Origins

Attempting to narrow down the exact date of origin for vodka is like discussing which came first - the chicken, or the egg?   Vodka itself, is also incredibly elusive in trying to determine its origins because the origin of the word depends on how one wants to define it.   In Russian, “voda” means water, but in Polish “wodka” means water.  And of course, both nations lay claim to being the home of this spirit.  Like all stories however, the truth is always somewhere in between – especially when the history is centuries old.   The earliest use of the word vodka dates to the late 18th century and distillation itself dates back to the 12th or 13th century (or even earlier!), and during that time, distillation was a common practice for both business and pleasure.

The phrase “water for life” has also been one that is closely associated with the origins of vodka. Eau de Vie (French), Akvavit (Dutch), Aqua Vitae (Latin), Uisce (Old English) – all mean “water for life” and that leaves vodka to exist as the purest form of alcohol in the form of the most purified water. Because remember – in centuries past, water could make you sick and by distilling it, you remove those impurities, bacteria, and disease.  The working theory was that this “water for life” was the safest way to consume water.

Any way you look at it, Vodka has played an integral part in the history of Russian, Scandinavian, and Eastern European culture. Even today, vodka remains a powerful force in these regions.  Take or example Russia – throughout the centuries, its leaders have used vodka as a political bargaining chip. From Ivan the Great nationalizing distilleries in 1471, to Ivan the Terrible nationalizing all bars that served vodka in 1553, to Peter the Great enforcing “Penalty Shots” on his advisors for showing up late to meetings, to vodka being the principal sources of revenue for the Russian government in the 19th century.  Vodka production and consumption was incredibly important to the culture and society surrounding it.

With the Russian government controlling the flow of the nationalized spirit, black market trade naturally evolved. The great thing here, however; is that this pushed the nationalized spirit to increase its quality – which reached its pinnacle under the guidance of one Pyotr Smirnov. By 1872, he was the “King of Vodka” and was producing more vodka than anyone. While the spirit was immensely popular in Russia, it wasn’t taking hold internationally.  At least not yet.  Rum was king in the 19th  and early 20th century as an imported product – and in the United States, whiskey was far more favorable as the grain used to make it was in abundance and once it’s made into whiskey, it never goes bad.  However, prohibition was right around the corner and the masses were unknowingly waiting for the “breathless spirit” to reach their lips.

Vodka began its climb towards the top in the 1940s.  Hollywood stars commercialized it and made it “cool” and for many – that was enough to spread the spirit around the United States.  The largest success came in the 1950s when John Martin of Hublein Spirits distiller and supplier, pushed Smirnoff Vodka with incredibly successful advertising campaigns. One of the most success advertisements for the brand was “Smirnoff… it will leave your breathless.”  During a time in American history when successful workers had multiple martini lunches… you can only imagine how important it was to not smell of booze when you got back to the office.  Over the next twenty years, vodka was everywhere.  From popular and eye-catching Bloody Mary cocktails, to James Bond ordering Martinis, and a whole new generation of drinkers who wanted to drink but not taste the spirit – vodka was here to stay.  By 1967 vodka had surpassed gin to become the number one spirit in the U.S.  By the 1980s, the same was true for the entire world.  Was this phenomenon merely because vodka left your breathless?  Probably not, but it makes a great story.  More likely, vodka was in the right place, at the right time, with the right group of people, and an audience ready to listen. 

In this modern era, or as many like to say “The Golden Era of Cocktails and Bartending”, vodka is a part of every bar program.  Ten to fifteen  years ago, many bartenders were refusing to put vodka behind the bar because it didn’t add anything to a drink.  They weren’t wrong, the goal of vodka is to be flavorless.  However, if everyone is asking for it, why not carry it!  Our goal as members of the hospitality community is to provide the guest with the best experience. If that means vodka – then give them the vodka!  At its core however, vodka as a category is mostly misunderstood.  The nuances are lost, commercial advertising runs rampant, and most have a blasé attitude toward vodka.  But that doesn’t mean that vodka isn’t a super important part of what we do as an indstury behind the bar.  No matter how you feel about it, vodka is here to stay; whether its flavored, canned or bottled in to-go beverages, or made of high-quality for sipping and cocktails.  On the following pages, you’ll find out how vodka is produced, why many distilleries are making it, and how vodka varies from region to region.  We even have a tasting guide prepared for you along the way to discover the small intricacies of what the spirit has to offer.