The strength of Russian moonshine has been raised by 10%: a new GOST has come into force

“Bread wine” with a strength of up to 45% has been legalized in Russia

On January 1, 2024, the new Russian GOST “Russian alcoholic beverages made from natural raw materials” came into force. General technical conditions”. According to the new document, which replaced the analogue from 2015, the permissible strength of moonshine has increased to 60 degrees (the strength of fermented wort – “pervacha” – is allowed up to 80 degrees). In addition, the new standard introduced the term “bread wine”, with a strength of up to 45 degrees and without an expiration date.

The developer of the new GOST is the All-Russian Research Institute of Food Biotechnology. To comply with the standard, drinks must be produced according to original recipes from domestic raw materials (except for spices) entirely on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The standard regulates such drinks as moonshine, suharnichek, hrenovukha, berezovka, spotykach, honey, cooler, sbiten, sparkling cranberry and – this is an innovation for 2022 – bread wine. Drinks that fall under GOST can have a strength from 1.5 (sbiten) to 60 (moonshine) degrees, made using both rectified alcohol (from which, in particular, factory-made vodka is made) and distillates (the basis of truly traditional drinks .

The definition of moonshine, for example, is as follows: “an alcoholic drink made from grain raw materials with a strength of 35% vol. up to 60% vol., made by one or more distillations of fermented wort to a strength of not more than 80% vol. in such a way that the distillate has the aroma and taste of the raw materials used, with the addition of corrected water and treatment of the drink with active carbon.”

According to GOST, it is permissible to use rectified wine to produce crackers, horseradish, berezovka, spotykach, honey, cooler and klyukovka, as well as bread wine. The definition of the latter differs from moonshine: bread wine is called “an alcoholic drink with a strength of 35% vol. up to 45% vol., prepared from wheat grain distillate and/or rye grain distillate and/or their mixture with the addition of alcoholized fruit drinks from fruit and berry raw materials, alcoholized infusions from plant raw materials, aromatic alcohols with or without the addition of and rectified ethyl alcohol from food raw materials, with the exception of first grade alcohol or “Basis” with the treatment of the drink with active carbon.”

The new GOST regulates the organoleptic—color, taste, smell—indicators of drinks. There are also requirements for the alcohols used in production – “rectified ethyl from food raw materials in accordance with GOST 5962, with the exception of first grade alcohol and Basis alcohol.”

It is interesting that for all drinks that fall under this GOST, recommended shelf life is established: moonshine for at least two years, crackers, horseradish, berezovoka – at least one year, spotykach, honey – at least six months, cooler, sbiten, sparkling cranberry – at least three months. There is no expiration date for bread wine.

“The fact that a standardization system for Russian traditional alcoholic drinks is developing is wonderful,” explained a distiller who supplies craft traditional alcohol to cafes and restaurants in Suzdal to MK. – But, firstly, it is very disappointing that drinks using rectified distillates are still on a par with truly traditional distillates. And secondly, this GOST is voluntary, unless you try to launch large-scale production. But such production is hampered by numerous regulations and the EGAIS system.

It is still not prohibited to make these and other variations of alcoholic beverages for your own consumption, added MK’s interlocutor. But when they go on sale at least on a limited basis (for example, in catering establishments), the GOST mark of conformity can indicate proper quality.