Q 01/05

The word 'vodka' was borrowed into English from Russian and literally translates as what?

A) Little water

B) Burning wine

C) Bread spirit

D) Clear fire

Answer · why

A) Little water

It is a diminutive of voda, 'water'. Older Slavic names for the drink, like Polish gorzałka and Ukrainian horilka, come from roots meaning 'to burn'.

Q 02/05

Since the 1890s, the standard strength of vodka has been what percentage of alcohol by volume?

A) 45%

B) 50%

C) 55%

D) 40%

Answer · why

D) 40%

That is 80 US proof. The 40% figure was actually set by the Russian government in 1843, long before the Mendeleev legend attached itself to it.

Q 03/05

The European Union sets what minimum alcohol content for a spirit to be sold as vodka?

A) 40%

B) 43%

C) 37.5%

D) 45%

Answer · why

C) 37.5%

The United States is stricter and requires a minimum of 40%, which is why some export bottlings differ from the home version.

Q 04/05

The world's first written mention of the word wódka, in 1405 court documents, comes from which country?

A) Russia

B) Poland

C) Lithuania

D) Ukraine

Answer · why

B) Poland

At the time the word referred to medicines and cosmetic cleansers rather than a drink; the recipes came from the Palatinate of Sandomierz.

Q 05/05

In 1386, Genoese ambassadors presented the first aqua vitae in Moscow to which Grand Prince?

A) Ivan Kalita

B) Dmitry Donskoy

C) Vasily I

D) Ivan the Terrible

Answer · why

B) Dmitry Donskoy

Russian monks then adapted the practice of distilling wine into vodka production; the Latin spiritus vini is why we still call strong drink 'spirits'.