The shelf life of vodka according to GOST

Well, how can a Russian person do without a pair of bottles "white" to the festive table? And it does not matter what is the reason for the feast - a wedding, anniversary or promotion at work - in any case, the main alcoholic drink on the Russian table will be vodka. And is there a shelf-life of vodka? Never thought about it?

Vodka: composition and strength

Before you find out the shelf life of vodka, you need to understand what a classic Russian drink is. So, almost everyone can say that vodka is a combination of pure water and ethyl alcohol in certain proportions. The purer the alcohol and the more its concentration, the higher the strength of the drink. In mass production it is considered to be a vodka drink with a fortitude of forty degrees. Although more pleasant, if it can be called so, is alcohol fortress at forty-three degrees. This insignificant difference of three degrees has a significant effect on the taste of the drink.

But such vodka is very difficult to produce, therefore factories have long thought of improving the taste of "white" by cleaning alcohol with special methods and adding honey, herbs and fruit extracts to the drink. Such vodka has a bright taste and is very popular. But it is the frequent cases of poisoning with strong alcoholic drinks with flavors and without, made consumers think about the shelf life of vodka. Does it exist?

What is the shelf life of vodka?

The average buyer believes that vodka simply can not have a shelf life. After all, water and alcohol can be stored indefinitely. But, if you look at the vodka label, sometimes you can see the time periods specified by the manufacturer. They usually fluctuate within twelve months. And it's not surprising, vodka, like any other product, has the property of deteriorating and changing its properties.

The shelf life of vodka depends on many parameters and you need to know about all of them if you prefer "40-degree" from a lot of alcoholic beverages.

The shelf life of vodka according to GOST: what is it?

As mentioned earlier, on the labels of vodka bottles, the expiration date varies greatly. Naturally, buyers have a question about the existence of GOST, which must obey all manufacturers of alcoholic beverages. Yes, it does exist, but its wording is very unusual and vague for understanding the ordinary consumer.

The first vodka GOST appeared in the USSR in the eightieth year of the last century. According to this document, valid until the collapse of the union, the shelf life of vodka was limited to one year. After 1991, the government did not issue documents regulating the activities of producers of strong alcoholic beverages. Only at the beginning of the twenty-first century was created a new GOST, obliging vodka companies to indicate on the labels shelf life. But each manufacturer himself can determine the time in which his product retains all its properties and qualities. Therefore, there is a discrepancy in the shelf life of vodka from different manufacturers.

Vodka: simple and special

The shelf life of vodka depends on its composition. All manufacturers divide their product into two categories:

• Simple vodka;
• Special vodka.

The first contains nothing but ethyl alcohol, water and sugar. Such a drink does not have an exquisite taste, but it can be stored for more than one year. In Soviet times, "Stolichnaya" vodka could be stored five, if not ten years. Its taste during the whole period of storage practically did not change, of course, if certain simple conditions were observed.

Vodka special contains various additives, it is they that affect the shelf life of an alcoholic beverage. Most often the manufacturer adds to it extracts of lemon, cranberries or fruit squeezes. The shelf life of vodka with additives is limited to six months, in some cases it can be usable and up to twelve months from the date of bottling.

If you do not comply with the terms and conditions of storage, the plant supplements will begin to oxidize and lead to poisoning, which may well end for a person lethal.

Containers for bottling vodka: plastic or glass?

Many customers think that plastic and glass are equally suitable for storing vodka. But actually it is not. The shelf-life of vodka in a plastic bottle can not exceed five days. Therefore, in production, plastic containers are never used for bottling vodka. Alcohol, which is the main component of the Russian alcoholic beverage, comes into active reaction with plastic. As a result of this process dangerous substances are released into the vodka for the human body.

Glass in this case is an ideal vessel, so glass bottles are used in the mass production of a strong alcoholic beverage. By the way, do not pour vodka into a container of crystal - alcohol will react with lead, and poisoning with severe consequences will be inevitable after the feast.

Is it possible to store vodka in the freezer

Many housewives before the holiday send the vodka to the freezer for cooling and leave it there for safekeeping. Of course, vodka does not freeze, because the temperature in the freezer of the refrigerator does not drop below twenty-five degrees Celsius. But not every refrigerator allows you to set the desired mode, and in this case, water and various additives will freeze in the bottle of vodka, which will significantly reduce the vodka shelf life, because after thawing a harmful precipitate may fall out in the drink.

It is best to store vodka at plus temperature. The most optimal temperature regime should not exceed ten degrees Celsius. If this rule is observed, the vodka will fully retain all its qualities within the time limits specified by the manufacturer on the label.

Light or darkness: where best stores vodka?

If you somehow bought a few bottles of vodka just in case, then you need to store it correctly. Look for a dark place to stay away from direct sunlight. In this case, the ideal humidity will not exceed 85%. This will save the drink and even slightly extend the shelf life of vodka.

Vodka and homemade tinctures: shelf life and storage features

At all times, the population of our country produced strong alcoholic beverages at home. They include a variety of tinctures and all kinds of brew. They also have their own storage terms and certain features that you need to know.

Homemade vodka is called moonshine, and it can also be simple and special. If you pour it into the correct glass container and you can tightly cork the bottle, then the shelf life of such a strong alcoholic beverage is extended to one year. The main thing is to keep your supplies in a dark and cool place.

Many owners produce at home various tinctures based on purchased vodka. There are a lot of recipes for such alcohol, but more often than not, he insists on lemon, cedar nuts and herbs. The shelf life of tinctures on vodka is limited to six months, in rare cases such a drink can be stored for ten months. Each bottle must be carefully corked, and the open tincture should not be kept in the refrigerator for longer than three months.

When buying vodka in a store, do not hesitate to look at the expiration date on the label. After all, compliance with all the rules of storage and timing will be the guarantor of your health and well-being after a feast.