D. Mendeleev (1834-1907)
Previous post spoke about BEER . But who does not know from the Russian that "Vodka without beer - money thrown away on the wind." Ever since high school, I knew that 40% of vodka he recommended Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev. About this quotient Professor Preobrazhensky himself said of the film "Heart of a Dog."
Once decided to check this fact. And what conclusions I come from?
According to rumors (even of the teachers at school) said this "may be called vodka mixture of 40 parts of alcohol and 60 parts of water." I think that the chemistry in school and learned everything they know all about that there are substances that dissolve in water. At school it was an experiment with the dissolution of salts in water, after which the volume of salt water is not increased. So in our case. Mixing half a liter of spirits and half a liter of water can not get a liter of vodka. After mixing these substances do not get the mixture and the solution - hydrate alcohol.
Hydrated alcohol in nature, there is not one, each of them has its own chemical, physical and taste characteristics. Mendeleev was just in his work explored the hydrates, not vodka.
He studied the dependence of the "ischesnoveniya" of "valuable" product at various dilutions. The dependence of the disappearance of the hydrate of alcohol (vodka) was nonlinear and depends on what kind of "fuel mix" turned out.
He said in his work on that perfect taste vodka is 46% and 40% is when all you can drink vodovku.
After the production of vodka fell into the flow, the question arose: "How to dilute?". 46% like it as a very tasty, but ... this had not paid. So the decision was not much borzet and adopt a standard of 40% vodka - 95 oz. alcohol and 100 grams of water. So, as always cheated.
I do not know why, but in modern times in Europe, for example in Germany, Standard Vodka 38%, as in the days Mendeleva in Russia (the standard was 38,3 °). We've rounded up 40% to simplify the calculation of "alcoholic" tax.
After all, we are famous in Europe delicious vodka, cigarettes, cheap and beautiful "women workers, the service sector."
P / S Do not forget that "the Ministry of Health warns ...".
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Small Correction to the account of alcohol - he did it, too, is not 100%, 95%-ty. As is known to drain the alcohol is not completely possible, and it is always present in solution.
Absolutely right that alcohol is alcohol strife, what to say. With a good alcohol and 50 degree goes easily. Just for-organism "tastes" of the whole will be 46%. The quality of alcohol is another topic, I will try to cover it on his blog.
Let's not forget the fact that the hydrate hydrate strife! Of great importance is that from which, in fact, obtained alcohol. Vaughn, in the thirties of our scientists Lobastov pounds of manure received three liters of alcohol! I would not want to nip "sotochku" vodka, even forty-six degrees! Even a sandwich from the original product ... Highest quality is produced from grain, there could be a sweet deal, it's just come on!