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The most popular alcoholic drink vodka has a high strength. This product quickly entered the life of many people and was firmly entrenched in it. Nevertheless, some to this day cannot figure out the measure of the strength of a transparent alcoholic drink.

What is vodka? This is not an easy mixture of ethyl alcohol with water, as is commonly believed in everyday life. In addition to these two indispensable ingredients, other ingredients are often included in the composition of a pleasure drink.

The composition of vodka may include:

• lemon acid;
• sugar;
• an extract from various plants and natural flavors such as pine cones, birch buds, etc .;
• powdered milk;
• vinegar.

These additives do not affect how much alcohol will be in the finished product. Honey and sugar mainly play the role of seasonings required to give the beverage a mild flavor.

The set and the required proportion of additional ingredients are determined by the manufacturer. Often the type and name of vodka depends on this. So, on store counters you can find vodka with the name "special", "perfect", "crystal", etc. But, no matter what additives the manufacturer is experimenting with, the main components of "little white" are rectified edible alcohol and water. Their ratio, or rather the way of visualizing this ratio, sometimes introduces some part of citizens into a stupor: the first bottle says 40 °, the second 40%, and the third 40%. Which is better?

The mass production of Russian vodka first began in the fifteenth century. At that time, the technology for producing edible ethanol from grain raw materials was very different from those used today. The principles were the same, but the main difference lay in the imperfection of technological processes. The resulting product had a low degree of purification from impurities. The most popular filtration method at that time was coal purification, which helped to remove fusel oils, but did not affect how much alcohol remained in alcohol.

The culture of drinking strong alcoholic beverages was also radically different. Until 1885 there was no retail trade in alcohol at all. Alcohol was bottled and sold in whole glasses - containers with a volume of about a quarter of a liter. Therefore, the fortress "white" was designated by parts of the volume. That is, 40% of the total volume of liquid was taken up by alcohol.

After 1885, new trends came to Russia from the west, and among them - the retail sale of wine and products containing ethyl alcohol. At the same time, in 1895, D.I. Mendeleev scientifically proved that in order to compose a mixture of water with ethanol that is optimal in terms of properties and characteristics, it is necessary to use not a measure of volume, but a measure of mass. Consequently, from one hundred percent of the total mass of the liquid, 40 should be occupied by alcohol. Since then, in the USSR, it was customary to denote the strength of alcohol in degrees.

The difference in the designation of the strength of alcoholic beverages ultimately forces different buyers to ask the same question: "How much alcohol is in one bottle of vodka?"

What is the most correct designation for the strength of alcoholic beverages? Degrees, or percentages? After a scientific study conducted by D.I.Mendeleev, a clear rule was introduced in Russia and the USSR, stating that it is necessary to indicate how much alcohol is in alcoholic products based on the weight fractions of the substance. And to make it clearer for people, the degree of strength was expressed in degrees (a small circle placed at the top, to the right of the number), which with its whole appearance made it clear that when diluting pure (96.6 °) alcohol with water, it was the units of mass that were involved.

Thus, on containers with Russian-made alcohol until the 70s, the following strength designations could be found:

• 45 ° - the strongest vodka rarely found on the market;
• 40 ° - the most common "white";
• 35 °, 30 ° - vodka of low strength;
• 20, 14 and less degrees - other alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, gin, etc.

And what about the percent sign? How can you explain its appearance on alcohol bottles that are sold in Russia now? Express the ethanol content in strong drinks using a percentage - the tendency of the west that has come to us. It must be emphasized that this method is somewhat incorrect, since nowhere is it indicated from what this percentage is calculated - from mass, or from volume. And how many ordinary people have gone astray in this way? Many. Indeed, of all consumers of alcoholic beverages, only a few truly understand degrees and percentages.

Recently, to clarify the situation, an index "about" is put next to the% sign, if necessary. That is, now "forty-degree water", obtained by mixing the volume fractions of water and alcohol, has the designation 40% vol. Foreign manufacturers decided to do the same and stick stickers on bottles with strong alcohol with the inscription 40% Vol. It must be admitted that this form of notation is no longer misleading, since the additional prefix "about" or "Vol" makes it clear that when making vodka, the optimal ratio of alcohol and water was achieved by measuring the required volumes.

Degrees in the old way

To the question "How many degrees are in ordinary vodka?" many will answer - 40. Is this correct or not? Correctly, if you use the traditional system, where each "degree" is equal to one hundredth of pure one hundred percent alcohol. And it is wrong, if we take into account the old Western European system, in which 0.005715 of the total volume of pure edible ethanol is taken as a "degree" of strength. Therefore, it is possible to show how much alcohol is in a drink through the usual system (40% vol), or through the outdated one (70 ° Br. Proof).

The designation of the strength of alcoholic beverages and substances through Proof-degrees is an order of the outdated technique that was popular in Western Europe. Nevertheless, now on sale you can still find bottles with alcoholic liquid, the main characteristic of which is calculated in the old, "overpriced" way. There are specimens with double designation, for example, 40% vol (70 ° Br. Proof). Here you can see that the old wording is located next to the new one and is enclosed in brackets.

Why are the degrees "overstated" in the old system?

There are two explanations for this:

1. Foreign producers simply do not take into account the contraction, or otherwise the compression of alcohol.
2. According to foreign manufacturers, wine and vodka products, or rather how much ethanol it contains, should be assessed not by the blend, but by the characteristics and components included in this blend.

Equally, the method of designating the concentration of ethyl alcohol in a drink does not solve anything and does not affect how much alcohol the finished product will have. It is not easy to achieve the optimal ratio of alcohol and water so that the molecules of both substances can completely diffuse with each other. Even the vodka of the most eminent and expensive brand is far from perfect at the molecular level. Various manufacturers of "fire water" strive to bring the composition of their product closer to the ideal. But this is not easy to do, otherwise if you combine half a liter of water with the same volume of pure alcohol, you would get a liter of vodka.

Vodka is a strong alcoholic drink that has earned popular recognition. It is customary to use it on holidays, big celebrations, in the circle of a noisy, cheerful company. The pleasure goes well and is softly perceived by the body, if you eat something after each glass you drink.

The following are great for this purpose:

• salted pickled mushrooms;
• salted herring with onions;
• smoked meats and other meat dishes;
• boiled potatoes.

In general, "little white" goes well with many dishes, both with the first and with the second. There are no unequivocal recommendations here, because each person has an individual taste. How much alcohol is in the typical vodka that we are so used to drinking? Several answers can be given to this question: 40 °, 40%, 40% vol, 70 ° Br. Proof. To bother too much about degrees and percentages, to argue which formulation is more precise, is probably not worth it, since they all display approximately the same value. In addition, there is no need to think about the strength of alcohol, sitting at the festive table.

In any case, you should always remember that vodka is a good product if consumed in moderation.

The amount of alcohol in alcoholic beverages (wines, liqueurs, vodkas, etc.) is usually expressed in volume or weight percent, that is, in hundredths of a volume or parts by weight. This difference in the ways of expressing the composition of alcoholic beverages is explained both historically, that is, by the system, rule, tradition adopted for a particular country and a particular company producing the drink, and by the level of the technological scheme in the manufacture of this drink. So, until 1894, the alcohol content in vodka, its degree of strength was determined exclusively by volumes, which was reflected in the corresponding technical names of vodkas: two-test, three-test, four-test, etc. But after D.I. Mendeleev "reformed" vodka and scientifically proved that the composition of vodka, that is, the combination of grain alcohol with water, should not take place by simply merging volumes, but by accurately weighing a certain part of alcohol, the percentage of alcohol in vodka, or its strength, began to be expressed in weight parts.

In practice, in the notation of vodka and wine labels, the alcohol content in alcoholic beverages is expressed in degrees, indicated by a number with a small circle at the top, - 40 ° or 16 °. However, this rule is not always followed. Sometimes, especially at the level of individual republics, they resort to an unconventional expression of strength - in percent. For example, “Cognac Selected, Ararat, ArmSSR, bottling of the Moscow Wine and Brandy Factory. Fortress 42% "; “Ukrainian with pepper girka tincture mshn. 40% (strength - fortress) "; “Lemon bitter tincture. Moscow plant "Crystal". Fortress 40% ". This designation as a percentage is accepted in some foreign countries and has recently been brought into our country under the influence of repatriates working in the relevant industries or in advertising related to the production of labels. This violation of the designations adopted in our country, of course, disorients consumers and should be regarded as technical and commercial illiteracy and, on this basis, subject to appropriate sanctions.

The fact is that the indication of the percentage (%) does not say anything about whether this percentage is calculated from weight or from volume. Abroad, where the production of alcoholic beverages is entirely provided to individual companies, some of them consider it necessary to indicate a certain percentage to guide the buyer (for example, the Finnish liqueur "Polar", 29%), others, on the contrary, believe that no indication of the strength in digital expressions are impossible, especially in wines and liqueurs, because each batch is individual and their dignity is in their bouquet, and not in their arithmetic strength (this is what, for example, Portuguese firms producing port wine ("Porto"), Italian firms, southern French, etc. .)

In our country, a strict procedure for designating the alcohol content in a drink has been adopted: when calculating weight percentages, the number of degrees is indicated - 40 °, 42 °, 45 °, 56 °. All these are, as a rule, strong and noble alcoholic drinks - vodka, cognac. At the same time, when calculating volume percentages, the designation on the labels looks like this:

Al Sharab. Table pink. Bakwinzavod No. 1, fortress 9 - 14% vol.,

"Mattress". Table red. Bakinzavod No. 1, fortress 10 - 14% vol.,

"Kagor" No. 32. Kubanvinogradagroprom, alcohol 16% vol.

The content of all other components of wines, which is indicated on the labels, is expressed exclusively in parts by weight. So, an indication of the sugar content of wines and liqueurs is calculated in weight, but indicated on the labels as follows: sugar 16%; sugar.: 30 - 40 g / l, that is, grams per liter. Knowing the specific gravity of alcohol, or sugar, or other ingredients contained in an alcoholic beverage, you can, following the data on the labels, always convert volumetric parts (percentages) to weight parts and vice versa. Sometimes the amount of titratable acids is also indicated, especially in specially formulated wines, reinvented, "author's". So, in the white dessert wine "Smile" (Gelendzhik) the strength is 15% vol., Sugar. 14%, i.e. kis. 5-7 g / l.

Unlike vodka, the percentage of alcohol in which is always expressed in parts by weight, the alcohol content of whiskey in the USA, Great Britain and other Western European countries is expressed in volumes, which is reflected in some cases in the designations on the labels: Winchester. Scotch Whiskey 40% vol (i.e. volumes). Adapting to "Western taste", that is, to the standards adopted in the West, our foreign trade organizations in recent years have also begun to indicate the strength of vodka not in degrees, but in percent ("Moscow special" 40%), not realizing that thereby completely blurred the fundamental difference between vodka and whiskey.

Due to the fact that in the West a tradition has developed not to take into account the contraction (compression) of alcohol and to calculate (until the middle of the 20th century) the strength of alcoholic beverages, based not on a real assessment of the blend, but on the basis of the components introduced into the blend, along with the now accepted Russian, Mendeleev's system for determining the strength of vodka and whiskey has also retained the old assessment system familiar to Western European consumers. This old, "overstated" system of assessing the fortress is indicated in brackets along with the modern one:

"Moscow special" vodka 40 ° (70 ° Br. Proof),

"Smirnovskaya vodka" No. 21 (80 ° Proof),

"Scotch Whiskey" 40% vol (70 ° Proof),

Vodka "Yubileinaya" 45% (79 ° Proof),

"Strong" vodka 56% (98 ° Proof).

Based on the linguistic meaning of this designation, it is, as it were, considered "practical" and opposed to the Russian, "theoretical". In fact, everything is exactly the opposite: the Russian designation of alcohol strength is the most real: it is an accurate estimate of the alcohol content in a drink by weight. The English designation is actually pseudo-practical, because it takes into account only the formal, purely technical degree of distillation of alcohol, which served as a raw material, as a source for obtaining whiskey or vodka, but does not tell us anything at all about what we actually consume; it does not take into account the most complex biochemical and physical transformations that alcohol undergoes at concentration, interacting with water, it does not take into account all the fundamental difference that exists between whiskey and vodka. Objectively and scientifically, one hundredth (0.01) part of anhydrous (100%) alcohol, which weighs 7.94 g, has always been considered and continues to be considered a "degree" of strength. In England, since 1794, when scientific chemistry was not yet known, alcohol is measured volume, like ordinary water, and not even the volume of anhydrous 100 percent alcohol, which was also not known then, but the volume of the so-called test, or practical, alcohol, designated Proof, in a unit of which there are only 57.3 volumes of anhydrous alcohol. In addition, in England the calculus as a unit of measure does not come from 1 liter and not on the basis of the decimal system, but the gallon serves as a measure of volume - 4.5735 liters. That is why one should not at all imitate the West in this and bring the strength of vodka in degrees according to the English system.

V.V. Pokhlebkin, "The History of Vodka"

We are accustomed to the expression "strong alcoholic drink", which is used in relation to vodka and cognac. Its main component is ethyl alcohol. And how many degrees B - in "pure" ethanol, used to make "intoxicating potion"?

In order to determine the alcoholic strength of a liquid, use the concept " spirituality". It shows how much ethanol is contained in the moisture under investigation... There are drinks:

• less virtuoso;
• highly virtuosic.

The first are:

• beer;
• wine;
• light cocktails.

The second are drinks in which the share of ethanol exceeds 30-35%... If you buy vodka, it means that you are purchasing a highly alcoholic drink.

Features of determining the fortress

Is there a 100-degree alcohol?

There is no real 100-degree ethanol. In any case, it has not yet been possible to obtain it even in laboratory conditions. But scientists sometimes reach the alcohol content in the solution, reaching 99.

For an ordinary customer who comes to the store for high-quality alcohol, there is no need to carry a device to determine the number of degrees. You can rely on the integrity of the manufacturer if you choose a reliable brand.

But if you have an idea to do winemaking at home, buy an alcohol meter. Or maybe you know of any other methods that give a 100% guarantee that this drink is exactly 40 degrees, and not one degree less? Share with us - we'll be grateful!

Vodka is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks, but to this day there is a huge amount of controversy about what the "correct" strength of vodka should be in order to ensure the most acceptable taste and minimize the harmful effects of the drink on the body. But no matter how many degrees it is, it still has a destructive effect on the body.

In the article:

Vodka fortress

In dry GOST definitions, vodka is an alcoholic drink made from rectified alcohol and prepared water as the main components and several additional ingredients that determine taste. Strength depends on a certain ratio of the main components of the drink. Considering that rectified alcohol cannot be stronger than 96 degrees, the strength of the vodka obtained from it is necessarily below this value, and its quantitative expression depends on the percentage of water and other components in the resulting drink, ready for use. A prerequisite for the preparation of vodka is the processing of the resulting aqueous-alcoholic solution with special adsorbents that reduce the amount of harmful impurities.

According to GOST R 51355-99, the strength of vodka can be 40-45, 50 and 56% with or without the addition of flavoring additives.

GOST R 51355-99

Domestic and foreign manufacturers have several designations for the strength of vodka, expressed in different units:

• Degrees, where the basis is the number of parts by weight of alcohol in the finished drink.
• Percentage, when the volumetric content of ingredients is selected to determine the strength and the clarification "vol." (the same "turns"), showing that it is the volumetric parts of alcohol and water that are taken into account.

The domestic designation of the strength of alcoholic beverages in degrees is recognized as the most accurate, taking into account the specific gravity not only of alcohol and water, but also of all components of the finished drink. Taking into account that the specific gravity of 1 liter of finished vodka with a strength of 40 ° is 953 grams, it can be established by simple calculations that such a drink contains 572 g of water and 381 g of grain ethyl alcohol.

If the strength is determined in terms of volume, the same amount of vodka will contain only 318 g of alcohol and already 635 g of water, i.e. the real strength of such vodka will be, taking into account the contraction of alcohol, only 35 °. The strength of a real drink can be even lower, since the degree of purification of alcohols is not taken into account when determining the volume fraction.

Why is vodka 40 degrees

There are many opinions, based on reliable facts and multiple legends, why vodka should have a strength of exactly 40 degrees.

One should not believe the widespread belief that such a composition was invented by the great Russian scientist D.I. Mendeleev. Long before his birth, the strength of alcoholic beverages in Russia was checked using the simplest annealing, when the alcohol contained in the solution was simply burned out of the total volume of liquid. If exactly half of the original volume of the test drink remained, then it was called a half-bar and had a strength of about 38 degrees. Subsequently, the bureaucracy rounded this figure to 40 ° to simplify tax calculations.

Many "connoisseurs" of strong alcohol claim that the most pleasant taste sensations arise when drinking drinks with a strength of 45 degrees and that this is why so many varieties of tequila, whiskey or cognac have such a strength. But it is worth noting that these are, in principle, other drinks made not by mixing rectified alcohol and water, but by distilling mash in a distillation cube, similar to the well-known moonshine. The taste and aroma of drinks of this kind depends on the type of raw materials, the degree of purification and the presence of flavoring additives.

D.I. Mendeleev, in his dissertation on the properties of aqueous-alcoholic solutions, found out that when mixing alcohol and water in various proportions, a chemical reaction occurs, in which the final volume of the resulting liquid will be less than the initial volume of the mixed ingredients. The scientist found out that when mixing 1000 g of water and 850 g of alcohol, the same 40-degree vodka is obtained with a minimum decrease in the total volume of the resulting liquid.

This ratio of alcohol and water in vodka is accepted because of the least burning effect on the mucous membranes of the alimentary tract and the acceptable effect of a water-alcohol solution on the cardiovascular and nervous system of a person.

Is it only 40 degrees?

The fact that there are many varieties of alcoholic distillates with a strength higher than 40 o does not cause the slightest doubt among anyone, but whether there is a vodka with strength indicators different from this "magic" figure.

Somewhat earlier it was already mentioned that alcoholic drinks with a strength of 40-45, 50 and 56 degrees can be called vodka, which is confirmed by the presence of a certain range of vodkas with strength indicators other than 40 o.

Fortress 45 °

Some of the elite varieties produced by domestic enterprises have a strength of 45 degrees. Most of the vodkas under the brand "Siberian", some, especially the export versions of "Stolichnaya", "Kizlyarskaya sojourn" and many other products of distilleries. The 45-degree premium vodkas are made from luxury alcohols and contain additional softening or flavoring additives.

Vodka "Siberian"

Particular attention in the process of their manufacture is paid to the additional preparation of water extracted from special sources (read about). And if in the manufacture of imported alcoholic beverages, in most cases, boiled or practically distilled water is used, then Russian vodkas are characterized by the use of especially soft natural water with a unique taste.

Fortress 50 °

Vodka Absolut

After the monopoly on the production of alcoholic beverages was lifted, individual varieties of fifty-degree vodka made from high-quality alcohol and specially prepared soft water began to appear from private producers. Often, in the manufacture of vodka with a strength of 50 o, special flavoring additives were used to reduce the negative impact on the organoleptic characteristics of the increased alcohol content.

They did not lag behind domestic manufacturers and their foreign colleagues. Ukrainian vodka "Nemirov Strong", Swedish "Absolute" and "Finland" from the country of Suomi take their rightful place on the festive tables. Despite the increased strength, the use of these drinks in small quantities does not cause discomfort.

Fortress 60 ° and 70 °

Koskenkorva Vodka 60%

If you follow the standards exactly, then by definition there is no vodka stronger than 56 degrees. There are similar drinks - gin, whiskey, liqueurs, rum, but the technology of their production is more like making the well-known to all moonshine, the strength of which after double - triple distillation can also reach 70 degrees.

Rasputin Vodka 70%

Absinthe also belongs to the world record holders among spirits, where the share of alcohol sometimes accounts for 75-85%. In its pure form, it is used by rare gourmets; most often, various cocktails are made on the basis of absinthe.

The strongest vodka in the world

Since ancient times, Scotland has been considered the birthplace of the strongest alcoholic drinks. Nowhere else is there beer with a strength of 41 degrees (more about) and the strongest strong whiskey, which is almost pure, about 92%, alcohol, aged in special oak barrels.

Pincer Shanghai Strength 88.8

Scottish Pincer Shanghai Strength, made from grain alcohol that has undergone multi-stage purification and flavored with thistle extract, has a strength of 88.8 about. The number 88.8 is no coincidence. The product is mainly intended for the Chinese market, and the number 8 is considered lucky in China. Despite its strength, the drink has a unique soft taste and is pleasant to drink thanks to a precisely selected recipe.

The softest vodka

Of all the variety of manufacturers and products, it is very difficult to single out the softest. Sometimes the products of famous brands are worse than the unknown product of a small distillery.

Softness is mainly determined by the quality and degree of purification of the alcohol. The quality of the activated carbon in the purification column plays a special role. The higher the quality and "younger" the coal, the softer the taste passing through it during the production process.

How many degrees is the standard

Vodka of industrial production can have a strength according to the national GOST from 40 to 56 degrees, and according to foreign requirements - not less than 37.5 degrees. Everything else, if it refers to alcoholic beverages, has no right to be called vodka.

The optimal ratio of the amount of alcohol and water is considered to be 1 to 1.176 mass units. With approximately this ratio, the density of the finished solution is about 950 kg / m 3. And although the density is not indicated on the label, this indicator directly affects the speed of intoxication and the magnitude of the subsequent hangover.

Regardless of how many degrees will be in the consumed drink, it is always necessary to remember that any alcohol in large quantities will bring irreparable harm to health and vodka, even the highest quality, is no exception to this rule.

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