Vodka is a distilledbeverage composed primarily of water and ethanol, sometimes withtraces of impurities and flavorings. Traditionally, vodka is made by thedistillation of cereal grains or potatoes that have been fermented,though some modern brands use other substances, such as fruits or sugar. Sincethe 1890s, the standard Polish, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Estonian,Latvian, Lithuanian and Czech vodkas are 40% alcohol by volume ABV(80 US proof) Products sold as "vodka" in the United Statesmust have a minimum alcohol content of 40%. Even with these looserestrictions, most vodka sold contains 40% ABV. Vodkais traditionally drunk neat (not mixed with any water, ice, or othermixer), though it is often served chilled in the vodka belt countries:Russia, Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Norway,Finland, and Iceland. It is also commonly used in cocktails and mixeddrinks, such as the Vodka martini, Cosmopolitan, Vodka Tonic, Screwdriver, Greyhound, Black or WhiteRussian, Moscow Mule, and Bloody Mary.
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