President Vladimir Putin’s two-day India tour has traders googling his Aurus limousine and diplomats decoding summit deals, but ordinary folks back home are suddenly asking one question: what exactly is that clear drink Russians can’t live without? The answer lies in centuries-old stills and a spirit that flows through every toast, tragedy, and triumph of Russian life.
How vodka is made in Russia is more than a factory tour – it is the story of a drink that started as medicine in a Moscow monastery, survived tsars and Soviets, and today remains the heartbeat of the nation’s culture. From the frozen fields of Siberia to the gleaming distilleries outside St. Petersburg, I traced the journey of this crystal-clear icon that Russians affectionately call “little water”.
The Mysterious Birth: Who Really Invented Vodka?
Ask a Russian, and they’ll swear vodka was born in 1430 inside the walls of Chudov Monastery in the Kremlin, where a monk named Isidore first distilled a fiery spirit from grain. Ask a Pole, and they’ll point to 1405 records of “wódka” used as medicine. Sweden claims an even earlier date. Truth? No one has the original recipe book.
What historians agree on is that by the late 15th century, Muscovy was already taxing the drink heavily – a sign it had moved from pharmacy shelves to tavern tables. Peter the Great loved it so much he reportedly drank two bottles a day; Catherine the Great declared it a state monopoly in 1765 to fund her wars.
Raw to Refined: Step-by-Step – How Vodka is Made in Russia Today
Modern Russian vodka starts simple – with ingredients any babushka in the countryside can grow.
- Base Selection: Winter wheat and rye dominate (Beluga, Russian Standard), though potatoes and even sugar beets appear in cheaper brands. Top distilleries still swear by soft water from Lake Ladoga or Valdai springs.
- Mashing & Cooking: Grains are milled, mixed with hot water, and cooked into a sweet mash. Enzymes break starch into fermentable sugars – exactly like making beer, but stronger.
- Fermentation: Yeast is added. Within 3-4 days the mash turns into a 8-10% alcohol “beer”. Premium brands let it ferment slowly at cool temperatures for cleaner flavour.
- Distillation: Here’s where Russia flexes. Most vodkas are distilled 3-5 times in towering column stills made of copper and stainless steel. Brands like Nemiroff or Five Lakes go up to seven. Each pass strips away impurities and pushes alcohol to 96.4% – the scientific maximum before it becomes absolute alcohol.
- Filtration & Dilution: The near-pure spirit is filtered – sometimes through birch charcoal (classic Russian method), sometimes silver, gold, or even diamond dust in luxury bottles. Finally, pure water brings it down to the standard 40% ABV. No ageing – unlike whisky, good vodka is drunk fresh.
- Bottling: Straight into iconic glass, often with a tiny delay mechanism in the cap so it “sighs” when opened – a subtle Russian touch.
From Medicine to Mirth: Vodka in Everyday Russian Life
Walk into any Russian home and the first thing offered is vodka – never wine, rarely beer. A birthday without three toasts is incomplete; a funeral without a shot for the departed is disrespectful. “Za zdorovye” (to health) is the universal starter, followed by deeper toasts for love, parents, and those no longer here.
Official stats say the average Russian over 15 drinks about 17 shots a month – down from Soviet-era peaks but still triple the global average. In villages, samogon (home-distilled spirit) remains common; in cities, Stolichnaya and Parliament are shelf staples.
Politics on the Rocks: Vodka’s Role in Russian Economy
Vodka isn’t just culture – it’s cash. The state still earns billions in excise duty. When Mikhail Gorbachev tried his 1985 anti-alcohol campaign, cutting production by half, the budget lost so much revenue it helped hasten the USSR’s collapse. Putin’s government learned the lesson – taxes yes, bans never.
Today, brands like Russian Standard (owned by billionaire Roustam Tariko) export to 85 countries, while state-linked firms control distribution inside Russia. Even sanctions haven’t stopped the flow – vodka remains one of Moscow’s few consumer goods still welcome worldwide.
How Vodka is Made in Russia: Luxury vs Everyday Bottles
- Everyday: Five Lakes, Zelenaya Marka – triple-distilled, charcoal-filtered, ₹800-1,200 in India.
- Premium: Beluga (malted spirit, 30-day resting, birch filtration), Jewels like Russo-Baltique (filtered through gems, bottle worth $1.3 million).
The difference isn’t just price – it’s the obsessive attention to water purity and the number of distillations.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and cultural purposes only. Excessive alcohol consumption is injurious to health. Always drink responsibly and in accordance with local laws.
Putin’s plane may have left Delhi, but the curiosity about Russia stays – next time you raise a chilled shot, remember there’s 600 years of history in that glass. Which Russian brand are you trying first?