User:Porkandcorn

Russian Vodka Drinking Customs are a set of cultural rules involved in the consumption of Vodka in the former USSR and other regional countries. These rules may change from region to region, and from country to country. ''Note: Custom information collected from Dr. Roman Fomin and Val Nasedkin, a Russian national and a Ukrainian-born American over the course of six hours of ritualized drinking, in which three bottles of alcohol were consumed by four people. ''

Russian Vodka Drinking Vocabulary

 * Тамада tamadá (a.k.a. master of ceremony) - person who makes the toasts, guides the table. “it’s time to drink for this, drink for that, etc”  the tamadá can select other people to say a toast and that person cannot refuse to make a toast.
 * Наливающий razliváyushi - "the one who pours”
 * По первой po pervoy - “first round”
 * Между первой и второй промежуток небольшой “period between first and second round"

Russian Vodka Drinking Rules

 * only the hand of the first pourer (razliváyushi) should ever touch the bottle
 * the person who pours, pours for himself or herself last
 * shots are poured in glasses that are sitting on the table, never in hand
 * first round is always a full shot
 * shots after first round can be less than full shots
 * there is a very short time between first and second rounds (approx. 1-2 minutes is ideal)
 * После первой не закусывают "consume no food between first and second rounds"
 * there is a minimum of 3 rounds
 * never leave empty bottle on the table, it is bad luck - empties go on the floor
 * never chase a shot with anything, not even water
 * shot goes straight to mouth once in hand (not ever bumped on table as in some traditions)
 * at the end of the bottle, “twist” the bottle to squeeze the last drops into a glass
 * the root of the word “vodka” is shared by the word for “water”
 * 45ml is a typical american/english shot
 * 100ml is an acceptable russian-level shot
 * real street russians drink rounds by the “glass”, which is 170-200ml of vodka

Russian Vodka Drinking Techniques

 * exhale before shot, pause 2-3 seconds, then drink with purpose and intent
 * after shot, inhale through a piece of bread (rye preferred) to kill the smell
 * after shot, salted fish, pickles, spiced lard (salo), buttered potatoes will help to keep you going
 * never switch to any other liquors with or after vodka, other than other vodka-based liquors (aquavit, etc)
 * always go from weak liquor to harder liquor, never the other way
 * narrow shot glasses allow less propagation of vodka smell and are thus preferred
 * to stay sober, eat butter during your session - butter coats the intestines so that less alcohol is absorbed
 * cognac is, however, acceptable for following a drinking session, at which point sipping is civilized
 * the morning after, a modest shot of vodka, coffee with cognac, or a beer will do to fend off any traces of a hangover

Russian Vodka Drinking Toasts

 * 1st round is for the reason you are gathered together
 * 2nd is for the host
 * 3rd shot is for love
 * 4th shot is for parents
 * 5th shot and beyond… you are on you own

Russian Vodka Drinking Songs

 * (Anna German - Gori, gori, moya zvezda)
 * (Russian Red Army Choir - Smuglyanka)
 * (Mark Bernes - Tyomnaja noch)