Varieties of vodka
Various spicy and medicinal plants are used for the preparation of vodkas - both cultivated and wild-growing. Cream of these types of raw materials, essential oils are used, which shorten the duration of the preparation of the drink.
Vodka is prepared in various ways by means of distillation cubes, followed by the addition of aromatic and spicy substances. Alcohol solutions, infused on vegetable raw materials, are subjected to the distillation process, due to which the drink acquires a unique aroma and high alcohol content, but its taste does not change.
In order to give the vodka a certain taste and color, after the distillation process it can be mixed with the infusions of plant raw materials, and if desired, sweetened. Purification of vodka is mandatory. To do this, the resulting mixture is treated with activated carbon, and then filtered. Alcohol and water are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1.38-1.44, and the necessary alcohol concentration of 40-45 ° is achieved.
There is a special kind of vodka liqueur, which is a sweet tincture on ripe berries, fruits or jam. The prepared raw material is poured with vodka. If necessary, the filling can be sweetened. To do this, a part of the filling is cast, it completely dissolves the sugar, and then this part is poured back in again. The pouches are insisted mainly in a warm place, in the sun, and the prepared ones are stored in the cellar.
Bitter tincture is vodka, infused on herbs. In other words, fresh or dried plants are kept in alcohol solution until all essential oils and biologically active substances contained in them are soluble in alcohol. To prepare tinctures, medicinal herbs are used - mint, oregano, St. John's wort, dill, juniper, anise, dandelion root, chicory, etc.
When infused, the raw material is periodically decanted, and then the expressed solution is poured into bottles and shaken from time to time. The duration of cooking tinctures - from 3 to 5 weeks. Traditionally in Russia bitter liqueurs drink on a glass before dinner and dinner as an aperitif.
The medicinal tinctures are divided into tonic( restorative pink, golden root, lure, eleutherococcus, mordovnik etc.), painkillers( on poppy, poppy grass, mint, motherwort), calming( on valerian, lily of the valley, pion, yarrow), exciting appetite( on a gold-throat, ayr, wormwood, mint, garlic, pepper bitter).
There are tinctures that affect the coagulability of the blood - on the extract of nettle, blood grouses, peppermint, viburnum, arnica. To maintain the cardiovascular activity, tincture of hawthorn is used, for the treatment of joints - tinctures of Ledum, sweet clover, juniper, burdock, etc. For treatment of respiratory diseases will help tinctures on St. John's wort and calendula. Thrombophlebitis can be cured with tinctures of valerian, hops, lemon balm.
There is also a kind of fruit vodka, which is made from sweet fruits and berries( plum, cherry, mountain ash, etc.).
Vodka ratafia is a mixture of fruit or berry juice with wine alcohol and spices, sweetened with sugar.
For the preparation of vodka, various kinds of essences are often used. Essences are concentrated solutions of aromatic substances extracted from raw materials with the help of solvents, which are usually used as vodka or alcohol. Essences are stored for a long time, without losing their aromatic properties. They are added in small amounts to alcohol solutions for the preparation of vodka, tinctures and other original spirits.
The quality of the ready-made alcoholic beverage is determined primarily by the content of harmful substances in it. Color, transparency, as well as the presence of impurities, which can be determined visually, play a significant role. Muddy, whitish shade indicates the presence of harmful fusel oils.
The next parameter to determine the quality of a drink is the percentage of alcohol, and simply speaking - a fortress. It is determined with the help of a special device - an alcoholometer, which can be bought or manufactured independently at home. The classical vodka strength is 40-45 °, the ratafia 25-40 °, the bitter tinctures 30-60 °, the sweet tones - 18-25 °, the semisweet - 30-40 °, the liquors 25-45 °, the liquors 18-20°, balms - 18-35 °.
The sugar content in vodka should not exceed 2-2.5 g / 100 ml. The oxidation test is carried out with
1% potassium permanganate solution, which should not change its characteristic bright crimson color in the alcohol-containing mixture for 20 minutes.
The presence of various impurities is determined by smell and taste, but their exact quantitative content can only be determined by chemical analyzes. Pure alcohol should contain impurities not more than 0.02 g / l free acids, 0.02% aldehydes, 50 mg / l esters, 0.003% fusel oils. The presence of furfural is not allowed at all.