In what year did Mendeleev discover vodka? Who invented vodka - the Poles or Mendeleev

Today, by the term "vodka" we mean a rectified product based on grain or other starch- and sugar-containing raw materials with a strength of 40 degrees. However, this was not always the case. Previously, this word denoted virtually any distillates. The fortress of such moonshine reached 75%. There was no single terminology, so in the future, to avoid confusion, we will only call vodka the modern version, leaving the word “moonshine” for earlier variations (although it came into use much later, and in those days such drinks were called hot wine).

It is not known for certain when the Russians learned to drive alcohol. According to some sources, the first documented evidence of the production of "burnt water" in Russia dates back to the end of the 9th century, and the first industrial production appeared two centuries later, however, due to the mismatch of terms, this cannot be stated with certainty. Poland claims that the honor of inventing a grain distillate belongs to it, but grape wine was distilled on the territory of the Commonwealth, so we are talking about brandy. But the term "vodka", most likely, it is Polish, comes from the word "water" and has a diminutive meaning - something like "water".

We do not know exactly who invented vodka in its more or less modern form (already based on grain, but without the use of a distillation column), but legend claims that it was the monk Isidore in the 1430s. He called his invention "bread wine". British ambassadors who visited Moscow in the 14th century claimed that by that time moonshine had already become a national alcohol, and from the Novgorod Chronicles of 1533 it becomes clear that strong spirits were used not only for gastronomic, but also for medical purposes. Production methods were far from perfect, finished distillates often contained foreign impurities, so fragrances were often added to alcohols: spices, herbs, fruit essences. Also, sometimes moonshine was frozen (so that impurities precipitated), kept, filtered.

In 1450, the volume of industrial production of moonshine expanded so much that the needs of the domestic market were completely satisfied, and in 1505 the first export of "fire water" to Sweden took place. By 1716, all distilleries belonged to the nobility, but no general rules and standards existed yet. The distillate of many distillations insisted on anything: wormwood, acorns, anise, chicory, juniper, birch, chamomile, peppermint and many other ingredients.

Established by Peter I in 1714, weight - 6.8 kg without chains. Is the heaviest medal in history

Production

The standard production process looked like this: starchy or sweet raw materials (rye, wheat, oats, peas, barley, millet, beets, etc.) were ground into flour, mixed with malt and poured with hot water. Yeast was added to the resulting wort, fermented and distilled in a copper cube. After the first distillation, the alcohol was called "raka" and was not yet ready for consumption. Then the liquid was sent for re-distillation, this time not forgetting to separate the "heads" and "tails". The product obtained after two distillations was called "plain wine". If everything was good (the drink did not smell of fusel oils, it was transparent and clean) - this could have been stopped. However, if the "wine" failed (and due to the imperfection of technology, such an outcome was more than likely), it was corrected. For example, milk was added (meat broth, onion, rye bread), filtered, insisted on aromatic herbs, then distilled again.

In the 18th century, the St. Petersburg scientist T.E. Lovitz discovered a way to filter the alcohol-and-vodka mixture using coal (previously, river sand was used for this purpose), which made it possible to make grain alcohol cleaner.

The spread of moonshine vodka in Europe was facilitated by wars: Russian troops entered the territories of other states and brought "national alcohol" with them. In 1863, the production of alcohol became a state monopoly. At the same time, a unified standardization and terminology was established. After the Revolution of 1917, the state nationalized all production, so some of the winemakers emigrated abroad, taking with them the secrets of their recipes. So Russian vodka ended up in Europe and the USA and established itself there under the Smirnoff brand.

Kinds

Before the invention of rectification, several types of "bread wine" were distinguished:

• Polugar (a mixture of grain alcohol and water in a ratio of 1: 1), 38-42%. It got its name because when the drink was set on fire, exactly half of it burned out.
• Foamy wine (it's also "foamy"). The drink had nothing to do with sparkling wine, as the name might suggest. It’s just that alcohol meters didn’t exist then, the fortress was determined by improvised methods. For example, alcohol was poured into a glass from a height of ~20 cm, if foam formed at the same time, then the alcohol contained about 50 degrees.
• Triple wine, 54-56%. Double distilled grain alcohol diluted with water. The production technology is the same as that of polugar, but the fortress is higher. When ignited, about two-thirds burned out.

Modern history of vodka

Modern vodka is not just a grain distillate, but a mixture of rectified ethyl alcohol with water, the date of its birth is January 31, 1865. It was on this day that the chemist Dmitry Mendeleev, who discovered the famous table of elements, defended his doctoral thesis on the topic “On the combination of alcohol with water.” This scientist is considered the "father of vodka", although in fact a forty percent mixture of alcohol and water existed even before that.

Mendeleev did not invent vodka, but only discovered that a 40-degree solution has unusual physical and chemical properties

However, the term "vodka" was fixed in official documents only in 1936, before that there was no single terminology. One and the same product could be called "alcohol", "bread wine", even "vodka product".

One of the main works devoted to the history of the appearance of vodka is the book by V.V. Pokhlebkin "The History of Russian Vodka", but many researchers accuse the author of bias and "pan-Russianism", so the source has been repeatedly criticized and in academic circles has a reputation of not being completely reliable.

It is possible to talk about "real" vodka only since 1867, when A. Saval invented a distillation apparatus (in 1881, E. Barbe improved the design by creating a continuous apparatus). Rectification made unnecessary multiple distillations in copper stills, due to which up to 50% of the product was lost (not to mention time), and by the end of the 19th century, all “vodkas” became rectified.

In 1894, the official recipe for vodka was developed and established (the best scientists of the time worked on its creation). It was then that the reference strength of the drink was fixed at 40%. Despite the many legends associated with this, in fact, everything is simple: this degree is due to the characteristics of distillation. It is no coincidence that most strong drinks (tequila, scotch, cognac, etc.) have exactly the same strength. Of course, with the help of water, alcohol can be diluted to almost any state, but from the point of view of taxation, it is more convenient for the state to take a single round indicator as a starting point - for example, 40 degrees.

At the same time, the term "moonshine" appeared, bearing a derogatory and derogatory connotation. It is very difficult to rectify alcohol at home, it requires special and difficult-to-manufacture equipment, so the quality of home-made alcohol has become significantly inferior to the factory one.

In 1919, the first law against moonshiners was passed. On the one hand, this was done in order to maintain the state monopoly on strong alcohol. On the other hand, to protect the population from low-quality and even harmful products. The real vodka was not only rectified, but also carbon filtered, and was distinguished by a high degree of purification. However, it was not possible to completely get rid of fusel oils until 1940, when the technology of dynamic processing of future vodka with activated carbon was invented (in 1948 it was introduced at all Soviet wineries).

In 1936, the USSR adopted GOST, according to which a pure water-alcohol mixture was called "vodka". The international term "vodka" appeared in the 50s of the XX century. Since then, no significant changes have occurred. Only the cleaning methods have changed, but the composition of the mixture (alcohol + water) and the strength remain the same. It is unlikely that we will see changes in the future.

In 1998, the state monopoly on the production of strong alcohol was abolished, and now several thousand variations of this product can be found on the market. On the world stage, vodka is considered the Russian national alcohol.

Today the great Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev would have turned 172 years old. He is great not only because he created the periodic table of chemical elements, with which chemistry teachers torture their students.

It was he who first noticed that by mixing a liter of water with a liter of alcohol, we get not two liters of the mixture, but somewhat less, since alcohol shrinks upon contact with water. Mendeleev devoted his doctoral dissertation, written at the age of 32, to this discovery, entitled "On the Combination of Alcohol with Water."

He did not stop there, starting a long search for the perfect vodka. Having appreciated his experience, the royal court put Mendeleev at the head of the state commission developing the ideal strong drink.

The scientist justified the trust. In 1884, he received an official patent for a drink called "Moscow Special", which became the standard of Russian vodka.

According to Mendeleev's recipe, which still remains in force, vodka is a mixture of wheat alcohol with raw soft water with a strength of 40 percent. A liter of such a reference liquid at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius should weigh 953 grams.

The inventor of vodka himself took it very rarely. However, he gave advice to lovers on how to drink it correctly. First of all, a little - a maximum of 150 grams per day. Not cold, but best of all at a temperature of 15 degrees. And by no means "in one gulp", as the Russians say, but in small sips.

His compatriots took this advice in their own way and often say: "alcohol consumed in small doses does not harm in large quantities."

The fact that only Mendeleev developed and patented the formula for ideal vodka does not mean at all that they did not drink in Russia before him. Always drank. Tsar Peter I, himself an alcoholic, ordered to give his soldiers 1.5 liters daily. "weak bread wine", that is, 18 percent moonshine. So, his brave and often victorious army went around drunk, just like its commander.

For a long time in Russia they fought against alcoholism. Even Tsarina Catherine tried to civilize Russian drinking by limiting the production of strong drinks.

However, in this area, Mikhail Gorbachev, who in 1985 introduced the "prohibition" was most famous. He ordered to liquidate wine and vodka factories, cut down vineyards, and restrict trade. Gorbachev's compatriots still scoff at him and his dry law, forgetting that in those days the average life expectancy of men increased by four years, and that at that time more people were born in Russia than died. It is a pity that they also forget about the advice of the great scientist Mendeleev, who taught that one should drink little by little and in small sips. . .

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January 31 marks 154 years since the "birthday" of vodka. On this day in 1865, Dmitry Mendeleev defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic "On the combination of alcohol with water."

Vodka is a strong alcoholic drink, a mixture of rectified (food) ethyl alcohol with water. To prepare vodka, a mixture of alcohol and water (sorting) is passed through activated carbon, then filtered.

By adding infusions of herbs, seeds, roots and spices to vodka, various tinctures are prepared.

Other types of vodka are obtained by distillation of fermented sweet liquids.

Types of vodka

Ordinary vodka in Russia is a 40% solution of alcohol purified from fusel oil in water. Purification is carried out in a hot way at distillation plants or cold - in vodka. Alcohol is diluted with water (to a strength of 40-45%) and filtered through a series of vats filled with charcoal (preferably birch), which absorbs fusel oil (traces remain). The best vodka is made from rectified alcohol.

Special vodka is prepared by dissolving various essential oils and aromatic substances in ordinary vodka or alcohol.

To obtain fruit vodka, ripe berries are crushed, the juice is squeezed out, sweetened and forced to ferment (adding yeast). The fermented wort is distilled.

History of vodka

The prototype of vodka was made in the 11th century by the Persian doctor Ar-Razi, who was the first to isolate ethanol (ethyl alcohol) by distillation. The Koran forbids Muslims from drinking any alcoholic beverages, so the Arabs used this liquid (vodka) exclusively for medical purposes, as well as for making perfumes.

In Europe, the first distillation of an alcoholic liquid was made by the Italian alchemist monk Valentius. The alchemists of Provence (France) adapted the distillation cube invented by the Arabs to convert grape must into alcohol.

Vodka appeared in Russia at the end of the 14th century. In 1386, the Genoese embassy brought the first vodka (aqua vitae - "living water") to Moscow and presented it to Prince Dmitry Donskoy. In Europe, all modern strong drinks were born from "Aqua Vita": brandy, cognac, whiskey, schnapps and Russian vodka. The volatile liquid obtained as a result of the distillation of the fermented must was perceived as a concentrate, the "spirit" of wine (in Latin spiritus vini), whence the modern name of this substance in many languages, including Russian - "alcohol" comes from.

In 1429, Aqua Vita was again brought to Moscow by foreigners, this time as a universal medicine. At the court of Prince Vasily II Vasilyevich, the liquid, apparently, was appreciated, but due to its strength, they preferred to dilute it with water. It is likely that the idea of ​​diluting alcohol, which in essence was "aqua vita", served as an impetus for the production of Russian vodka, but, of course, from grain.

The method of producing vodka became presumably known in Russia in the second half of the 15th century and was probably due to the appearance of grain surpluses that required rapid processing.

Already at the beginning of the 16th century, "burning wine" was taken not to Russia, but from it. This was the first experience of Russian vodka export, which was later destined to conquer the world.

The very word "vodka" appeared in Russia in the XVII-XVIII centuries and, most likely, is derived from "water". At the same time, in the old days, the terms wine, tavern were also used to refer to vodka (this was the name for vodka made illegally, under the conditions of the state monopoly introduced in the 18th century), tavern wine, smoked wine, burning wine, burnt wine, bitter wine, etc.

With the development and improvement of vodka production in Russia, remarkable results have been achieved in terms of purification and taste characteristics of the drink.

In the Petrine era, the beginning of the dynasties of Russian "vodka kings", breeders was laid. In 1716, the first Emperor of All Russia offered the nobility and merchant classes the exclusive right to engage in distillation on their lands.

In the middle of the 18th century, the production of vodka in Russia, along with state-owned factories, was carried out by noble landowners, owners of estates scattered throughout the country. Empress Catherine II, who patronized the nobility, granted them many different benefits, made distilling an exclusive privilege of the nobles. A significant part of the vodka was produced in the estates of the landlords, and the quality of the drink was raised to an unimaginable height. Manufacturers sought to achieve a high degree of purification of vodka, they used natural animal proteins for this - milk and egg white. In the 18th century, Russian "home-made" vodkas, produced in the households of the princes Kurakins, Counts Sheremetevs, Counts Rumyantsevs, and others, enjoyed an excellent reputation.

At the end of the 19th century, for the first time in Russian history, a state standard for vodka was introduced. This was largely facilitated by the research of well-known chemists Nikolai Zelinsky and Dmitry Mendeleev - members of the commission for the introduction of a vodka monopoly. The merit of the latter is that he developed the composition of vodka, which was supposed to correspond to 40 ° in strength. "Mendeleevsky" version of vodka was patented in Russia in 1894 as "Moscow Special" (later - "Special").

In Russian history, the state (tsarist) monopoly on the production and sale of vodka was repeatedly introduced. For example, in 1533, the first "Tsar's tavern" was opened in Moscow, and the entire trade in vodka became the prerogative of the tsarist administration; in 1819, Alexander I reintroduced the state monopoly, which lasted until 1828; observed in 1906-1913.

The state monopoly on vodka existed throughout the entire period of Soviet power (formally - since 1923), while the production technology of the drink was improved, and its quality was at a consistently high level. In 1992, by decree of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the monopoly was abolished, which entailed a number of negative consequences (financial, medical, moral, and others). Already in 1993, a new decree was signed, which returned the monopoly, but the state was unable to tightly control its implementation.

The history of prohibitive measures against vodka is noteworthy. So, during the Russo-Japanese War, there was a ban on the sale of vodka in some provinces of the empire. "Dry Law" was introduced in Russia at the very beginning of the First World War, continuing to operate even after the establishment of Soviet power (only in 1923 they allowed the sale of liquors with a strength of no more than 20 °, in 1924 the permissible fortress was increased to 30 °, in 1928 restrictions were lifted , in 1986, under Mikhail Gorbachev, an unprecedented campaign was launched to combat drunkenness, in fact, alcohol consumption, which was unsuccessful and led to the massive destruction of vineyards, the production of low-quality "underground" alcoholic products, the growth of drug addiction, etc.) .

As an element of everyday culture, vodka has taken a specific place in the history of Russian life, marked by such verbal symbols - "signs" such as "mentikov dime", "katenka", "kerenki", "monopolka", "rykovka", "andropovka", "smirnovka". "(by the name of one of the largest domestic producers of vodka), etc., and also became an invariable solid payment unit ("a bottle of vodka"), especially in rural areas. Vodka is often perceived as a national symbol of Russia, on a par with the samovar, balalaika, matryoshka, caviar. Remaining one of the most common Russian national drinks until the end of the 20th century, vodka was the basis for a huge number of tinctures, the preparation of which became a special branch of home production in Russia.

On January 1, 2010, in order to combat illegal alcohol trafficking in the country, Russia introduced a minimum price for a 0.5-liter bottle of vodka in the amount of 89 rubles. The corresponding order was signed by the Federal Service for Alcohol Market Regulation (Rosalkogolregulirovanie). If the bottle is of a different volume, the minimum price will be calculated in proportion to the capacity.

Thus, now the consumer will be able to make an informed choice between legal and illegal producers. According to experts, taking into account the excise tax on alcohol planned for 2010, the cost of a bottle, VAT and minimum retail and wholesale markups, the price of a bottle of vodka really does not exceed 89 rubles.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

There are many versions about the origin of vodka, because no documentary evidence has been found for this. Each country is trying to take the lead by claiming that a strong alcoholic drink was made for the first time in their country, creating a lot of myths. Who actually invented vodka remains a mystery to this day, but at least some facts are reliably known to historians.

History of appearance

There are many versions of the appearance of an alcoholic liquid. Someone believes that it was invented by a monk; someone is sure that this is the work of an ordinary Russian peasant; others believe that it was in Poland that the “green potion”, strong alcohol, originated. This is due to the small number of historical facts and material evidence.

Who invented vodka

The one who actually discovered vodka remained unknown. But documentary sources speak of several people who were considered the creators of the strong drink:

1. Persian doctor Ar-Razi. Although he learned to get only ethyl alcohol and used it as a medicine.
2. Iranian Jabir ibn Hayyan, born later, in 721. He also used alcohol for medicinal purposes, because the Koran forbids its use.
3. Arab perfumer Pares. In the 880s, he added alcohol with water to his own eau de toilette.
4. The Persian scholar Avicenna died in 1037. He was the first to use the distillation cube.
5. The Italians believe that their monk Valentius invented vodka, having tried to “extract the soul from wine” with the help of distillation.
6. The Russians are sure that the inventor of the drink is priest Isidore from the Miracle Monastery. He created a liquid from a grain crop instead of grapes, introducing an original taste into history.

Figure: the invention of the moonshine still.

All "inventors" considered themselves as such, because they could not know about each other because of the time barrier. They lived not just in different years, but in different centuries.

What year was vodka invented?

Historians claim that the first shards with the rest of intoxicating drinks date back to the 3rd century BC. e. The Greek philosopher Aristotle mentioned vodka in his manuscripts in 384 BC. e. Valentius applied his knowledge in the 12th century. Pop Isidore created an intoxicating liquid when it was 1439.

It is known that vodka appeared in Russia in the XIV century, even before the “official” discovery of Isidore. At the moment, the date of invention of national alcohol is unknown. The date 1936 is considered correct, when the law on vodka appeared in the official GOSTs of the USSR. This date is at least documented.

Where was vodka invented

Among the “discoverers” of vodka are doctors and scientists from Persia, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates. However, the Poles consider themselves the inventors of a strong alcoholic drink, because the word “vodka” comes from the Polish diminutive word “vodichka”, similar to the Russian dialect.

When the USSR began to actively supply alcohol with water to the USA, it became necessary to patent the brand. Therefore, in 1972, vodka producers from the Union filed a lawsuit with the International Arbitration Court in order to prove that it was on their territory that vodka originated. Poland filed a response.

As a result, Russia provided documentary evidence, and in 1982, by a court decision, it was established that the alcoholic liquid “comes” from Russia. Officially it is considered so.

However, it is known that the first mention of a strong drink still came from Europe. But the probable place of appearance is not documented, so now the world calls only the official version.

History of vodka in Russia

"Aqua Vitae" - "living water" from Genoa - was brought to Russia in 1386. Then it was “handed over” to the king as a preparation for lubricating wounds. Then the Russian people forgot about the bitter liquid. Later, under Ivan the Terrible, it became useful. He even forced people to drink it, because he was convinced of a positive effect on the body. And perhaps even then he understood that drunken minds are easier to control.

And yet, drugged people do more harm than good, so in 1914, and then in 1917-1924, a “dry law” was introduced, which prohibited the use of alcohol. Then cunning Russian people learned how to make alcohol on their own at home. It was sold underground, because of which vodka had to be reintroduced into everyday life.

In 1936, the USSR created an alcoholic GOST. Then the trade name of the drink appeared. Before that, vodka was called “moonshine”, “bread wine”, “fumes”. By the way, before the advent of vodka in Russia, they drank wine and beer made from grapes, berries or yeast.

The essential difference between the Russian alcoholic drink is that it is made only from grain crops, although in the world it is usually made from potato or cereal raw materials, and in some countries even from pineapple and other exotic ingredients. Due to different tastes and smells, as well as political disputes in some countries of the world, “Vodka” Russian and “Wodka” Polish are listed on the menu of restaurants.

What does Mendeleev have to do with vodka?

Modern Russians are convinced that it was Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev who invented the national alcoholic drink. The myth appeared due to the fact that on January 31, 1865, the scientist defended his doctoral dissertation in chemistry, where he explained in detail how the volume of the final product depends on the ratio of alcohol and water in the solution.

Mendeleev proved that the best proportions of vodka are 46:54, where alcohol is the first digit and water is the last. In fact, Dmitry Ivanovich discovered hydrate complexes, but did not measure the degrees of liquid and did not study its effect on the human body. He himself did not even use alcohol, believing that the state only replenishes the treasury in this way. So he is definitely not the inventor of the alcohol-containing substance.

The emergence of a 40 degree drink

Nevertheless, Mendeleev's doctoral dissertation influenced the norms of Russian alcohol. The 19th century was marked by the fact that the Russian government officially made adjustments to GOST - vodka should have 40 degrees. Vodka "Moscow Special" with 40 degrees was patented in 1894 and is considered ideal.

There is another version of the appearance of an alcoholic drink with so many degrees. It is connected with the fact that the Russian government began to fight against diluted low-quality vodka. To eliminate this, the indicated strength rate was introduced. A round integer simplified the tax calculation.

The exact number of degrees was approved on December 6, 1886. It was about the minimum threshold of the fortress. Manufacturers can raise this figure in their products, but the main thing is that vodka meets the norm.

How different types of vodka appeared

Previously, people called “wine” all alcohol, including vodka. Therefore, it was difficult to separate it into species. Today, it is so studied that three types of alcoholic strong drink are known:

• Classic. This is the name of a standard pure solution, in which 40% alcohol and 60% water. It does not contain fusel hazardous substances.

Liquid purification is carried out by hot or cold method, and filtration is carried out in special containers with charcoal. This drink is most popular among connoisseurs of elite alcohol.

• Special or diluted vodka. Production takes place in the same way as with the classical method.

The difference is that aromatic additives, essential oils, fusel substances are added. This drink is drunk by experienced alcohol lovers.

• Fruit tincture. In addition to alcohol and water, it uses ripe berries and fruits, yeast, sugar.

Such vodka is distilled on special equipment at home or in industrial conditions. It is drunk by people who value extraordinary taste and sweetness.

The philosopher Friedrich Engels divided vodka according to raw materials and argued that rye alcohol is the only worthy one, its other types only spoil the psyche. Who and when divided vodka into the above types is the same secret as the exact date or name of the real creator of a strong alcoholic liquid. Historians still do not have at least some certainty on this score.

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Probably everyone knows about “what vodka is”, but the history of its appearance in Eastern Europe and the subsequent evolution to the form in which it is known now is more like a collection of myths and legends than reliable historical facts.

There are many versions about who invented vodka and when, one of the most common is that it was allegedly the work of D. I. Mendeleev, but this is not so, and there are many weighty historical facts to refute this theory, but about this more details below.

Prototype and first mention

Before starting a story about where and when vodka appeared in Rus', it must be said that the word itself is derived from the word water according to the same principle as the now rarely used forms of the words mom and dad - mom and folder. Thus, the name itself does not have an initial link to alcohol based on cereals or potatoes, but is associated precisely with water.

But if we consider a historically developed product obtained by distilling mash based on such raw materials, then the progenitor of vodka in the territories of Eastern Europe can be considered "bread wine", it is also "bread alcohol", in our time a drink very close to it is "bread vodka" .

This alcoholic drink appeared approximately between the second half of the 14th and the first half of the 15th centuries, until that moment, alcohol based on grains or their products through distillation on the territory of present-day Russia or neighboring states that then constituted a single state was not produced.

A possible reason for the creation of "bread wine" was the visit of the Genoese embassy in 1386. Together with them, the Italians brought a very high-quality strong alcoholic drink called "Aqua Vitae", which literally translates as "water of life".

In terms of organoleptic properties, it significantly surpassed any of the then available alcoholic drinks of the type, - mead - or, which was associated with its production through a full-fledged distillation open by that time in Italy.

If we talk about when vodka first appeared on earth as a water-alcohol solution obtained by distillation, then the Arabs already in the 7th-8th centuries produced such a product, but for medicinal purposes, and not for everyday use, which is prohibited by the Koran.

Origin

There are several versions, each of which has its own arguments and facts in its support, the main ones can be considered the versions of Pokhlebkin and Pidzhakov.

Pokhlebkin's version

According to his calculations, based largely on indirect indicators, professional distilling and vodka production appeared between the 1440s and 1470s, with the latest date, according to him, being 1478. As the main evidence of the beginning of mass production of alcohol, namely mass production, according to Pokhlebkin, should be the criterion for the emergence of the industry, we can consider the introduction of specific taxation and the beginning of a state monopoly on this type of alcohol both within the state and in foreign trade. So, in 1474, a ban was introduced on the import and trade of "bread alcohol" for German merchants, which is reflected in the Pskov Chronicles.

Pidzhakov's version

In his opinion, Pokhlebkin's estimates are too optimistic and there is no direct confirmation of them in the annals. Thus, Pidzhakov comes to the conclusion that in the 15th century there was no distillation either on the territory of the Muscovite kingdom or on the territory of the neighboring Lithuanian principality.

At the same time, he interprets the word “perevar” that occurs as referring to beer, and only the only mention of “created wine” in one of the minor historical documents can be regarded as a mention of vodka, that is, there was no mass distillation, perhaps there was an experimental single production.

The first reliable source indicating that the alcoholic beverage was produced in large volumes, in his opinion, is Matvey Mikhovsky's "Treatise on Two Sarmatians" dated 1517. It says that the inhabitants of Muscovy "from oats ... make a burning liquid or alcohol and drink to escape ... from the cold." A later mention from 1525 testifies that "in Muscovy ... they drink beer and vodka, as we see it among the Germans and Poles."

The advent of the 40-degree standard

In the period preceding the appearance of alcohol meters in the Russian Empire, the strength of "bread alcohol" was measured by the annealing procedure. If, when the liquid was set on fire, half burned out, then such a drink was called “polugar”. Her fortress matched 38% and was the production standard, it was from here, and not from some research, that the “legendary” norm of a water-alcohol solution appeared.

In 1817, the semi-garden strength of the drink became recommended, and in 1843, when the corresponding law was passed, it became the official standard, but with a slight change, it was rounded up to 40%. Firstly, in production it is much easier to mix weight fractions of 4 to 6, and not 38 to 62, and given that serious penalties were imposed for violating the standards, it was even safer for manufacturers.

And secondly, the excise tax was taken from every degree, and it is much more convenient to calculate round numbers, which the Treasury advocated for. In addition, 2% of the stock was a guarantee that in case of shrinkage, leakage or slight dilution, the consumer would still receive a drink with a “semi-garden” strength.

Thus, the historical confirmation of the strength of the water-alcohol solution, then called "table wine", at the level of 40%, was accomplished, which was formalized in the "Charter on drinking fees", which was approved on December 6, 1886. At the same time, the standard fixed only the lower limit, leaving the upper limit of the strength of the drink at the discretion of the manufacturer.

The emergence of modern recipes and production technology

With the beginning of the technical revolution in the second half of the 19th century, there was a need and an opportunity to produce alcohol in large quantities. First of all, the chemical industry, perfumery and medicine needed it. For this purpose, distillation columns were invented, which gave not only much, but also better, the resulting alcohol had 96% and a high degree of purification. In the Russian Empire, such equipment appeared in the 1860s, while most of the rectificate was exported.

At the same time, the distillery industry began producing "table wine", which was a solution of rectified in water and, in fact, was the prototype of a modern strong drink. If you ask yourself who invented vodka in terms of modern composition, then it was a technical committee led by M. G. Kucherov and V. V. Verigo, who developed both the recipe and the production technology, which remains the standard to this day, and then the drink received the name "state wine".

In 1914, the war began, and with it the "dry law", which lasted after the communists came to power until 1924. In 1936, already in the USSR, the standard for a water-alcohol solution was approved, which was essentially identical to the work of Kucherov and Verigo, and the drink finally got the name vodka, and what was called “vodka” in tsarist times was renamed “vodka products”.

Vodka and Mendeleev: truth and myths

In whatever form myths do not circulate that Mendeleev invented 40-degree vodka, for example, the well-known brand "" put an inscription on the label that the recipe for the drink complies with the standard of 1894, in which Dmitry Ivanovich, allegedly, was the head of the royal commission that developed and approved this standard. The "actual" basis for such stories is the work of the great scientist, called "On the combination of alcohol with water."

In this connection, he is considered the father of Russian vodka, although back in 1843 a 40-degree standard was set in the Russian Empire, when Mendeleev was only nine years old. His dissertation contains information mainly about aqueous solutions of alcohol of 70 degrees or more, and more importantly, there are no experiments on the effect of alcohol on the body, its organoleptic properties, or the ideal formula for an alcohol solution for internal consumption.

By its nature, the work of a scientist is more related to metrics than any other branch of knowledge. At the time of the introduction of the 40-degree norm, Dmitry Ivanovich studied at the gymnasium, which makes it impossible for him to participate in making such a historically significant decision. As for the mentioned vodka commission of 1894, this one was formed, but in 1895 at the direction of S. Yu. Witte.

At the same time, Mendeleev himself participated in it, but not as a permanent member at the meetings, but at the very end, as a speaker, but on the topic of excise tax, and not on the composition of the drink.

Instead of an afterword

As with any sensitive topic, the history of the appearance of vodka is shrouded in many myths and legends, this happens not because of someone's evil will, who wants to mislead, but for the sake of embellishment, which is typical of many of us.

Often, reality is more pragmatic and measured than in stories of miraculous insight or sudden discovery, which turns the story into a series of boring and mostly mercantilely justified phenomena.

So “bread wine” appeared only because the ruling stratum saw the opportunity to profit from monopoly sales, and 40 degrees is a convenient rounding option that turned up, proposed almost by accountants.