According to independent experts, up to 46% of the domestic alcohol market is filled with counterfeit vodka, which is also popularly called “burned”. The consequences of using this “contagion” are unpredictable: from a headache in the morning to disability and death. Therefore, it is very important to be able to distinguish vodka from a fake even in the store. There are a number of signs that make it possible to do this with a high degree of probability, but only laboratory tests can give a XNUMX% result.
Burnt vodka is a cheap alcohol-vodka surrogate produced from low-quality raw materials in clandestine workshops, which criminals are trying to sell under the guise of recognizable vodka brands, forging a label, a bottle, an excise stamp and other related documents.
It is the “palyonka” that accounts for 53% of deaths from alcohol poisoning. The production of burnt vodka is several times cheaper than the original drink. Criminals, having realized a fake, receive fabulous profit. Just one underground workshop brings its owners several million dollars in profit per year.
There is a difference between the concepts of “singed” and “left” vodka. “Levakom” refers to a batch of high-quality vodka from a distillery, which is not listed in the company’s records. It is cheaper because it is not taxed. But when buying, there is a risk that, under the guise of leftist vodka, you may be sold singed. This is what criminals do who do not want or are not able to forge excise stamps and quality certificates. Without these documents, they cannot hand over their surrogate to the store, so they are looking for gullible citizens.
How to identify burnt vodka
It’s about checking the appearance of the drink before buying it. There are signs, the presence of which should motivate you to choose another vodka or even a store.
1. Price. If you prefer a certain brand of vodka, then you should know the average price of a bottle. If in one of the stores the price is 15-30% lower, then the risk of buying fake vodka there increases several times. Miracles do not happen, the cost of the same vodka in different stores cannot differ much.
Previously, it was the low price that gave out burnt vodka, but now the counterfeiters have wised up and in most cases sell their surrogate at the price of the original. Therefore, related factors must be taken into account.
2. Selling point. As a general rule, the smaller the store, the more likely you are to buy fake vodka there. In large supermarkets, you will be given a receipt, which is proof of the purchase. It’s easier for a supermarket to make a claim, so they sell less “palyonka” there, but more and more often it comes across there too. At the same time, it is far from always that large stores sell counterfeit products deliberately. More often they buy a high-quality fake with all quality certificates (also fake) at wholesale depots.
3. Color. Real vodka is absolutely transparent without turbidity and sediment at the bottom. To check this, just turn the bottle upside down, hold it for a few seconds and look through it at the sunlight. Vodka should not have third-party particles, orange, light yellow and other shades. If the color changes, then you have poor purification vodka, the alcohol or water of which contains third-party impurities.
4. Cap. The factory bottle has a neat cap that does not scroll or leak. It is better to buy vodka with a ball dispenser, since it is more difficult to fake such a bottle in an underground workshop.
5. Label. It must be glued evenly, and all inscriptions are written legibly. This also applies to excise stamps. The plant is obliged to indicate its full legal address, the address of production facilities, the composition of the drink and the GOST according to which it is made. This is how new little-known vodka brands are tested. Sometimes a substitute is hiding under the guise of a completely new vodka that has just appeared on the market.
In the case of a well-known brand, checking the address and composition will not give anything (with rare exceptions), since counterfeiters simply copy a ready-made label. They can only be given out by tarnished paper with poorly readable letters, on the quality of which they decided to save.
The bottling dates on the label and the bottle cap must match. Although it takes a few seconds to check the dates, many people are too lazy to do this when buying fake vodka. Not all underground workshops control the spill time. This is especially true for counterfeiting the cheapest brands.
6. Protection of producers. Realizing that it is difficult for the buyer to distinguish good vodka from burnt, well-known brands are developing their own protection systems that are difficult to fake. These can be embossed signs, coats of arms and other quality markers applied to the bottle.
You can find out about the protection of your chosen vodka on the manufacturer’s website. At least there you will see what the original looks like, and then compare it with the bottles that are on store shelves.
Attention! Compliance of the bottle with all the criteria does not yet guarantee XNUMX% protection against counterfeiting. Burnt vodka has a strong unpleasant smell. It is better to throw away an accidentally bought fake than to risk your health and even life.