Many people, especially those living in Russia, have come across such a drink as vodka, and of course, most wondered how many degrees of alcohol it contains. Here the answer is simple, you think - 40 degrees and no more and no less, but as specialists of one of the largest online magazines about alcoholic beverages "SamogonMan", we will tell you in all seriousness: the ratio of alcohol can vary from 40 to 56 degrees, depending on place of production and taste preferences.
Note! Vodka belongs to the category of strongly alcoholic drinks and its abuse can lead to alcoholism!
In the article you will find answers to all your questions about the degree measure of vodka, why exactly 40 is the number that has hit the minds so hard, and also a lot of interesting. Information is collected from all over the Internet, which significantly saves you time looking for an answer to such an important question.
Next, a certain amount of water is added to the resulting substance and re-purification is carried out using activated carbon. To make vodka aromatic and more pleasant to the taste, they also add a small amount of citric acid, glucose, honey, zest of orange, lemon and other fruits, milk powder and much more, depending on the recipe.
Different manufacturers have their own technology, including the choice of water will be different for everyone. You can use distilled or boiled, but alcohol is poorly soluble in them. Tap water can contain a large amount of salts, as a result of which the vodka will not be transparent, but whitish.
To achieve the softness of the water, it is pumped through filters with sand, allowed to be treated with a cation exchanger and other installations. It is forbidden to use cloudy water with foreign smell and taste.
As you know, alcohol is one of the essential components contained in this alcoholic beverage. When buying vodka, we often pay attention to the degrees, which are indicated on the label as a number and with a small circle next to it (above). How many degrees is in vodka? Traditional vodka has a strength of 40 ° –45 °. This is the best option from those that were previously proposed. A 40-degree alcoholic drink does not burn the stomach.
Some manufacturers began to denote the strength of an alcoholic drink in percentage terms. Therefore, calculating the weight in percent, indicate the number of degrees (for example, 40 °), and calculating the volume - the percentage (for example, "strength 16-18% vol." Or "alcohol 18% vol.").
How do you get 40-degree vodka? To do this, mix 100 ml of 90-degree alcohol with 130 ml of water. You get the following ratio: 1 part alcohol to 1.3 water. Optional ingredients such as glucose have almost no effect on the strength of the drink.
Alcohol is a liquid that has flammable properties. In 100% of the total volume, ethanol is 96.6%, which is why it is called ethyl alcohol. Rectified (which has been re-run to remove impurities from alcohol) ethyl alcohol is mixed with water to prepare this product.
The quality of ethyl alcohol depends on how much it is purified: first grade - 96%, highest purity - 96.2%, luxury - 96.3%, and extra reaches 96.5%. There is also rubbing alcohol.
The storage of alcohol is not limited in time. But at the same time, it is necessary to comply with the conditions. Vodka drinks must be made strictly according to the requirements of standards, instructions, in accordance with sanitary norms. How many degrees is in vodka? The strength of the drink must be at least 37.5%. The amount of toxic substances and radionuclides should not exceed the permissible level. Only purified alcohol can be used.
You do not need to drink such a drink if you do not want to spoil the taste. But if this option does not suit you, then you can take a glass of plain water. In no case should you drink vodka from plastic (disposable) cups, since in the manufacture of dishes for one-time use, substances are used that are harmful to health, but contribute to the strength of this item. A glass filled with an alcoholic drink releases poisons that will accumulate and negatively affect your body.
How many degrees are in sake - rice vodka? Sake is distinguished by its lightness and low alcohol content compared to other types of vodka drinks. Its strength ranges from 14.5% to 20%, sometimes up to 25% (depending on the type of sake and its aging). If the rice vodka is just cooked, then its strength will be no more than 15%. Exposure helps to increase the strength to 20% or more, but at the birthplace of sake - Japan - it is often diluted to get no more than 16 degrees. This is what the vodka / sake ratio looks like: 40 ° to 16 °, which is why this drink cannot be called vodka ...
Tsar's vodka - how many degrees are there in this drink? And is she so "royal"? The pathetic name of this substance does not mean at all that only aristocrats can afford to use it. Such a liquid is intended for completely different purposes.
Tsarskaya vodka is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid (volume ratio 3 to 1). Has a yellowish color, pronounced smell of chlorine and nitrogen. Such a substance is one of the strongest oxidizing agents, it can dissolve any metals, including gold and platinum. But such properties of aqua regia disappear if the substance has been unopened for a long time (chlorine has disappeared).
The ingredients in this product will be the same as in similar production in different countries. Most American producers of alcoholic beverages in the manufacture of vodka achieve the softness of water through boiling and distillation.
How many degrees of alcohol are in vodka that Americans drink? America's spirits, including vodka, are renowned for their variety and high quality. The strength of American vodka is quite high. The following brands are especially popular: "44 ° North", "Smirnoff" (50 °), "Wolfschmidt", "Black Eagle" and many others.
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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:
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 "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: on the first bottle it is written 40 °, on the second 40%, and on the third 40% vol. 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, of the total volume of the liquid, 40% was taken up by alcohol.
After 1885, new trends came to Russia from the west, and among them was the retail sale of wine and products containing ethyl alcohol. In parallel, in 1895, D.I. Consequently, of 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 the designation of how much alcohol is in alcoholic beverages should be 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 pure (96.6 °) alcohol was diluted 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:
And what about the percent sign? How can you explain its appearance on alcohol bottles that are sold in Russia now? Expressing the ethanol content in strong drinks using percent is a Western trend that has come to us.
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 spirits 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.
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 also specimens with a 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.
There are two explanations for this:
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 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:
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.
alcogolizm.com
According to statistics, about 55% of the entire population of Russia periodically consume this primordially Russian drink. The higher the degree of vodka, the better it is. In Russia, it is customary to drink vodka in its pure form, while in other countries cocktails with vodka are preferable, the degree of which is an order of magnitude lower.
It's no secret that unscrupulous manufacturers of spirits use a surrogate instead of pure alcohol, so you can find a lot of counterfeits on store shelves, but how many underground counters are there? Fortunately, more recently, requirements for the quality of the drink have been established in order not to let the real poison into the implementation.
Speaking of the strength of a transparent liquid, it can range from 40 to 56 degrees, it all depends on the chemical composition. The degree of the drink determines the percentage of ethyl alcohol, everything else is filtered water. To improve the taste, fruits, milk, honey, etc. are added to the drink. All components must be indicated in the composition.
Alcohol with an ethyl alcohol content of 40% is considered safe for humans. It is this amount that does not burn the gastric mucosa and helps to avoid intoxication of the body. But do not forget that a person's condition directly depends on the amount of drink, one cannot compare one glass and one liter, the effect will be significantly different.
The quality of ethyl alcohol is the main indicator of the white strength. In its pure form, alcohol has a strength of 96 degrees. After thorough cleaning, its strength becomes 96.2-96.3 degrees. It is ethyl alcohol that is considered the ideal component for the manufacture of strong alcohol. It is possible to use rubbing alcohol, but this is extremely rare.
The standard of what the strength of vodka should be is rather difficult to determine. Much depends on which class the drink belongs to:
But one main requirement is applied to each of these classes: the strength of a given alcohol of any class should not be lower than 37.5 degrees. Otherwise, it will no longer be vodka, but a drink of dubious content.
Depending on the name, vodka has a different density. For example, vodka Finland with a strength of 40 degrees, has a density of 951 kg / m 3. The same Finland, but with a strength of 50.5 degrees will have a different density. Of course, most spirits lovers do not pay attention to this indicator. But for those who care about their well-being, the density of the drink plays an important role. The degree and speed of intoxication, as well as the state of the body after a feast, depends on this.
As you know, a finished alcoholic drink contains more than half of ethyl alcohol, everything else is water and flavoring additives. Activated carbon can be added for cleaning.
Modern vodka producers use different methods of distilling ethyl alcohol. The most popular and effective methods are those using silver ions, black silicon or laser irradiation. After this procedure, the degree of the drink remains unchanged, but the quality of the drink increases, on which the level of a person's morning hangover directly depends.
Outwardly, vodka is a clear liquid that does not have any sediment. In fact, many chemical elements can be found in the composition of vodka. The following components can affect the quality of the drink:
The container into which the finished product is poured also has standard volumes. The most common are glass containers with a volume of 330, 500, 700, 1000 milliliters.
As you know, the cost of a transparent substance consists of its quality, strength and production technology. How many degrees should vodka have? The stronger the vodka, the better it is. The most popular is vodka with an ethyl alcohol content of 40 percent, although the strength can vary up to 56 degrees. Finlandia 101 vodka has a strength of 50.5 degrees. This characterizes it as a quality elite drink.
Despite its considerable cost, Finland is in demand among gourmets who like to drink, not get drunk. Finland 101 is made with the addition of the purest artesian water from a Finnish spring. Such water does not need additional purification, which improves its taste. Despite its increased strength, Finland has a mild sweetish taste. Vodka is popular in many countries of the world and has many positive characteristics.
Finlandia 101 vodka is made from high quality barley, which gives the drink a unique deep taste, complemented by a high strength. It is vodka of the Finland 101 brand that is considered the best drink for creating cocktails or drinking it neat with ice. Finland has a good reputation among hard liquor drinkers, which it gained immediately after the first batch appeared in 1970.
If the purpose of your feast is to have a good and fun time, and in the morning to wake up as if nothing had happened, then you should be confident in the quality of the drink you use. There are the following criteria for evaluating strong alcohol:
In order to be sure of the quality of a strong alcoholic drink, it is recommended to purchase it in a specialized store, where the quality of products is closely monitored. As a rule, such stores work only with trusted suppliers and can fully vouch for the quality of the drinks sold. Everyone can guess how much such a drink will cost.
Of course, the cost of little white in specialty stores will differ significantly from those where you can stumble upon a surrogate. But before buying vodka, decide for yourself what result you want to get. The production of good vodka is a costly undertaking, and therefore the final cost is quite high.
Drinking alcohol of any strength and density does not have the slightest positive effect on the human body. Rather, on the contrary, the nervous system is destroyed, the liver decomposes, and brain activity deteriorates markedly. Even the most elite alcohol, made according to all necessary standards, can cause irreparable harm to health. No matter how much you drink, your body will still receive a share of the poison. Excessive alcohol consumption negatively affects the entire human body, be it a cheap drink or a quality Finland.
Do not forget that frequent alcohol consumption is highly addictive, which is not easy to get rid of.
stopalcolife.ru
Since it is very difficult to prepare alcoholic products that strictly comply with generally accepted standards, many "craftsmen" are actively selling illegal strong alcoholic beverages of low quality. It is one thing if the buyer deliberately takes such a risk, and quite another when the swill is passed off as an elite drink at high prices. In order not to lose, it is important to know not only the weight of the purchased liquid, but also other equally important quality indicators.
Appearance. When buying strong alcoholic beverages, it is important to pay attention not only to its weight, but also to its appearance, which will also tell the buyer a lot. The liquid must be transparent, the presence of a cloudy color and sediment in a quality drink is impossible. Therefore, in the presence of such characteristics, it is urgently required to return the purchase still sealed and not doubt its low grade.
It is better to purchase alcoholic beverages in certified stores that are licensed to trade
And in general, alcoholic beverages are recommended to be purchased only in certified stores that have the right to sell alcohol. As a rule, in such establishments there is a clear quality control, checking products from different suppliers, a guarantee for the product being sold. Such products are somewhat more expensive, but the buyer buys clear confidence in his health the next morning after the mass festivities. Otherwise, you can end up in a hospital bed or not wake up at all, having died in a dream from alcohol intoxication. So it's better to overpay for quality, especially since the low price should already alert you. It is important to remember what the process of making alcoholic beverages is, and deliberately not to underestimate its cost to soothe your soul before buying.
It is always important to remember that any strong alcoholic drink, even of the highest quality, is definitely harmful to health, especially if it is systematically consumed. A person must know when to stop, otherwise you can die from an elite alcoholic drink.
As practice shows, as you get used to ethyl alcohol, the degree of strength increases markedly, and the quality of the drink itself is rapidly falling. Even medical alcohol diluted with unfiltered water is used. It is advisable to avoid such dubious experiments, especially since their own health and the health of people who are not indifferent can suffer from them.
alkogolu.net
I lived with this delirium, lived, very rarely drank vodka, but this question tormented me, as an inquisitive person. I didn't want to calm down. And it turns out that in Russia, and all over the world, people drink vodka of 40 degrees, and not 30 or not 60 just because Mendeleev said so. Did you drink the wrong vodka before Mendeleev?
And while reading another book by my favorite culinary historian, William Vasilyevich Pokhlebkin, The History of Vodka, I find that the question of forty-degree vodka is a rather old topic, and Mendeleev's merit lies elsewhere, he simply scientifically substantiated what was discovered before him. 
Here's the thing. Grain alcohol has quite a lot of bad impurities, namely some bad oils that are dissolved in it. After distilling alcohol, it is actively cleaned of various elements harmful to humans.
So the landowners even competed among themselves who would come up with a stronger alcohol purification system. And then they treated each other. And if someone found some unusual solution, they would share it with each other.
Mendeleev's merit is that he was able to calculate exactly how much of these oils remains in alcohol after cleaning it in proportion to water 40 to 60. 
Vodka, according to Pokhlebkin, should not smell and should not have a taste, it should only burn. If the vodka tastes and smells, then not all of the oils have been removed. The high cost of vodka is not connected with the haul, but with the purification of vodka.
So it turns out that if the vodka smells like fuselage or it has an unpleasant aftertaste when drinking, then the alcohol was poorly cleaned, and the proportion of 40 to 60 was observed only in order to follow the traditions. Vodka is 40 degrees, because this is the only condition for the possibility of complete purification of vodka from booze, this is the only condition for the purity of vodka.
7 × 7-journal.ru
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 lower than 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:
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, by simple calculations it can be established 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.
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 from the total volume of the 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 different 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 human cardiovascular and nervous system.
The fact that there are many varieties of alcoholic distillates with a strength above 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.
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 soozhdennaya" and many other products of distilleries. The 45-degree premium vodkas are made from deluxe 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 the technology of making vodka). 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.
Since the fifties of the twentieth century, in the Soviet Union, limited quantities of Leningrad or Stolichnaya vodka with a strength of 50 - 55 o have been produced, intended mainly for distribution in the network of serving foreign tourists or in individual stores for a limited contingent of citizens (more about vodka production in the USSR).
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 flavors 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 counterparts. 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.
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.
Since ancient times, Scotland has been considered the birthplace of the strongest alcoholic beverages. Nowhere else is there beer with a strength of 41 degrees (more about the strength of beer) 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 p.p. The number 88.8 is no coincidence. The product is intended mainly 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.
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.
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.
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.
http://luxgradus.ru/krepost-vodki.html
Fortress is the main characteristic of vodka. According to domestic GOST regulations, the strength of vodka should not be less than 37.5%... As for exotic foreign vodkas, the strength requirements may be very different.
For example, the strength of Japanese sake rice vodka can be 14%, 20% and 25% - it all depends on the brand of vodka and its aging. Expensive sake varieties are stronger, while budget brands of this vodka contain no more than 15% alcohol.
In 1895 the Russian chemist D.I.
Alcohol, which contains 40% ethyl alcohol, is the safest for the human body. A mixture of alcohol and water in this ratio does not injure the gastric mucosa and is not toxic. Although, of course, a lot depends on the amount of alcohol consumed.
After the appearance of D.I.Mendeleev's treatise, the designation of the strength of vodka began to mean the weight fraction of a substance (alcohol) in an aqueous solution of a drink. The degree of fortress was indicated by a "degree" - a circle at the top to the right of the numerical value.
Today, following the accepted methods of designating the strength in the world, many manufacturers use "% vol.", Which denotes the volume fraction of alcohol in alcohol. Previously, "%" was used for designation, which was not entirely correct, since it was unclear whether volume or weight fractions were meant.
The additional prefix "about" ("Vol" on imported alcohol), which appeared not very long ago, indicates that the ratios are in volumes.
American varieties of vodka are widely known in the world. The brands "Smirnoff", "Black Eagle", "44 ° North" and others have a strength, as a rule, not less than 50 °, and the taste of these drinks is distinguished by depth and excellent quality.
A few more examples of famous brands of vodka of different strengths:
The fortress is most conveniently determined using alcohol meter measuring the amount of ethyl alcohol in solution. It will show the most accurate result precisely when determining the strength of vodka, since foreign components present in wine, cognac or liqueur will affect the measurement accuracy (density reading).
The degree can also be determined by calculating the density. This requires electronic scales, which are usually used for dosing products in the kitchen. To determine the strength, you need to do the following procedures:
Density table of aqueous solutions of ethyl alcohol at + 15⁰С
There is also a way to determine the strength of vodka depending on the freezing point. The method is not very reliable, since the dependence is non-linear, and the freezing point is not easy to establish. Using the reference tables of the alcohol content in the solution depending on the freezing point, you can roughly determine the strength of the vodka.
By the way, many people ask how much a liter of vodka weighs in kilograms? So, the weight of one liter of vodka at a temperature of + 20 ° C is 0.953 kg(953 g).
https://kaksamogon.ru/vodka/skolko-gradusov.html
Ethyl alcohol is used in medicine and the food industry. On its basis, medicines and alcoholic beverages are made. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to drink medical grade alcohol? This issue should be considered in more detail.
In the pharmaceutical and food industries, ethanol of varying quality and purity is used. The following types of ethyl alcohol can be distinguished:
which is for external use? First of all, you need to pay attention to its composition and strength. If only ethanol and water are indicated on the label among the ingredients, then you can drink such alcohol, but it is undesirable, since it is not intended for food use.
What happens if you drink 95% ethyl alcohol? You should not use such a product undiluted, this can lead to burns of the throat and mucous membranes of internal organs, not to mention severe intoxication. It must be diluted with water about half., then its strength will be approximately equal to the strength of vodka. You can dilute ethanol with juices, fruit drinks or compote. It is undesirable to use carbonated water or alcoholic drinks for dilution, as this can lead to rapid and severe intoxication.
Can I drink ethyl alcohol 70%? Or must it be diluted with water? We can say that it is undesirable to drink it undiluted. Drinks with a strength of more than 50% can harm the body. It must also be remembered that even pure medical alcohol irritates the mucous membrane to a greater extent than food alcohol. And its negative effects on the liver much stronger than that of a product intended for drinking.
The doses of medical ethanol taken internally are also very important. An alcohol concentration of more than 5 g / L of blood can be fatal, and an amount of alcohol in a concentration of more than 3 g / L causes severe poisoning. It should be remembered that due to the lower quality of purification, medical ethanol causes poisoning faster than food grade ethanol. Therefore, it should be drunk in lower doses. With intoxication, the following symptoms are observed:
With such symptoms, you must immediately call an ambulance..
Diluted ethanol alcohol should be consumed in slow sips, avoiding overdose. Excessive amounts of ethanol destroy the neurons in the brain and liver. Overdosing on alcohol-based drinks leads to severe hangover.
Pharmacies also sell other types of rubbing alcohol. They are intended for outdoor use. Many consumers are interested in whether it is possible to drink alcohol based on these drugs. The consequences depend on what substance is added to the ethanol. Most common the following types of medical alcohols:
To the question, what alcohol can you drink, the answer is unambiguous: you can take medical ethanol without additives. Moreover, only in moderate doses, occasionally and always in a diluted form. All other alcohol-containing products from the pharmacy are toxic.
The most dangerous alcohol substitute is methyl alcohol. It is this compound that can cause severe poisoning with blindness.
Methanol is virtually indistinguishable from ethanol in appearance, smell and taste. This is technical alcohol, which is used for the preparation of solvents, paints and varnishes. Ingestion of 10 ml of methanol can cause blindness, and 50 ml is fatal. Signs of methanol intoxication are as follows:
Sometimes the symptoms of poisoning do not appear immediately, but as the poison accumulates in the body. A characteristic sign of intoxication is the deterioration of the condition a few days after drinking. If there are signs of poisoning methanol need to urgently call an ambulance. Before the arrival of doctors, the following measures must be taken:
Distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl can be done using the following tests:
Often methanol poisoning occurs when drinking alcoholic beverages of dubious origin. To detect the presence of methyl alcohol in alcoholic beverages, the following tests must be carried out:
Almost all types of industrial alcohol are unfit for consumption, even if they are composed of ethanol. Usually, dyes or denaturing additives with an unpleasant odor and taste are added to such products, which are harmful to the body. Aviation ethanol may contain salts of heavy metals, such compounds lead to serious poisoning.
The safest are edible alcohols, which are highly purified and intended for drinking. It is possible to use medical ethanol only occasionally, in extreme cases, in no case should it become a habit.
Ethanol is excreted at different rates in humans. In each case, the rate of cleansing the body is individual, depending on gender, health status. The alcohol calculator allows you to estimate the average, approximate level of alcohol in blood plasma, to calculate when the driver can get behind the wheel of the car.
The concentration of alcohol in the blood is calculated using a calculator that takes into account the strength, volume of drinks drunk, gender and weight. The calculator is based on a formula proposed in 1932 by the Swedish chemist Eric Widmark for use in forensic medicine.
Calculations using the Widmark formula are quite complicated, and to make the task easier, an alcohol calculator was created on its basis. It is easy to use it, to get the result it is enough to enter your data correctly.
The result of the calculations reliably reflects the amount of ethyl alcohol supplied with the drinks. The resulting value takes into account the average rate of decrease in the alcohol content in the blood, equal to 0.15 ‰ / hour.
Blood alcohol calculator:
The table can be of great help to drivers who do not drink alcohol. After all, ethyl alcohol is found in small quantities not only in drinks. A police breathalyzer on the road can show up to 0.6 ‰ after the driver has consumed kvass, 0.2 ‰ - after kefir.
Blood Alcohol Table:
| Drunkenness in ‰ (ppm) | Wellbeing | Impact on driving a car |
|---|---|---|
| 0,2-0,5 | The state is slightly different from sobriety, excessive talkativeness, obsession appears, but within the bounds of decency. | There is no reaction to moving cars, there is a desire to increase speed, the ability to assess distance is impaired. |
| 0,5-0,8 | The state is accompanied by euphoria, violation of morality, loss of control over behavior, impudence. | Adaptation of vision to changes in lighting, perception of red color is weakened. The driver does not see traffic lights, red brake lights. |
| 0,8-1,2 | Events are inadequately assessed, symptoms of alcohol poisoning appear - nausea, apathy, disorientation. The mood changes from indifference to outbursts of aggression, anger. | The ability to adequately assess distances is lost, the reaction slows down. The driver notices late and does not have time to react when cyclists, fences, standing cars appear in the field of view. |
| 1,2-2,4 | Unpredictable behavior, tendency to apathy. Signs of poisoning intensify, vomiting and involuntary defecation appear. | Coordination is lost, visual response decreases, and there is no adequate assessment of the situation. All of the above is accompanied by monstrous arrogance. |
With a value of more than 2.4 ‰, there is a real threat of paralysis, heart attack. Above 3 ‰ - suppression of respiratory reflexes, decrease in temperature, coma, risk of death.
With a ppm of 3.8 and above, a person can die from paralysis of the respiratory center in the brain.
The rate of utilization of ethanol in the body depends on the characteristics of metabolism, the state of the digestive system, liver, and pancreas. To break down ethyl alcohol, enzymes are required, which may be inactive or even absent.
The degree of intoxication of a person depends on factors:
With the help of an alcohol calculator, you can estimate the degree of intoxication, but it will not be possible to accurately determine the amount of ethanol in the blood using tables. The rates of ethanol elimination in humans at different times and under different conditions are very different.
The speed of sobering up depends on the state of health of a person, namely, on the functionality of his liver and pancreas. In chronic diseases, the withdrawal of alcohol from the body slows down, intoxication sets in sharply, symptoms of alcohol poisoning are strongly manifested.
The liver plays a special role in detoxifying the body. Long-term abuse of alcoholic beverages impairs its functions, destroys the organ, and leads to cirrhosis. The more the liver is damaged, the less alcohol causes intoxication and poisoning.
The absorption of ethyl alcohol begins almost immediately after drinking the drink, after an hour the maximum amount of ethanol accumulates in the blood.
The process slows down with the simultaneous use of fatty foods. Once removed from the blood, alcohol is still present in urine and cerebrospinal fluid.
The strength of alcoholic beverages matters. Strong drinks take longer to take out, so if it takes 4 hours to neutralize 100 grams of vodka, then the intoxication from a bottle of beer passes after 2 hours.
Beer will not be felt when breathing after 30 minutes, and alcohol vapors after taking 100 g of vodka are felt in the exhaled air for 1.5 hours.
100 g of vodka in terms of 96% ethyl alcohol is 40 g of pure alcohol. To determine the degree of intoxication, the amount of alcohol (‰) must be divided by the total weight of the body fluid.
All fluid in the body in men on average corresponds to 65-70% of the body weight, and for a person weighing 70 kg, the weight of all fluid will be: 70 kg × 70% / 100% = 49 kg.
To calculate the degree of intoxication, the amount of pure alcohol contained in 100 grams of vodka and 40 g of alcohol is divided by the total amount of water in the body. The total liquid in this case is 49 kg. Dividing 40 by 49, we get 0.82 ppm.
The degree of intoxication of a woman is also calculated, taking into account that the share of water in the female body accounts for 55% to 60%. With a high fat content, the body contains less water. The more muscle, the higher the percentage of fluid.
To make it easier to calculate what blood alcohol level is, a calculator has been developed. It allows you to determine the degree of intoxication without much mental effort.
After ethyl alcohol enters the stomach, it is absorbed into the bloodstream, and then spreads through the bloodstream. 90% of alcohol is absorbed in the liver, the rest is broken down in the kidneys, intestines, skin, lungs.
The vital volume of the lungs, in particular, determines the difference in the rate of elimination of toxins in the female and male body. Alcohol is discharged at an average rate of 0.1 ‰ per hour. And when drunk 1.2 ‰, sobering up will come in 12 hours.
In women, the rate of ethanol elimination is 1.2 times lower than in men. Accordingly, a woman with a degree of intoxication of 1.2 ‰ will sober up in 12 × 1.2 = 14.4 hours.
Complete withdrawal of alcohol from blood
According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, vehicle drivers are prohibited from using intoxicants. The maximum permissible blood alcohol level by law is 0.16 mg / l in the air exhaled during the test, entered as a possible error of the measuring device.
The permitted blood alcohol value in ppm is 0.336 ‰. Such a concentration in the blood occurs in an hour if a man weighing 80 kg uses:
Women are more sensitive to alcohol. The level of ethanol in their blood will not exceed the norm an hour after consumption:
A man weighing 80 kg who has drunk 100 g of vodka will be able to confidently drive in 3 hours. Drinking 200 g of wine - after 1.5 hours, and drinking 1 liter of beer - more than 4 hours later. During this time, the level of ethanol in the blood will decrease to permissible 0.336 ‰.
To maximize the elimination of alcohol from the blood in a man weighing 80 kg, a longer period of time is required: 100 g of vodka is removed in 4 hours, and 100 g of champagne in 1 hour.
Allowed 0, 16 mg / l in the exhaled volume of air, 0.336 ppm in the blood. This value falls within the margin of error of the breathalyzer - a device for measuring alcohol exhalation, and is considered an allowed limit for vehicle drivers.
Maximum allowable norms 
Medical alcohol is completely identical to technical alcohol in such qualities as smell and color. However, there is an important difference between the two. The technical composition contains methyl - a substance that can cause severe poisoning and cause death. Unlike technical alcohol, the main component in medical alcohol is ethyl, which is also a poison, but still its use in moderate doses does not cause such terrible consequences. In the article, we will tell you in detail about what ethyl alcohol, medical alcohol is.
Medical alcohol is one of the few types of ethanol that has a monohydric structure. The composition of medical ethyl alcohol consists of four percent water and ninety-six percent alcohol.
Thanks to this composition, medical alcohol has become widespread. It is used not only for medical purposes, but also for industrial purposes. Very often it is used internally, but this requires diluting it. Ethanol alcohol is a clear liquid and is sold in any pharmacy. The dosage can range from one hundred milligrams and above.
Ethanol under standard conditions is a volatile, flammable, colorless transparent liquid
For its manufacture, only food raw materials are used. Typically, these products are:
Very often, experts are forced to answer the question: medical alcohol and ethyl alcohol, is there a difference? To the average person, the difference between these two compounds is not noticeable. Both compositions have the same formula, but are made from different natural ingredients. The ethyl compound is also used in alcohol. So, to create wine, a composition based on grapes or berries is used.
The technical type of alcohol is made using a special technology, when the active substance undergoes a decomposition process as a result of treatment with water. Certain types of wood and petroleum products can act as an active substance. In most cases, the resulting type of alcohol is used as a fuel or solvent.
Wine, ethyl, medical - formulations in which ethyl is the main active ingredient. Despite the fact that all these species have the same structure, they go through different degrees of purification. Medical alcohol is a solution with the highest degree of purification, and this is precisely why it is so widely used. It can be easily diluted with substances such as:
Ethyl alcohol is used as a fuel, as a solvent, as a filler in alcohol thermometers, and as a disinfectant
In most cases, such a solution is used in medicine and is used for disinfection. However, very often, using this base, homemade alcohol is produced.
In medicine, alcohol solutions are used as:
Using alcohol as a disinfectant, it is used to treat skin lesions, surgical instruments, and even operating fields. To do this, a cotton swab is abundantly moistened in liquid and applied to the desired area.
In case of poisoning, industrial alcohol can be a fairly effective antidote. Of all the types based on ethanol, only medical alcohol is suitable for these purposes. Timely ingestion can reduce the concentration of toxins in the body.
There are 2 main methods for producing ethanol - microbiological (alcoholic fermentation) and synthetic (ethylene hydration
Ethyl alcohol is one of the essential substances in medicine. Every medical manipulation involves its use. However, to achieve different goals, a different strength of the substance is used, it can be forty, seventy and ninety percent.
Ethyl alcohol is a versatile product used in many industrial sectors. Alcoholic drinks, kvass, kefir and even non-alcoholic beer are created on its basis. However, in fermented milk products, its concentration does not exceed one tenth of a percent. That is why the use of such products does not harm the body. Very often, the solution is used as a preservative in the manufacture of confectionery and bakery products.
Medical alcohol is often consumed by people suffering from alcohol addiction. Since the purchase of a drug does not require a doctor's prescription, it has become widespread among people with this addiction. The use of pure medical alcohol can burn the throat and gastric mucosa. It is necessary to consume medical alcohol inside diluted, and its strength should not exceed fifty degrees. Even taking into account the fact that only herbal components are in the composition of medical alcohol, its excessive use leads to the development of serious diseases.
Few people know, but alcohol sold in a pharmacy has specific instructions for use. These instructions indicate that the main function of the composition is to disinfect the skin. Experts categorically prohibit the use of ethanol to treat skin that has been subjected to the process of inflammation. The warming effect can play a negative role and these processes will be aggravated.
The productivity of a modern distillery is about 30,000-100,000 liters of alcohol per day
The development of an allergic reaction of the body is possible, therefore the remedy is not recommended for use by persons under the age of fourteen. For women during pregnancy or during the lactation stage, it is best to stop using rubbing alcohol. As a result of weakened immunity, application of the solution to the skin may cause irritation. If the alcohol-treated skin area turns red after the procedure, it must be rinsed with clean water. If such reactions occur, the body should stop using the drug.
Applying alcohol to delicate areas of the skin, for example, the eyelids, can cause not only a burn of the skin, but also the mucous membrane of the eyeball. In cases where the composition is used not for its intended purpose, consequences such as poisoning with toxins and even a narcotic effect are possible. In most cases, these reactions have a direct relationship with the amount and method of application of the composition.
An overdose provoked by the use or inhalation of ethanol in a huge concentration can cause a disruption in the functioning of the nervous system. Such consequences can lead to severe intoxication, emotional stupor and even coma. It is very important to seek medical attention when the first symptoms of toxin poisoning appear.
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages is addictive. When alcohol is consumed in the human body, the hormone endorphin is produced, which is the main cause of the development of alcoholism. It is important to remember that ethanol is a poisonous substance. Its single dose should not exceed three grams per kilogram of live weight. Exceeding this dose can cause poisoning and lead to coma. Alcohol abuse leads to the development of serious liver and stomach diseases. So, as a result of the effect of alcohol on the body, diseases such as:
Very often, excessive use of medical alcohol becomes the cause of the development of disorders of the cardiovascular system.
On an industrial scale, ethyl alcohol is obtained from raw materials containing cellulose (wood, straw), which is pre-hydrolyzed
Alcohol addiction causes pathologies in the work of parts of the brain. Its effect has a destructive effect on the state of cells and neurons. As a result of prolonged internal use of medical alcohol, mental disorders can begin to develop.
Changes in the body have a strong effect on the state of the nervous system. In such disorders, depression, apathy and suicidal tendencies can be observed. Medical alcohol must be used only for its intended purpose, observing the expiration date of the product.
The amount of alcohol in alcoholic beverages (wines, liqueurs, vodkas, etc.) is usually expressed by 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 - as a percentage. 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 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 volume. Abroad, where the production of alcoholic beverages is entirely provided to individual firms, some of them consider it necessary to indicate some 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 done, for example, by Portuguese firms producing port wine ("Porto"), Italian firms, southern French firms, etc. .)
In our country, a strict procedure has been adopted for indicating the alcohol content in a drink: when calculating weight percentages, the number of degrees is indicated - 40 °, 42 °, 45 °, 56 °. All these, as a rule, are 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. Thus, 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 drink, you can, following the data on the labels, always convert the 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%, t. S. 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 norms adopted in the West, our foreign trade organizations in recent years also began to indicate the strength of vodka not in degrees, but as a percentage ("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 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 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, the "degree" of fortress has always been considered and continues to be considered one hundredth (0.01) part of anhydrous (100%) alcohol, which weighs 7.94 g. 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% 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"
