Spirits connoisseurs agree that vodka is a clear, colorless spirit that is widely consumed in Russia , Poland, Norway, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Iceland. Vodka in the United States is regarded as a spirit drink that lacks aroma, distinctive flavor, and character. Although vodka is consumed in almost every country on the planet, from Japan to Slovakia, this alcoholic beverage is still puzzling to many.
The expression “vodka” is derived from the Russian word “voda”, which means water. Technically, alcohol is obtained from ethanol and water through an integrated process that includes fermentation, distillation and filtration. It is one of the most versatile alcoholic beverages that can be fermented from a variety of products including potatoes, corn, fruit, sugar, grapes, and grains to name a few.
Distillation is carried out up to 90% alcohol (and sometimes more) to remove lingering odors from the different ingredients used for its production. The typical ABV% of vodka is 35%-40% , but in some varieties, the alcohol content can be as high as 95%. Some of the best-selling vodka brands are Smirnoff (Russia), Absolut (Sweden), Khortytsa (Ukraine), Khlibnyi (Ukraine), and Zubrowka (Poland).
Benefits of drinking vodka
In addition to making you feel jolly (depending on the number of shots you take), vodka offers several health benefits . Since the drink is almost free of sugars or carbohydrates, it is considered for its therapeutic properties. It can be consumed for its prophylactic benefits as well as for topical application. The following are some of the significant benefits of vodka:-
- Helps relieve stress
- Promotes healthy hair growth
- Keeps skin supple and smooth
- An excellent antiseptic
- Cure toothaches
- Helps in the treatment of dandruff
- Ideal for maintaining cardiovascular health
- Has a calming effect on the brain
- Helps control microbial infections in sores and injuries
Why does vodka make you happy?
There are many fans of spirits and spirits who regard gin as vodka’s closest cousin, largely because both are colorless and almost odourless. Many drinkers cannot tell them apart as they both have a similar texture. Although both vodka and gin are fermented and distilled from a variety of grains, fruits, and cereals, there are some subtle differences between the two spirits when it comes to flavor.
Almost eight different botanicals are added to the dry variety of gin to give it its characteristic juniper flavour. Vodka, on the other hand, is bland and neutral. Vodka also has a higher ABV% on average 35%-95% compared to gin, whose ABV% ranges from 35%-50%. Premium vodka can make you feel delightfully cheerful little by little, but at the same time it is very smooth and soft on the palate.
If you want to get the most out of your vodka shots, drink each one in one shot or all at once. Also, make sure it is served over ice and that the bottle is kept in the fridge for several hours before serving. Vodka’s neutral flavor makes it ideal for strongly flavored cocktails.
How much vodka does it take to get drunk?
Opinions differ as to the number of shots of vodka one should drink to get drunk. Some start feeling tipsy 5-10 minutes after taking their first drink, while some drinkers need to down an entire quart or 200ml bottle. To put it into perspective, there is no standard or set scale for the number of shots you need to start feeling intoxicated.
Tipping varies from person to person and most of the time it is believed that an individual’s weight has a big influence, although most drinkers are unaware of this statement. In other words, the higher your weight, the longer it will take to feel the intoxicating effects and vice versa. Also, it is assumed that women get drunk earlier than men, although this generalization has not been officially confirmed.
An individual’s state of mind or mood also has a great influence on how quickly he or she will begin to become intoxicated. In addition, you are more likely to feel drunk if you have the clean drink, that is, without adding water and without consuming any accompaniments of nuts or salads. Throwing olives or lemon slices on the sides can keep you sober for a longer period.
No matter which way you drink vodka, you will surely get drunk sooner or later, even if you only have a couple of shots. Speaking categorically, women will come under the influence of vodka after taking 2-3 drinks and once they are on their 7th drink there is a high chance that they will get completely drunk. As for the men, they will start to feel intoxicated after their third shot and after they have dropped 8-9 shots they will already be seeing the stars.
A shot of vodka at 40% ABV (80 proof) is equivalent to 30 ml of alcohol.
List of 10 Popular Vodka Brands with Alcohol Content Data
Smirnoff- produced by the world’s leading wine and spirits company Diageo. The alcoholic content of Smirnoff Vodka is 37.5% ABV.