Let's start with the obvious one… Yes, vodka is the most appreciated strong alcohol in Russia, but there are way more interesting things to say about this drink (even if you don't drink). First of all, “Vodka” comes from the Slavic word “Voda” (water) and can be translated by “little water”.
Russian liquor, more popularly known as vodka, is a well-known alcoholic beverage worldwide. Vodkas are closely identified with Russian culture and are considered the country's national drink. It is a colorless, odorless liquor derived from grains such as wheat, barley, rye bread, or potatoes.
While vodka is the country's largest export, Russia is also a relatively large producer of beer and wine – though much of this is consumed domestically. Russian beer makes up 1% of the global beer market. Over 99% of Russian beer is consumed domestically.
The national drink is an inseparable part of Russian social life.
In Russia, you often drink to your own health and say "Будем здоровы!" [bóo-deem zda-ró-vye"], which can be translated as "To our health!" On special occasions the Russians often hold a long or a short speech giving a good reason for drinking.
But after the Russian Revolution the brand was sold and moved to the USA, as vodka production in the then Soviet Union was nationalised. Now owned by Diageo, Smirnoff vodka is produced around the world, including the UK and Ireland, but not in Russia.
Alcoholism has been a problem throughout the country's history because drinking is a pervasive, socially acceptable behaviour in Russian society and alcohol has also been a major source of government revenue for centuries. It has repeatedly been targeted as a major national problem, with mixed results.
In fact, the country is one of the world's largest consumers of alcohol per capita. The average Russian drinks more than twice the maximum amount considered healthy by the World Health Organization. So why do Russians drink so much?
Normally, in Russia, toasts are pronounced after every shot with Russian words like 'Za Nas! ' or 'Za zdorovie! ' which means ' to us' and 'to health' The toasts could be words like these or could also end up long.
Other traditional dishes include pies meat, mushroom, fish, or vegetable fillings. A drink called сбитень (ZBEEtyn'), made with spices and honey, is also served. (сбитень was once the most popular drink in Russia, before tea took over.)
Russians have a history of drinking vodka, so it's completely normal for them to continue the tradition. Russians also drink vodka because it's healthy alcohol. They believe in the curative and preventive powers of vodka.
Russian homemade pickled cucumbers are undoubtedly the best. They will be the most common accompaniment to your beer or vodka tasting. Pickled cucumbers can be bought in every supermarket and they're usually served in beer and vodka bars. These cucumbers go fine with any dish and local drink.
It's not clear how many Russian men drink three bottles or more a week. Lead researcher Sir Richard Peto of Oxford University said the average Russian adult drinks 20 liters of vodka per year while the average Briton drinks about three liters of spirits.
Stoli is probably the most famous and favorable vodka brand in Russia. Consumers and bar staff prefer Stoli products since they use traditional methods with modern distillation technologies.
Looking at the amount of alcohol consumed per person aged 15 years or older, the Seychelles is in first place with around 20.5 litres of alcohol drunk per person per year, according to Our World in Data; studies show that young male peer groups primarily drink high amounts of alcohol in the Seychelles.
Russia. According to the article 20.20 of the Offences Code of Russia, drinking in a place where it is forbidden by the federal law is punishable with a fine of 500 to 1500 rubles.
Russia and Australia have the highest prevalence of alcoholism dependence overall, with 2.61 per cent and 2.58 per cent, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.
The EU country with the biggest share of its population drinking alcohol on a weekly basis is the Netherlands (47.3 per cent), Luxembourg (43.1 per cent), and Belgium (40.8 per cent).
Burkina Faso is the country with the youngest drinking age at 13 years. Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa, a population 20.9 million (2020), has an area that expands to roughly 170,255 miles.
In 2021, 38 percent of Russians reported not drinking alcohol, a share that slightly increased from the previous year. Among the alcohol consuming population, only five percent reported drinking it daily or several times per week.
Smirnoff is named after Vladimir Smirnoff who fled from Russia during the country's revolution, but it's owned by British company Diageo (ticker: DEO) and is made in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries—but not Russia. The company, on its website, trumpets the phrase “proudly made in America” in red.
But the most popular vodkas in the U.S. – including Smirnoff, Ciroc, Tito's, Absolut, Svedka, Grey Goose, SKYY and New Amsterdam – are not made in Russia. They are made in Sweden, France, the U.K. and the U.S.
GREY GOOSE vodka is distilled in the gastronomy capital of the world, France, using the traditions of the Maître de Chai with only two ingredients – single-origin Picardie winter wheat and natural spring water.