Facts About Vodka That Will Surprise You
Before we get to facts about vodka, you should know that it’s much more than just a transparent liquid. It’s a mythical spirit, a craft, a true landmark of a whole culture. We have collected 5 fun facts about vodka that will probably surprise you (unless you’re Russian, then read this article to shout out loud “I know that!” 5 times in a row).
1. Vodka means “water”
The word “vodka” is derived from the Russian word “voda” which means “water”. Sure, the taste of these two liquids cannot be more different (ask a real Russian person, though), but here does lie a strong truth – good quality vodka must smell neutral and look crystal clear… just like water. Strangely enough, in fact, vodka weighs a bit less than water.
2. Vodka is one of the purest man-made beverages
Can you imagine? Vodka basically consists of only 2 ingredients – water and ethanol. Of course, it goes through multiple filtrations through charcoal and even silver, but the fact remains – vodka has zero cholesterol, sodium, yeast, carbs, or fat. We can’t say vodka is healthy, by no means, but knowing this information, does vodka step even higher in the list of your favorite beverages?
3. Vodka wasn’t born from potatoes
Yes, you can make vodka from potatoes, and a lot of people still do it, but…
No, to the contrary of a popular myth, not all vodka is made from potatoes – most of the modern day vodka is made from grains.
And no, first vodka ever (around 8th century) was not made from potatoes, either. Though we do not know what its key ingredient was, we are sure it wasn’t potatoes, because – quite simply – it wasn’t until the 16th century that this vegetable was imported in Europe from America.
4. Most expensive vodka costs over $7 million
If you’ve set aside only “some millions”, you can get yourself the most expensive vodka in the world – Billionaire Vodka that costs $7.25 million. Per bottle, of course. What makes it so expensive? First, it’s an original Russian recipe. Second, it’s filtered through ice, birch charcoal and dust from actual diamonds and other gems. Not too bad huh? On top of it all, the bottle comes decorated with thousands of diamonds set in gold. Worth every dime, right?
4. Vodka is rarely taken completely “neat”
No one really knows why is vodka so popular in Russia, but one thing is sure – Russians are love their vodka neat – as in, just a small shot and nothing else, not even ice… That is true, but 99% of the time vodka the shot is followed by a bite of food (origins of food pairing?!) called “zakuski”. It can be anything savory – a pickle, piece of sausage, bread with salted lard, Russian salad or even smoked or dried fish. Anything goes if you like it.
