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Moonshine does not lose popularity, and today it has become a hobby. Distillates are made from grain, sugar and fruit mash by distillation through a special apparatus, filtered and improved with various additives. The history of moonshine goes back several centuries, but it can hardly be called an original Russian drink.
Who invented moonshine
Historians find it difficult to name the exact date of the appearance of moonshine. The ethnographer and economist of the XNUMXth century Mikhail Chulkov wrote in his writings that “the making of bread and other vodkas through fermentation” originated in Arabia, but there is no confirmation of this fact. It is known that in Palestine since ancient times date vodka was prepared, and in Provence they smoked grapes and got eau de vie (about de vie). Initially, the French called this term any product of the distillation of grape must, and later it migrated to cognac production.
In Europe, the process remained imperfect until the invention of fractional distillation by the Florentine alchemist Taddeo Alderotti in the 87th century. The scientist sought to create a product that would become the basis of all medicinal tinctures. He described the technology in detail in his work De Virtutibus Aquae Vitae and believed that drinking a small amount of the drink daily improves mood, improves health and prolongs life. The scientist strictly followed his principles and died at the age of XNUMX, which partly confirms his correctness.
As an intoxicating drink, Aqua Vitae (translated from Italian “living water”) was not widely used in Italy, since grape wine was easier to make and more in line with national tastes. The distillate was taken as an anesthetic and medicinal tinctures were made on its basis.
The technology was adopted in England, where Lindor Abbey, the cradle of modern whiskey, was engaged in the manufacture of “living water” for the royal court. Pure alcohol was first obtained in 1660 by the Englishman Robert Boyle. Since the substance quickly evaporated, it was called spirit (translated from English “spirit”), and subsequently the term migrated to other languages.
The history of moonshine in Russia
It is known that in Ancient Russia, along with imported wine, “drunk” honey and birch, there were stronger drinks, which were called “created”. Distillates were prepared by smoking wort from fermented grains and named differently depending on the raw materials used. In the documents of the XII century there are references to “created” wine, “unfulfilled” kvass and strong drink. Despite the different initial product, as a result, the Slavs received the same thing – moonshine, which did not have a good taste and contained a large amount of fusel oils.
It is believed that the Russians were introduced to strong alcohol by the Genoese, who in 1386 followed through Muscovy from Feodosia to Lithuania and brought with them Aqua Vitae – the first analogue of vodka. In particular, the historian William Pokhlebkin writes about this fact. The scientist’s version became widespread after the publication of his book, but many experts believe that the writer’s work contains many speculations that are not supported by documentary evidence.
According to Pokhlebkin, the method of making “bread wine” in Russia became known after the trip of the Russian church embassy to the VIII Ecumenical Council in Italy in 1442. Allegedly, Orthodox clergy visited local monks and learned from them the intricacies of distillation. The writer calls the Greek Isidore the first manufacturer of moonshine, who built an experimental distillery in the Miracle Monastery. Instead of dried grapes and fruits, he used grain and rye available in Russia.
Historians consider this version frivolous. The delegation was attended by Metropolitan of All Russia Isidor, but it is unlikely that the clergyman was interested in Aqua Vitae at that moment. Distilleries really appeared in Orthodox monasteries, but this happened much later.
The mention of “hot wine” is first found in an ecclesiastical document dated 1515. A century later, spirits were already mass-produced and sold in taverns. In Ukraine, the distillation product was called a burner (from the Polish gorzaɫka – “to burn”).
Moonshine from the XNUMXth century to the present day
The process of making moonshine was described in detail by the landowner Ivan Zakharov in 1807. In his work, the winemaker outlined step-by-step instructions for the distillation of must into “semi-harvest wine”, which indicates the widespread use of home distilleries. Since there was a state monopoly on the production of alcohol in Russia, it was forbidden to sell home-made distillate.
However, the prohibitions did not stop the underground moonshiners, who made the so-called “tavern wine” in large quantities. The landowners caught selling alcohol were deprived of their possessions, and the alcohol found was confiscated. Prohibition, introduced with the outbreak of the First World War, caused an unprecedented rise in illegal distillation. In 1915, the term “moonshine” came into use, which began to be called “tavern wine”.
In the 1920s, the Soviet government restored the monopoly on alcohol, and homemade moonshine became the only alternative to vodka. The drink had nothing in common with the original Russian “bread wine”, since it was made not from grain, but from sugar mash. During the period of total shortage in the 1980s, cheap caramel sweets were used by moonshiners, which replaced raw materials.
Today, home brewing equipment is available in specialized stores, and hobbyists never tire of experimenting to achieve the best results. Many types of industrial moonshine are sold in shopping centers, which are made from grain products and improved with various additives.
Popular brands:
- “Kosogorov moonshine”;
- “Bread haul”;
- “National Collection”;
- “Slavic tavern”.
Modern “tavern wine” is made from wheat, rye, barley, berries and fruits. On the shelves of wine boutiques you can find premium drinks from Belarus, Ukraine and Armenia with the addition of pine nuts, lemon and spices.