Vodka is meant to be gulped down in one go, not sipped. Since this can give you a bit of a kick, Russians always have some zakuski, or snacks (including pickles, herring, boiled potatoes, and black bread) to chase the shot.
In Russia, vodka is traditionally drunk neat and not in cocktails.
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.
You might find that some Russians will loudly exhale after toasting before taking a drink. This is a custom that comes from an old adage that exhaling will prevent a hangover. If may be superstition, but if anyone knows how to stop a vodka hangover it's the Russians.
Beer and wine, for example, are the least intoxicating drinks but will cause the strongest odor. A much stronger drink, such as scotch, will have a weaker odor. And vodka leaves virtually no odor at all.
Glasses were broken after especially important toasts or just during the especially cheerful parties. Russian restaurants even held a special prices for breaking the glasses. Breaking of drinkware, or, in wider context, any tableware, is believed in Russia to bring luck and happiness.
Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is made by distilling liquid from fermented cereal grains, and potatoes since introduced in Europe in the 1700's.
Neat is used to order a drink that is served with no ice or mixers. It is, quite simply, a straight pour of liquor from the bottle into the glass. Neat drinks also are served at room temperature.
Vodka: You can absolutely drink vodka neat, or at least by itself (cold temps or ice help dull any astringent, alcoholic heat). Historically, traditionally, the classically “neutral” spirit is best served very cold and smooth, paired with food.
Vodka brands you may see drunk straight include Belvedere, Tito's, Stolichnaya (or Stoli), and Absolut vodka. Vodka has a high alcohol content, so drinking it straight will likely lead to getting drunk. Drinking it straight can also hurt your health in ways that mixing it may not.
If a drink is made with all spirits, it's stirred, not shaken. Drinks like Martinis, Manhattans, and Old Fashioneds are made with all spirits.
Immediately after toasting but before drinking, most Russians will perform a very loud and obvious exhale, which is supposed to have some mitigating effect on a hangover.
Traditionally, when you welcome guests in from the cold (whether from the Moscow streets, or from the hundreds of miles it takes to travel to a country estate), you give them a warming shot of vodka. And to protect your stomach and palate from the harsh vodka, you quickly follow it with a bite of zakuski.
Is Absolut Vodka Russian? Absolut Vodka is a Swedish vodka, produced in the village of Åhus in southern Sweden, from Swedish winter wheat.
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.
Smirnoff (/ˈsmɪərnɒf/; Russian: [smʲɪrˈnof]) is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov (1831–1898). It is distributed in 130 countries.
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.
Alcoholism has been the traditional problem in Russia for centuries. The current situation is far from ideal (2.2 million alcoholics, 700,000 alcohol-related deaths, 160,000 diagnosed with psychosis annually); however, the attention of society has recently shifted toward illicit drugs.
Blood tests showed the driver had a high alcohol level before he admitted he had been drinking for two days straight. According to current Russian law, drunk driving is punishable by up to two years suspension of a driver's license.
The national drink is an inseparable part of Russian social life. Vodka is drunk everywhere, with the intention of breaking down inhibitions and producing a state of conviviality Russians refer to as dusha-dushe (soul-to-soul).
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), vodka is an odorless, colorless, tasteless spirit, and among cocktail enthusiasts it has earned a reputation as the de facto drink of choice for those who don't like the taste of alcohol.
Alcohol doesn't have any smell. It's the hops, barley and other "stuff" that you can smell on your breath. The answer is to drink a clear spirit (or white spirit! - perhaps not) such as vodka.
Alcohol can remain on your breath for up to 12 to 24 hours after consuming your last drink.