalling that Jinro will celebrate its centenary in 9 years, in 2024. It remains only to observe which “hundred” the drink reaches first.

Considering that the population of South Korea at the beginning of this year was about 53.5 million people, such significant volumes of Soju consumed, even with a reduced strength, give high rates of strong alcohol consumption per capita of the drinking population of the country. And the statistics show it. In terms of the number of liters of hard liquor consumed per capita (excluding wine and beer) per year (not to be confused with the amount of pure alcohol per capita), South Korea ranks first in the world, according to Euromonitor. This is reflected in the charts below. As a unit of measure, a container called “shot” is taken there - this is a small glass-dose with a capacity of 1.5 fluid ounces or 45 ml, what in Russian can be called a stack.

The average Korean at drinking age in one week (according to the graph) drank such “shots” (stacks) of strong alcohol in 2013 13.7 units, or 616 ml, or 0.62 liters. For comparison, the following is a graph for Russia, according to which this figure was 6.3 units or 0.28 liters of strong alcohol per week for every drinker in the country. I don’t presume to judge how accurately these graphs reflect the picture of the world drinking hard alcohol, but the superiority of South Korea is undeniable!

Sourced from vinepair.com, Drinks International and qz.com

Even in ancient times, people learned to produce a variety of alcoholic beverages. The list of names includes a huge number of species and varieties. They differ mainly in the raw materials from which they were prepared.

List of low-alcohol alcoholic drinks

. Beer- a low-alcohol drink, obtained by fermenting hops, malt wort and brewer's yeast. The alcohol content in it is 3-12%

. Champagne- sparkling wine obtained by secondary fermentation. Contains alcohol 9-20%.

. Wine- an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermentation of yeast and grape juice of various varieties, the names of which, as a rule, are present in the name. The alcohol content is 9-20%.

. Vermouth- fortified wine, flavored with spicy and medicinal plants, the main component is wormwood. Fortified wines contain 16-18% alcohol.

. Sake- Japanese traditional alcoholic drink. Obtained by fermentation of rice, rice malt and water. The strength of this drink is 14.5-20% vol.

Strong liquor

. Tequila. The traditional Mexican product is obtained from the juice extracted from the core of the blue agave. "Silver" and "Gold" tequila are especially common alcoholic drinks. The list can be continued with such names as "Sauza", "Jose Cuervo" or "Sierra". The best taste is considered to be a drink with an exposure of 4-5 years. The alcohol content is 38-40%.

. Sambuca. A strong Italian liqueur based on alcohol and essential oil derived from anise. White, black and red sambuca are in the greatest demand. Fortress - 38-42%.

. Liqueurs. Strong sweet alcoholic drinks. The list can be divided into 2 categories: cream liqueurs (20-35%), dessert (25-30%) and strong (35-45%).

. Cognac. A strong alcoholic drink based on cognac spirit obtained by distillation of wine. Distillation takes place in special copper cubes, the product is subject to subsequent aging in oak barrels for at least two years. After diluting alcohol with distilled water, it acquires a strength of 42-45%.

. Vodka. Refers to strong drinks with an alcohol content of 35-50%. It is a mixture of water and alcohol, which is made from natural products by fermentation followed by distillation. The most popular drinks: vodka "Absolute", "Wheat", "Capital".

. Brandy. An alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice by distillation. The alcohol content in it is 30-50%.

. Gin. A strong alcoholic drink with a unique taste, obtained by distillation of wheat alcohol and juniper. To enhance the taste, natural additives may be present in it: lemon or orange peel, anise, cinnamon, coriander. The strength of gin is 37.5-50%.

. Whiskey. A strong drink that is made by fermenting, distilling and aging cereals (barley, corn, wheat, etc.). Aged in oak barrels. Contains alcohol in the amount of 40-50%.

. Rum. One of the strongest alcoholic drinks. It is made on the basis of alcohol aged in barrels for at least 5 years, due to which it acquires a brown color and a burning taste. The strength of rum varies from 40 to 70%.

. Absinthe. A very strong drink with an alcohol content of 70 to 85%. It is based on alcohol, wormwood extract and a set of herbs such as anise, mint, licorice, calamus and some others.

Here are the main alcoholic drinks. This list is not final, it can be continued with other names. However, all of them will be derived from the main composition.

Types of alcoholic drinks

All drinks containing ethanol in varying amounts, also known as alcohol, are called alcoholic beverages. Basically they are divided into three classes:

3. Strong alcoholic drinks.

Bread kvass. Depending on the manufacturing method, it may contain from 0.5 to 1.5% alcohol. Prepared on the basis of malt (barley or rye), flour, sugar, water, it has a refreshing taste and bread aroma.

Proper beer. It is made from almost the same ingredients as kvass, but with the addition of hops and yeast. Regular beer contains 3.7-4.5% alcohol, but there is still strong beer, where this percentage rises to 7-9 units.

Kumis, ayran, bilk. Drinks based on fermented milk. May contain up to 4.5% alcohol.

Energy alcoholic drinks. They contain tonic substances: caffeine, guarana extract, cocoa alkaloids, etc. The alcohol content in them ranges from 7-8%.

Second category

Natural grape wines. Depending on the sugar content and the variety of the main raw materials, they are divided into dry, semi-dry, sweet and semi-sweet, as well as white and red. The names of the wines also depend on the grape varieties used: "Riesling", "Rkatsiteli", "Isabella" and others.

Natural fruit and berry wines. They can be made from various berries and fruits and are also classified by sugar content and color.

Special grades

These include Madeira, Vermouth, Port, Sherry, Cahors, Tokay and others. These wines are made by special methods and in a specific wine-growing area. In Hungary, in the manufacture of Tokay, a “noble” mold is used, which allows the berries to dry right on the vine. In Portugal, Madeira is aged in special solariums under the open sun; in Spain, sherry matures under a yeast film.

Table, dessert and fortified wines. The former are prepared using natural fermentation technology, the latter are very sweet and flavored, and the third are fortified with alcohol to the desired degree. They can all be red, pink and white in color.

Champagne and other sparkling wines. Of these, French is the most popular, but in other countries there are no less worthy drinks, for example, Portuguese spumante, Spanish cava or Italian asti. Sparkling wines are distinguished by their special appearance, delicate aroma, and interesting taste. Their main difference from still wines is playful bubbles. The color of the drinks can be pink and white, but sometimes there are sparkling red wines. According to the sugar content, they are divided into dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet. The quality of a wine is determined by the number and size of the bubbles, how long they last and, of course, how they taste.

These types of alcoholic beverages have a strength of not more than 20% vol.

The third and largest category

Vodka. An alcoholic beverage made from cereals containing 40% alcohol. By way of continuous distillation, a new product was obtained at one time, called Absolut vodka, and its producer, Lare Olsen Smith, was awarded the title of "king of vodka". Sometimes this drink is infused with herbs, citrus fruits or nuts. Made using Swedish technology from high-purity alcohol, vodka rightfully occupies one of the first places in the rating of alcoholic beverages in this category. It is used to prepare various cocktails.

Tinctures bitter. They are obtained by insisting vodka or alcohol on aromatic spices, herbs or roots. Fortress 25-30 degrees, but can rise up to 45 degrees, for example, "Pepper", "Stark" or "Hunting".

Sweet drinks

The tinctures are sweet. They are prepared on the basis of alcohol or vodka, mixed with fruit drinks and sugar, the content of which can reach 25%, while the alcohol content usually does not exceed 20%. Although some drinks are stronger, for example, the Excellent tincture contains 40% alcohol.

Pouring. They differ in that they are made on the basis of fresh berries or fruits without yeast, but with the addition of strong vodka and a large amount of sugar. These types of alcoholic drinks are very thick and sweet. The name of the liqueurs tells what they are made of: plum, dogwood, strawberry. Although there are strange names: "spotykach", "casserole". They contain 20% alcohol and 30-40% sugar.

Liqueurs. Thick, very sweet and strong drinks. They are made by mixing molasses or sugar syrup with alcohol infused with various herbs, spices, essential oils and other aromatic substances. There are dessert liqueurs - with an alcohol content of up to 25%, strong - 45% and fruit and berry, with a strength of 50%. Any of these varieties requires exposure from 3 months to 2 years. The name of alcoholic beverages indicates what aromatic additives were used in the preparation of the product: Vanilla, Coffee, Raspberry, Apricot, and so on.

Strong grape drinks

Cognacs. They are made on the basis of cognac spirits, and spirits are obtained by fermentation of various grape varieties. One of the first places in the line is occupied by Armenian cognac. The most popular is "Ararat", "Nairi", "Armenia", "Jubilee" are no less famous. Of the French, the most popular are Hennessy, Courvoisier, Martel, Hain. All cognacs are divided into 3 categories. The first includes ordinary drinks aged for 3 years. The second is vintage cognacs, which have a minimum aging period of 6 years. The third includes drinks-long-lived, called collection. Here the shortest exposure is 9 years.

French, Azerbaijani, Russian, Armenian brandy is produced and sold by cognac houses founded more than one century ago and still dominating the market.

Grappa. Italian vodka based on grape pomace, aged in oak or cherry barrels from 6 months to 10 years. The value of the drink depends on the aging period, the grape variety and the place where the vine grows. Grappa's relatives are Georgian chacha and South Slavic brandy.

Very strong liquor

Absinthe- one of them. Its main component is an extract of bitter wormwood. The essential oils of this plant contain the substance thujone, which is the main component of the drink. The more thujone, the better the absinthe. The price directly depends on the percentage of this substance and on the originality of the drink. Along with wormwood, absinthe includes anise, mint, angelica, licorice and other herbs. Whole wormwood leaves are sometimes placed at the bottom of the bottles to confirm the naturalness of the product. Thujone in absinthe can contain from 10 to 100%. By the way, the drink is presented in two varieties - silver and gold. So, “golden” absinthe, the price of which is always quite high (from 2 to 15 thousand rubles per liter), is banned in Europe precisely because of the large amount of the substance mentioned above, reaching 100%. The usual color of the drink is emerald green, but it can be yellow, red, brown and even transparent.

Rum. Prepared by fermentation from the residual products of sugar cane - syrup and molasses. The quantity and quality of the product depends on the type and type of raw materials. The following types of rum are distinguished by color: Cuban "Havana", "Varadero" (light or silver); gold or amber; Jamaican "Captain Morgan" (dark or black); Martinican (made only from cane juice). The strength of the rum is 40-75 gr.

Strong drinks with fruit juice

Calvados. One of the varieties of brandy. For the preparation of the product, 50 varieties of apples are used, and for uniqueness, a pear blend is added. Then the fruit juice is fermented and clarified by double distillation and brought to 70 degrees. Aged in oak or chestnut barrels from 2 to 10 years. Then, with softened water, the fortress is reduced to 40 o.

Gin, Balsam, Aquavit, Armagnac. They are also included in the third category, since alcohol is present in all of them. These are all strong alcoholic drinks. Prices for them depend on the quality of alcohol ("Lux", "Extra"), the strength and aging of the drink, the brand and the constituent components. Many contain extracts of aromatic herbs and roots.

Homemade drinks

Homemade moonshine is also a prominent representative of strong alcoholic beverages. Craftsmen make it from different products: it can be berries, apples, apricots or other fruits, wheat, potatoes, rice, any jam. Sugar and yeast must be added to them. All of this is shattered. Then, by distillation, a strong drink is obtained with an alcohol content of up to 75%. For greater purity of the product, a double distillation can be done. Home-made moonshine is purified from fusel oils and other impurities by filtration, then it (optional) is either insisted on various herbs, nuts, spices, or diluted with fruit drinks, essences, juices. With proper preparation, this drink will not yield to various vodkas and tinctures in terms of taste.

Finally, I would like to remind you of two simple rules, following which you will be able to maintain your health and not get bored in a cheerful company: do not abuse alcohol and do not spend money on low-quality drinks. And then everything will be fine.

In the world there is a great variety of the most diverse alcohol - hundreds and thousands of types of beer, whiskey, wines, cognacs and liquors, tequila and rum. Each country, and what a country - each of the regions and districts can boast of its own, special recipe for a unique alcoholic drink. Some recipes are so old that the manufacturing process has been passed down orally for centuries, and the ingredient list is a family treasure that people live and die for.

Jack Daniels

But we will not delve too deeply into numerous brands and recipes, we will focus only on the most significant and popular alcoholic brands in the world. The first on our bestseller list is Jack Daniels (Jack Daniel's). This drink began to be produced from the end of the 18th century, in the state of Tennessee (Lynchburg), at the distillery of the same name, founded by Jack Daniels.

Did you know that this distillery is the oldest in US history, and the first whiskey distillery on record? Mr. Daniels chose the land in Lynchburg for his whiskey for a reason - the purest spring water and other necessary raw materials in large quantities reduced production costs. Initially, whiskey was poured into glass jugs - the standard container of that time.

But Jack Daniels came up with the idea of ​​marking each vessel with his own name, as a logo. Then, when round bottles came into fashion, whiskey began to be poured into them, but the logo remained the same. In 1895, whiskey got that unique look that we see today - unusual square containers, with the brand name squeezed into the glass.

The peculiarity of the taste of Jack Daniels whiskey is that the product is filtered through American maple charcoal. According to connoisseurs, this process gives a special aroma to the drink and enriches the already mild taste. Filtration is called the "Lincoln process" after the city where whiskey was first bottled.

In 1988, Jack Daniels first tested a new recipe - double filtration of the product: before bottling in oak barrels, and after 4 years of aging, that is, before bottling. Thus, the famous alcoholic drink received an even softer taste and an elegant, incomparable aftertaste.

Baileys liqueur

Baileys is another popular (especially for women) alcoholic brand. It is an Irish liqueur containing cream and Irish whiskey. The first production of liquor dates back to 1974. Baileys is better known as a creamy liqueur with a long shelf life, first offered to the consumer. Thanks to the addition of an emulsifier to the drink, whiskey and cream are mixed into a homogeneous liquid and do not separate during storage.

Other well-known ingredients include chocolate, vanilla, sugar and caramel. Everything that is so loved by the female half of humanity. Preservatives are not added to Baileys liquor, this is not necessary - the content of 17% ethyl alcohol perfectly preserves such a delicate product as cream.

The design of the cream liqueur bottle was put into production in 2008 - a squat and pot-bellied shape was created by the British agency Bloom. But the Diageo Company, the owner of more than 100 global alcohol brands, including Baileys liqueur, decided to modernize the classic black bottle. Together with hat designer Phillip Tracy, a new project was developed, within which a limited batch of cream liqueur was released in a new look. The dark lilac, luxurious shade of the bottle was decorated with a multi-color pattern.

As a support for the rebranding of Baileys, and as a gift to lovely ladies, the designer created a series of luxurious hair clips, the pattern of which repeated the decor of the bottle. Thus, the alcoholic drink brand Baileys focuses on modern women, for whom their favorite liquor is not ordinary alcohol, but a work of art, designer luxury in everyday life.

What is a martini? A unique brand of alcohol, you say. It's hard to disagree with this, but martinis are also a unique combination of fragrant plants, spices and wine. The taste of the drink, invented by Alessandro Martini and Luigi Rossi (1863), has not changed for many years. However, the history of the appearance of vermouth has several sources, and the information is contradictory. Today, martini, as a type of alcohol, is widely sold in all stores around the world. The most popular types of vermouth are produced in Italy, at the Martini & Rossi distillery in Turin.

I would like to note three types of martinis - Rosso, Bianco and Rosato (red, white and pink). Vermouth Rosso is characterized by a reddish tint, slightly bitter taste, but insanely aromatic. Martini Bianco is a woman's favorite drink, smelling of vanilla. Rosato is the only vermouth that uses both red and white wine. In its taste, cloves are clearly guessed.

The composition of the martini includes exclusively dry (white or red) wine, and a lot of herbs. The recipe of this famous alcoholic brand is a trade secret. One can only assume what is added to vermouth. Winemaking experts name more than 30 plant species. These are mint, orange, lemon, coriander, chamomile, ash, yarrow, ginger, immortelle, juniper, St. John's wort and many other herbs and fruits. But the main component that gives any kind of martini a unique, subtle bitterness is wormwood.

In 1893, the Italian monarch Umberto I announced the highest permission - to use the image of the royal coat of arms on the martini label. And today, fans of this drink can see this symbol of power, which indicates the unchanged quality of each bottle. The taste of vermouth so impressed the monarchs of other countries that they were granted the status of an official supplier for the royal courts, as well as the right to use the coats of arms of these countries. This grace martini martini was bestowed by the dynasties of Great Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Austria and Japan.

In 1992, Martini & Rossi merged with the Bacardi family winemaking dynasty. This is how BACARDI-MARTINI appeared. And 5 years later, in 1997, the martini bottle changed its shape - for the first time in 134 years! The glass container has become more elegant and modern. Of course, innovations also affected the design of the label, which has not changed since 1920.

The production and consumption of alcoholic products tends to grow in areas where agricultural crops are used as raw materials for the production of alcohol. Examples are the viticulture and wine regions of France, Italy and Spain, the "barley" whiskey-producing regions of Scotland, the rice-based beverage regions of China and Japan. With the wave of European colonization, the production of alcoholic beverages spread to Latin America. The raw material factor also played a role here: production was based on local corn, sugar cane, and agave.
Even with the development of modern transport, the production of alcohol remains tied to the corresponding raw agricultural areas. And if, for example, noticeable spatial shifts have recently been observed in wine production, they are still associated with raw materials - the formation of new viticultural regions in the Southern Hemisphere (Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia), as well as in China. But the traditional wine-producing countries - France, Italy, Spain - generally retain their leading positions.
The production of beer is spatially less inert and is now almost ubiquitous. Beer is relatively cheap, so transportation costs have a much stronger effect on the final price of the product. It has a short shelf life, so long-term transportation is undesirable. The physical volumes of beer consumption significantly exceed the volumes of consumption of other types of alcoholic products, which also increases the role of the transport factor and determines the linkage of production to areas of mass consumption. The main producers of beer are large TNCs, and, as is known, it is TNCs that now have a decisive influence on the processes of globalization of production. These are companies such as SABMiller and InBev (in 2008 it merged with the world's third largest beer producer Anheuser-Busch). They are followed by the company "Diageo", which produces products of all three main blocks of alcoholic beverages - wine, spirits and beer. The production of beer is more than the production of other beverages (strong and wine) subject to internationalization.

Leading countries in wine production in 2008

According to the California Wine Institute

Countries - leaders in beer production in 2008

BydataBeverage Marketing Corp.

An important factor determining the level of alcohol consumption is the cultural, primarily religious, characteristics of the country. There is a clear belt of countries characterized by low consumption. The boundaries of this belt correspond to the boundaries of the spread of Islam, a religion that strictly prohibits alcohol, and partly of Buddhism, which condemns the use of alcoholic beverages. In some countries, for example, in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, according to published statistics, alcohol is not consumed at all. The sober belt stretches from Morocco and Algeria to Indonesia.
Growing or stably high volumes of consumption in a number of European countries are associated with cultural characteristics. For example, in the UK and Ireland, high alcohol consumption is associated with the tradition of spending leisure time in drinking establishments - pubs, in Germany - in pubs.

Southwest of France. Aquitaine region. Department of the Gironde. Right bank of the river Dordogne. Vineyard within the city of Saint-Emilion - the famous wine-growing center. Photo by S.V. Rogacheva

Australia. State of New South Wales. Grape harvesting: modern technologies

The largest companies in the alcohol industry
by assets in 2008

* In 2008, InBev and Anheuser-Busch merged into a single company, AB InBev.

According to Fortune

Often, when analyzing various kinds of consumer markets, the standard of living in the country is considered as an important factor. . In the geography of alcohol consumption, there is no direct relationship between the level of its consumption and the level of development of a particular country. Equally high consumption of alcoholic products can be characterized by two diametrically opposed groups of countries - the least developed and the most developed. Examples: on the one hand - Uganda (18 liters of pure alcohol per year per person over 15 in 2005), Burundi (9 liters / person), Haiti (8), Guadeloupe (9), Dominica (7.5) , on the other - Great Britain (12), France (11), Germany (12), Luxembourg (16 l / person). The close quantitative characteristics hide fundamental qualitative differences. In the most backward countries, a high level of alcohol consumption is the result of a low standard of living and often a stressful situation, tense conflicts in society (for example, one of the "record holders" - Uganda was in a state of civil war for the last 20 years, until 2008). Underdeveloped countries with a calmer internal situation usually have not so high rates of consumption of alcoholic beverages. The cost of producing a liter of alcoholic beverages in underdeveloped countries, where the population buys a lot of low-quality alcohol, is much lower than similar costs in highly developed countries.

City of Cognac. Cellar brandy company "Otar". The original grape spirit acquires its characteristic cognac color after a long aging in oak barrels. Photo by S.V. Rogacheva

Dynamics of per capita consumption of alcoholic products in Western Europe,
liters of pure alcohol per capita over 15 years of age

According to FAO

Per capita consumption of alcoholic products by regions of the world, 1970-2008,

According to the World Recourses Institute

Southwest of France. Poitou-Charentes area. Department of the Charente. The city of Cognac (100 km N from Bordeaux), the left bank of the river. Charente. An old distillation apparatus in the museum of the Otar cognac company. Product of distillation (distillation), grape spirit, almost colorless (note the bottles). Photo by S.V. Rogacheva

In the developed countries of European culture, the level of consumption of alcoholic products has recently come (tends) to a certain average level for this entire group of countries - 10.5-11 l / person. The largest deviations are Sweden and Norway (significantly below the “European level”) and Ireland, Great Britain and Luxembourg (higher).
In Mexico, the average consumption is 4.6 l / person, in Venezuela - 6.7, in Poland - 8.1, in Russia - 10.3 l / person.
In general, in high-income countries (EU, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan) there is a slight decrease in alcohol consumption, which is associated with the spread of a healthy lifestyle. In economically catching up countries, on the contrary, there is an increase in alcohol consumption as the income of the population grows: Mexico, Brazil, China.
The above data is based mainly on official statistics. Meanwhile, consumption of illegally produced products is high in a number of regions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recorded consumption of alcoholic beverages is only about 77% of the actual level of consumption. The largest share of shadow alcohol is in the countries of the CIS, Central and Eastern Europe (25-40%). According to the same estimates, the level of alcohol consumption recorded by statistics in Muslim countries is only about 23-30% of the real one. This somewhat blurs the notion of a “sobriety belt”, however, even taking into account the actual tripling or quadrupling, alcohol consumption in the Islamic world is, of course, relatively small.

Hops and barley - brewing raw materials

Eastern outskirts of St. Petersburg. Left bank of the Neva, bend "Crooked knee". The new malting plant "Nevsky Bereg", built in the early 2000s. The main founder of the Nevsky Bereg company is in the Virgin Islands,
offshore, but is rumored to be associated with the Tomsk Pivo company. Barley, which is processed here for malt (brewing semi-product), however, is not Tomsk and not Russian at all, but imported.
Photo by S.V. Rogacheva

To assess the quality of alcohol consumed, WHO developed the so-called. risk coefficient from consumption of 1 liter of alcohol. It ranges from 1 to 4, based on the average cost per liter of alcohol, frequency of consumption, estimated share of illegal circulation and home production, and a number of other parameters. Here are the values ​​of the risk coefficient for major regions of the world: Western Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan - 1.8; Latin America, North Africa, middle-developed countries of Asia (China, Thailand, Singapore) - 2.5; the least developed countries of Asia (Laos, Nepal) - 2.9; Central America and Sub-Saharan Africa, 3; CIS, Central and Eastern Europe - 3.5.
In world practice, it is customary to divide alcoholic beverages into 3 main blocks: beer, wine and spirits.
Wine products are characterized by an alcohol content of 10 to 25%; The raw material, with some exceptions, is grapes. The block of spirits includes drinks with an alcohol content exceeding 30%. They are classified according to the type of raw material used for the production of alcohols (see top of the page).
The third major block of alcoholic products includes all kinds of beer (alcohol content 4-10%). In the United States and European countries, beer is classified according to the method of fermentation. According to it, most types of beer can be attributed to lager or ale. Ale is fermented at a higher temperature and has a higher alcohol content.

World market of alcoholic products (Map)

Pronounced "beer" countries stand out, which include countries with long-standing beer traditions: Germany (the share of beer in the structure of consumption of alcoholic beverages is 60%), Denmark (60%), Great Britain (70%), Ireland (70%), the Czech Republic, and also countries of resettlement capitalism and, accordingly, resettled drinking preferences - the USA, Canada, Australia. Several factors contributed to the widespread use of beer: 1) a wide range of possible raw materials for production (barley, wheat, rye, corn, and other cereals); 2) relatively low cost compared to other alcoholic beverages; 3) low alcohol content: beer is often not perceived as alcohol and is consumed as a "soft drink". The countries with a predominance of beer include many underdeveloped countries - African and Latin American.
The traditional "wine" countries are France (the share of wine in consumption is 70%), Italy (75%), Argentina (75%), Chile, Georgia. The consumption of grape wine in the world is much less widespread than other alcoholic beverages.
Countries with a predominance of strong drinks - in Eastern Europe: Poland (share in consumption 60%), Ukraine (70%), Russia (75%). The predominance of strong drinks in the structure of consumption is typical for almost all CIS countries (with the exception of Georgia), the Baltic States, many countries of Central America and Southeast Asia, and Nigeria. Strong spirits are highly transportable and have a long shelf life. This favors their wide distribution through foreign trade channels.

Countries - leaders in per capita consumption of certain types of alcoholic products, 2008,
liters of pure alcohol per person over 15 years old

According to the World Health Organization

Great Britain. West of Scotland. South coast of Islay, east of Port Ellen. "Ardbeg" is one of the oldest (founded at the beginning XIX c.) Scotch whiskey distilleries. The malt houses that provide the plant with semi-finished products are located inPort Ellen. Production is under the control of the French company "LVMH» and British «Diageo". Nearby are two more well-known distilleries, “Lagavulin" And "Laphraig».

Drinking alcohol has a negative effect on the state of the body. Alcohol abuse can lead to unpredictable consequences and serious pathologies. But all these factors do not affect the popularity of this product. Alcohol production is one of the largest in the world.

Types of alcoholic beverages consist of dozens of positions, and it is not possible to list all the brands that exist today.

Alcoholic brands are among the most expensive brands, the volume of alcohol production worldwide is amazing, and new types of alcoholic beverages appear with astonishing regularity.

Alcohol is a faithful companion of any feast. Weddings, birthdays, corporate parties and other events do not pass without the use of alcoholic beverages. Today, the assortment is so rich that each person is able to find a drink to his taste.

The wealth of choice leads to the fact that the problem arises of how to choose a drink that will appeal to everyone. Alcoholic beverages can be classified in several ways. The first way is to classify drinks according to the way they are made:

1. Drinks to be obtained, which use the fermentation procedure.
2. Drinks made by distillation.

This classification allows us to divide all types of alcoholic beverages into several categories that differ in the main components. The role of such components can be both fruits and vegetables, and various cereals.

The second way to classify alcohol is to divide products according to the following three criteria:

• low alcohol;
• medium strength drinks;
• strong.

Low alcohol drinks

The category of low alcohol includes those products, the percentage of alcohol in which does not exceed eight percent. This category includes sweet alcoholic drinks, beer and some national products. The list of low-alcohol drinks includes more than ten items.

Beer. One of the most popular alcoholic products in the world. The history of this intoxicating drink has more than several thousand years. Recognized brewers are countries such as Germany, Russia and the Czech Republic. The strength of the beer starts at five degrees and rises higher. In addition, beer can be produced both in non-alcoholic form and with a very high strength.

Braga. The basis of this product are vegetables and fruits. Braga is obtained as a result of fermentation and often acts as the main component in the manufacture of moonshine.

In general, all types of alcoholic beverages are divided into groups depending on the strength.

Toddy. Toddy is made by South American countries from palm sap. For the manufacture of the product, a fermentation technique is used.

Kvass. The history of this drink has many hundreds of years. Traditional kvass, made from sour milk, contains about one and a half percent alcohol.

Cider. The strength of cider depends primarily on the country in which it is made. In France, cider is made with 2% alcohol. In Germany, this percentage can be raised to seven. Apple juice is used to make cider. All fermentation processes are based on a technique that excludes the addition of yeast.

Perry. Perry is one of the drinks, the method of preparation of which is similar to cider. Perry is made from pear juice and sugar. The strength of such a drink ranges from five to eight and a half degrees.

Khuremge. The traditional alcoholic product comes from Buryatia. Khuremge is made from whey. The fortress is from two to eight degrees.

Icevine. This drink can be classified as one of the varieties of wines. The fact is that the drink is made from grapes, but the fruits of the plant must survive the frost. It is thanks to this approach that the drink got its name. The strength of this wine is about eight degrees.

Togba. Togba is an alcohol that comes from Nepal and, according to legend, it is madly adored by yetis. Togba is made by fermenting cereals. This alcohol must be consumed hot, using a straw.

Khandi. Khandi is an alcohol originating in India. Only women have the right to make such a product, and the process of its manufacture follows strict rules. The strength of Khandi is eight degrees, and rice, herbs and the roots of some plants are used to make it.

With the help of various additives and preparation methods, at least 100 types of alcoholic beverages are available today.

Medium strength drinks

This type of alcohol includes drinks containing up to thirty percent alcohol. The following products can be included in this category.

Mead. A product obtained by mixing alcohol and honey.

Mulled wine. This subspecies of wine is made from fruits and spices.

Wine. One of the products that is rich in its subspecies. There are more than a hundred types of wines, which differ in composition and method of preparation. The strength of the wine can reach twenty-five degrees. Recognized winemakers are countries such as France and Spain.

Sake. Wine originated in Japan. This type of wine product is made from rice, and its strength is about twenty degrees.

Port wine. Another branch of the wine family. Port wine is made from a special type of grapes and the alcohol content in it reaches twenty percent. The birthplace of this wine is Portugal.

Madeira. Another type of wine from Portugal. The fortress of Madeira is about twenty degrees. The main feature of such a drink is that in order to make it, high temperatures are used.

Sherry. The peculiarity of the Spanish Sherry is that the fermentation of grapes takes place under a kind of film from a special type of yeast. The strength of Jerez is twenty degrees.

Marsala. Product from the wine family. The fortress of Marsala is approaching the mark of eighteen degrees. Marsala is considered a dessert subspecies of wine, originally from Sicily.

Malaga. This wine product got its name from the place of production, the Spanish winery Malaga. The strength of the resulting product can be from thirteen to twenty-two degrees. Several types of grapes are used for production.

Both strong and low-alcohol drinks are very harmful to the body in excessive doses.

Tokay. Wine comes from Hungary, which is considered to be a separate product. The fortress of Tokay is twelve percent. The main component is a special kind of honey.

Vermouth. According to one legend, vermouth was created by Hippocrates himself in the fifth century BC. When preparing vermouth, medicinal herbs and plants are used. The main component of this fortified wine is wormwood. Today, vermouth is traditionally made in Italy and France.

Champagne. A sparkling wine that many people associate with solemnity and mystery. Champagne is produced by winemakers from the small province of Champagne. This French product contains up to thirteen percent alcohol.

Sato. Sato is one of the brightest representatives of the wine family. This Thai type of wine is made from rice grains. The alcohol content in this alcohol is about ten degrees.

Cynar. Italian composition containing a mixture of artichokes, spices, special herbs and seventeen percent ethyl alcohol.

Campari. Liquor named after its creator G. Campari. For the preparation of liqueur, fruits and herbs with a bitter aroma are used. The alcohol content in such a liquor is about twenty-eight percent.

Koumiss. The birthplace of koumiss is Central Asia. This drink is made from milk, yeast and alcohol. There are several options for preparing koumiss, differing in strength. The maximum strength of koumiss is forty degrees.

Grog and punch. These drinks are combined, since both are derived from independent products. Grog is rum that is diluted to reduce the strength of the product. Punch is a product obtained by mixing certain types of wines and fruit juices.

Recioto. One of the representatives of the wine family comes from Italy. The fortress of rechoto is fifteen degrees.

Pisco. French wine, the strength of which is at around twenty-two degrees. It is made from grape juice with the addition of cognac spirit. It is very important that the age of such alcohol must be at least several years old.

Pulque. A Mexican product obtained from the fermentation of the agave fruit. The alcohol content in this composition is about eighteen percent.

Most often, spirits are called alcoholic beverages in which the percentage of alcohol is higher than 20

Strong alcoholic drinks

Drinking strong alcohol is dangerous to health. The strength of such a product can reach eighty degrees. The most popular spirits:

• vodka;
• cognac;
• whiskey;
• brandy;
• absinthe;
• sambuca;
• gin;
• tequila;
• chacha.

It does not make sense to describe the above drinks, since most consumers are familiar with these products. Strong alcohol can be made from a variety of ingredients, so only the most unusual formulations are worth considering.

Akvavit. Literally translated, the name reads "water of life." Akvavit is made in Norway from ordinary potatoes. The alcohol content of the product is fifty percent.

Arak. Arak is an ambiguous drink. For its manufacture, various types of natural raw materials and manufacturing techniques are used. So the fortress of such a composition can be from forty to fifty degrees. Arak is native to Central Asia.

Pastis. Pastis is one of the derivatives of absinthe from France. The history of the production of this anise vodka has about a hundred years. The strength of such vodka is forty-five degrees.

Mastic. Another type of alcohol made from anise. Mastic is a traditional Bulgarian drink and its strength is forty-seven degrees.

Armagnac. The birthplace of Armagnac is the province of Gascony, located in France. The alcohol level in the composition is at around forty percent. The manufacturing technique consists in distilling wine from grapes with the addition of fresh berries.

Grappa. Initially, Italian grappa was made from waste wine raw materials. The alcohol content in grappa can reach fifty percent.

Calvados. One of the subspecies of brandy, which is made from apple cider. The alcohol content of this product averages forty percent.

Kirschwasser. Kirschwasser was first made in Germany at the beginning of the seventeenth century. The strength of the drink is about forty degrees, and the main ingredient is black cherries.

Low-alcohol drinks usually include a variety of cocktails, wines, beer, liqueurs.

Slivovitz. A subspecies of brandy, with a strength of forty-five degrees, made from plum juice. The production of this alcohol is established in Bulgaria and Serbia.

Metaxa. A Greek composition based on a mixture of grape wine, grape apple brandy and herbal tincture. The alcohol content in metax is about forty percent.

Schnapps. The basis for the preparation of schnapps can be both cereals and the fruits of fruit trees. Schnapps originated in Germany. The product manufactured in this country contains forty percent ethyl.

Bourbon. An American type of whiskey made from corn on the cob. The strength of the bourbon is about fifty degrees.

Maotai. The birthplace of this drink is China. Maotai is a festive drink, the use of which is associated with the celebration. It is made from cereals and has a strength of fifty-three degrees.

Ouzo. A mixture of alcohol solution and special herbs. The birthplace of the drink is Greece. The composition contains about fifty percent alcohol.

Cancers. Strong alcohol from Turkey. Raki contains fifty percent alcohol. This alcoholic product is made from grape wine and anise.

Tutovka. Caucasian product made from the fruits of the mulberry tree. This drink has a unique aroma, and its strength is already eighty degrees.

Conclusion

The most correct classification of alcohol is to separate drinks according to their strength. Knowing the approximate composition and percentage of alcohol in the liquid, you can calculate not only the correct dosage of the drink, but also save yourself from the consequences of a hangover.