VODKA STATS & FACTS

	Vodka is the best-selling distilled liquor in America, comprising almost 20% of the total market.
	Russians usually wash vodka down with beer.
	Vodka is the fastest growing category of major spirit drink in UK.
	Oily hair? Vodka has oil-removing properties that make it a great choice to help control oily hair as well as remove product buildup. .
	Vodka is a neutral spirit of at least 96% alcohol by volume (ABV). Although, the spirit is normally redistilled and diluted with mineralized water before being filtered.
	Caviar is, historically, the perfect snack to go with vodka.
	Vodka should be stored in the freezer. It will not freeze, because of the alcohol level, and will be at the right temperature for all your favorite mixers.
	The Russian remedy for a hangover is pickle juice. Try it!
	Vodka accounts for more than one out of every four bottles of distilled spirits consumed in the U.S.
	Infused vodka has the same properties and qualities as mouthwash. So the next time you've got bad breath -- infuse it!
	The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms didn't even recognize vodka as a separate category until 1951.
	The word "vodka" comes from the Slavic word "voda" which means water.
	Vodkas are made from many different agricultural materials. This includes grain, molasses, potatoes and rice. Most vodkas today use grain, primarily corn, wheat or rye.
	The eventual quality of the vodka is often determined by the finishing process -- the varieties of charcoal used, the method of distillation used, the equipment used, the water used and other factors.
	Because the end product is supposed to be without a distinctive taste, vodka can be made from a fermented mash of just about any carbohydrate-containing material.
	Russia and Poland both lay claim to the title of "originator of vodka."
	Vodka was used for medicinal purposes in the middle ages. Is was also used as an ingredient in the production of gunpowder because of its purity.
	The first documented vodka distillery was reported in the Vyatka Chronicle in 1174, in the Russian town of Khylnovsk.
	Toasts: here's how to say "cheers" in other cultures:

	Famous Quote: "One martini is alright, two is too many, three is not enough." James Thurber
	The current best-selling mixed drink in the US is the Vodka Martini.
	Vodka Regions

Russia, Ukraine and Belarus produce the full range of Vodka types, and are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in Vodka production. Only the better brands, all of which are distilled from rye and wheat, are exported to the West.

Poland produces and exports both grain- and potato-based Vodkas. Most of the high- quality brands are produced in pot stills.

Finland, along with the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, produce primarily grain-based Vodkas, mostly from wheat.

Sweden has, in recent decades, developed a substantial export market for its straight and flavored wheat-based Vodkas.

Western Europe has local brands of Vodka wherever there are distilleries. The base for these Vodkas can vary from grains in northern countries such as the United Kingdom, Holland, and Germany, to grapes and other fruits in the winemaking regions of France and Italy.

The United States and Canada produce nonflavored Vodkas, both from various grains (including corn) and from molasses. American Vodkas are, by law, neutral spirits, so the distinction between brands is more a matter of price and perception than taste.

The Caribbean produces a surprising amount of Vodka, all of it from molasses. Most of it is exported for blending and bottling in other countries.

Australia produces molasses-based Vodkas, but few are exported.

Asia has a smattering of local Vodkas, with the best coming from Japan.