4 October: National Vodka Day

Today is National vodka day. 10 things you might not know about vodka:

1. Vodka is made from just four ingredients: Water, Wheat, rye, and Barley, and is distilled multiple times to remove any impurities, hence it is considered the purest of all the spirits. It can also be made from Potatoes.

2. The origins of vodka aren’t clear, but it’s probably been around since the 8^th or 9^th century and originated in either Russia or Poland.

3. Back then, it was primarily used as a medicine and a disinfectant to clean wounds. It was mixed with herbs to make elixirs for anything from the common cold to cancer.

4. The word vodka means “little water” in Russian.

5. Buzz Aldrin is said to have smuggled a bottle of Smirnoff aboard Apollo 11 to drink on the Moon.

6. Vodka was once used as currency, as it was one of the few things not affected by inflation. Vodka was also used to buy goods and services, and it was even used to pay taxes.

7. There is even a city called Vodka in the Ural Mountains. It was so named because it was once the site of a major vodka distillery.

8. Vodka was actually banned in Russia between 1914 and 1917. Tsar Nicholas II banned vodka sales in 1914 in an effort to make sure soldiers were sober enough to fight in the war. However, people just switched to drinking moonshine instead. Vodka was made legal again after the Tsar was overthrown in 1917.

9. There are other uses for vodka besides drinking it. You can use it to clean your house thanks to its antibacterial and solvent properties. It’s also said to be good for the skin. Mix vodka with witch hazel and cider vinegar to make a soothing aftershave, add it to your bath or apply it directly to the skin to cleanse the pores.

10. Cocktails which contain vodka include: Black Russian, Bloody Mary, Blue Lagoon’ Cosmopolitan, Harvey Wallbanger, Long Island iced tea, Screwdriver, Sex on the beach, Sloe comfortable screw up against the wall and Tequila sunrise.

Character birthday

Gianni Fortelli, a member of the New York gangster family, the Fortellis. He is an expert in locks, secret doors and traps. While he uses these skills to help his family, he prefers not to fight, as he is a pacifist at heart. He will fight to defend himself or a loved one, but will not initiate conflict.