Alcohol belts of Europe

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Map of Europe with individual countries grouped into three regions by dominant patterns of alcohol consumption and traditionally preferred types of alcoholic beverage Wine Belt ("wine-drinking countries" or "Mediterranean pattern" of alcohol consumption ) Beer Belt ("beer-drinking countries" or "Central European pattern" of alcohol consumption ) Vodka Belt ("spirit-drinking countries" or "Eastern European pattern" of alcohol consumption ) Denmark is categorized either as a "beer country" or as a "spirit-drinking country" with a "Northern European pattern" of alcohol consumption. Slovakia is categorized either as a "beer-drinking country" with a "Central European pattern" of alcohol consumption or as a country with a "Northern European pattern" of alcohol consumption. Alcohol belts of Europe.svg
Map of Europe with individual countries grouped into three regions by dominant patterns of alcohol consumption and traditionally preferred types of alcoholic beverage
  Wine Belt ("wine-drinking countries" or "Mediterranean pattern" of alcohol consumption )
  Beer Belt ("beer-drinking countries" or "Central European pattern" of alcohol consumption )
  Vodka Belt ("spirit-drinking countries" or "Eastern European pattern" of alcohol consumption )
Denmark is categorized either as a "beer country" or as a "spirit-drinking country" with a "Northern European pattern" of alcohol consumption. Slovakia is categorized either as a "beer-drinking country" with a "Central European pattern" of alcohol consumption or as a country with a "Northern European pattern" of alcohol consumption.
Map of Europe with individual countries grouped by preferred type of alcoholic beverage, based on recorded alcohol per capita (age 15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol) in 2010 Wine Beer Spirits Alcohol belts of Europe (actual consumption in 2010).svg
Map of Europe with individual countries grouped by preferred type of alcoholic beverage, based on recorded alcohol per capita (age 15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol) in 2010
  Wine
  Beer
  Spirits

The alcohol belts of Europe divide Europe by their traditional alcoholic beverages: beer, wine, or spirits. [6] They do not necessarily correspond with current drinking habits, as beer has become the most popular alcoholic drink world-wide. The definitions of these belts are not completely objective.

Contents

Vodka belt

However, the general definition tends to include the following states as significant producers and consumers of vodka:

The EU countries of the vodka belt produce over 70% of the EU's vodka. [7]

The southern boundary of the "vodka belt" roughly corresponds to the −2 °C January isotherm in lowlands. With the exception of Poland, Ukraine, and some regions of southern Russia, cultivation of grapes is impossible or very difficult in the vodka belt.

Sometimes the term "vodka belt" is used while referring exclusively to the Slavic countries of Central and Eastern Europe, as they are the historical homeland of vodka (Poland and Russia being the nations most often associated with the invention of the drink). Before the 19th century, vodka was considered very much a "people's drink" that was common among the peasantry who made up the majority of the population in most countries of the time, while the political and aristocratic minority preferred imported wines or other alcoholic beverages that were considered less plebeian. [10] There are exceptions, such as Żubrówka, a type of Polish vodka that dates back to the 16th century, which became popular among the szlachta (nobility) as well as the peasantry as early as the 18th century.

In his book about the Soviet Union, [11] Alex de Jonge elaborates on his concept of "geoalcoholics". In particular, he explains Russian peculiarities by their belonging to the vodka belt and the absence of the beer belt in the Soviet Union. Other than the prevalent hard liquor the vodka belt is also characterised by a higher occurrence of binge drinking compared to the rest of Europe. [12] Likewise, in his Russia and the Russians, historian Geoffrey Hoskins notes the distinct effect vodka culture has had on the countries of the former Russian Empire, creating drinking as a social problem on a different level from other European countries. [13]

In many countries historically belonging to the vodka belt, vodka has been supplanted by beer as the alcoholic drink of choice since the early 21st century. Residents of Finland and Sweden consume twice as much beer as vodka (in terms of pure alcohol). [14] The Polish Beer-Lovers' Party (which won 16 seats in the Sejm in 1991) was founded on the notion of fighting alcoholism by a cultural abandonment of vodka for beer. And indeed in 1998, beer surpassed vodka as the most popular alcoholic drink in Poland. [15]

The term has received much attention since 2006 in the context of the "vodka war" [16] within the European Union about the standardisation of vodka: the vodka belt countries insist that only spirits produced from grains and potato must be allowed to be branded as "vodka", according to the long established traditions of its production, a brand protection similar to the "protected designation of origin". [7] [17] [18] The "Schnellhardt compromise", proposed by Horst Schnellhardt, suggests that vodkas from other than cereals, potatoes and molasses, should be labeled to say "Vodka produced from". [16]

Beer belt

The "beer belt" is the territory covered by countries in Europe where beer is historically the most popular alcoholic beverage. [19] The beer belt is located to the southwest of the vodka belt and to the northeast of the wine belt. [20] [21]

The geography of the beer belt is closely tied to the historical growing range of its two main ingredients: barley, and more especially hops. Barley was first domesticated during the Neolithic in the ancient Near East. It has been brewed into beer-like beverages for thousands of years, and grown in most of Europe since ancient times. Hops are more narrowly distributed, preferring humid temperate climates, similar to potatoes. Originally, European "ale" (not yet called beer) was produced without hops, which were introduced to Europe from the east.[ citation needed ] The first evidence of hops in Europe dates from 736 CE, in the Hallertau region of present-day Germany, although the first mention of the use of hops in brewing in that country was not until 1079. [22]

The westward spread of hops was slow, not reaching England until 1524. Ireland was still importing hops in the eighteenth century; more than 500 tons of English hops were imported through Dublin alone in 1752. [23] In 1516, the Reinheitsgebot or "Bavarian Beer Purity Law" established that barley, hops, and water were the only allowable ingredients in beer (yeast was considered a by-product rather than an ingredient). This became the template for beers across Europe. While non-barley beers (e.g., wheat beer), and non-hopped-beers (e.g., flavoured with gruit) are still produced, across most of Europe "beer" is synonymous with barley and hops. Since the northern range of hops does not include most of Scandinavia or Russia (or much of Scotland), these areas, for the most part, are outside of the beer belt and lie in the vodka/whisky belt (see "vodka belt" above).

As of 2012 the beer belt includes Belgium, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, some parts of Austria, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Central Federal District of Russia, the northern and eastern (German-speaking) cantons of Switzerland and the French regions of Alsace, Lorraine, Nord-Pas-de-Calais and the départment of Ardennes. [24] There is quite a bit of overlap in these French regions, as well as in southwestern Germany and parts of Austria, due to the considerable consumption and cultivation of wine there, and Poland is also a part of the vodka belt.

In 2016, UNESCO inscribed Belgian beer culture on their list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Wine belt

The "wine belt" is the territory covered by countries in Europe where wine is historically the most popular alcoholic beverage. The wine belt is located to the south of the beer belt and the vodka belt. [20] [21] [25] [26] The wine belt has been variously defined as approximately between 41° - 44°N, [27] 30° - 50°N, [28] and 35° - 50/51°N. [29]

Countries in the wine belt include Spain, Portugal, Italy, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, most of Austria, San Marino, Switzerland, Romania, France, and Southern Federal District of Russia. Hungary and Slovenia are historically considered as part of the wine belt, but they overlap largely and are in line more with the Beer Belt instead. [ citation needed ] Additionally, Southwest England (if one classes cider as a wine analogue), parts of the Low Countries, southwestern Germany and parts of Austria could be considered to lie either within the belt or within an overlap region. [24]

The UNESCO has declared some wine region in its World Heritage Sites:

See also

Related Research Articles

Alcopop colloquial term for flavored beverage with small alcohol content

An alcopop is any of certain flavored alcoholic beverages with relatively low alcohol content, including:

  1. Malt beverages to which various fruit juices or other flavorings have been added
  2. Beverages containing wine to which ingredients such as fruit juice or other flavorings have been added
  3. Beverages containing distilled alcohol and sweet liquids such as fruit juices or other flavourings
Drink Kind of liquid which is specifically prepared for human consumption

A drink is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice and soft drinks. In addition, alcoholic drinks such as wine, beer, and liquor, which contain the drug ethanol, have been part of human culture for more than 8,000 years.

Low-alcohol beer beer with little or no alcohol content

Low-alcohol beer is beer with little or no alcohol content and aims to reproduce the taste of beer without the inebriating effects of standard alcoholic brews. Most low-alcohol beers are lagers, but there are some low-alcohol ales. Low-alcohol beer is also known as light beer, non-alcoholic beer, small beer, small ale, or near-beer.

Prohibition The outlawing of the consumption, sale, production etc. of alcohol

Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The word is also used to refer to a period of time during which such bans are enforced.

Vodka Clear distilled alcoholic beverage

Vodka is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage with different varieties originating in Poland and Russia. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol, but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavorings. Traditionally it is made by distilling the liquid from cereal grains that have been fermented, later on using potatoes though some modern brands use fruits or sugar as the base.

Alcoholic drinks in China Chinese alcoholic beverages

There is a long history of alcoholic drinks in China. They include rice and grape wine, beer, and various liquors including baijiu, the most-consumed distilled spirit in the world.

Alko Finnish Government-owned alcohol retailer

Alko is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. It is the only store in the country which retails beer over 5.5% ABV, wine and spirits. Alcoholic beverages are also sold in licensed restaurants and bars but only for consumption on the premises.

Prosecco Italian white wine

Prosecco is an Italian DOC or DOCG white wine produced in a large area spanning nine provinces in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, and named after the village of Prosecco. It is made from the Prosecco grape but denomination rules allow up to 15% of the wine to be other permitted varieties. Prosecco is almost always made in sparkling or semi-sparkling style, but a still wine is also permitted. Within the larger designation are two small DOCG areas, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco in the hills between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, and Asolo Prosecco around the nearby town of Asolo. Prosecco Superiore is always spumante and comes only from these DOCG areas.

Liquor alcoholic beverage that is produced by distilling

Liquor is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruit, or vegetables that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. The distillation process purifies the liquid and removes diluting components like water, for the purpose of increasing its proportion of alcohol content. As liquors contain significantly more alcohol, they are considered "harder" – in North America, the term hard liquor is used to distinguish distilled alcoholic drinks from non-distilled ones, whereas the term spirits is used in the UK.

History of alcoholic drinks aspect of history

Purposeful production of alcoholic drinks is common and often reflects cultural and religious peculiarities as much as geographical and sociological conditions.

An alcohol-free or non-alcoholic drink, also known as a temperance drink, is a version of an alcoholic drink made without alcohol, or with the alcohol removed or reduced to almost zero. These may take the form of a non-alcoholic mixed drink, non-alcoholic beer, and "mocktails", and are widely available where alcoholic drinks are sold.

Alcoholic drinks in Sweden

Alcoholic drinks in Sweden are as common as in most of the western world. Sweden is historically part of the vodka belt, with high consumption of distilled drinks and binge drinking, but during the later half of the 20th century, habits are more harmonized with western Europe, with increasing popularity of wine and weekday drinking. Wine is now also grown and produced in several parts of Sweden and the southernmost region of Skåne is turning into a hub experiencing a strong growth in number of active vineyards.

Alcoholic drink Drink containing alcohol (ethanol) derived from fermentation of sugars

An alcoholic drink is a drink that contains the recreational drug ethanol, a type of alcohol produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The consumption of alcohol plays an important social role in many cultures. Most countries have laws regulating the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Some countries ban such activities entirely, but alcoholic drinks are legal in most parts of the world. The global alcoholic drink industry exceeded $1 trillion in 2018.

Alcohol in New Zealand

Alcohol has been consumed in New Zealand since the arrival of Europeans. The most popular alcoholic beverage is beer. The legal age to purchase alcohol is 18.

Alcohol consumption in Russia remains among the highest in the world. According to a 2011 report by the World Health Organization, annual per capita consumption of alcohol in Russia was about 15.76 litres, the fourth-highest volume in Europe. It has dropped to less than 10 litres as of 2019. Another dangerous trait of Russian alcohol consumption pattern was the high volume of spirits compared with other alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol law Wikimedia disambiguation page

Alcohol laws are laws in relation to the manufacture, use, being under the influence of and sale of alcohol or alcoholic beverages that contains ethanol. Common alcoholic beverages include beer, wine, cider, and distilled spirits. The United States defines an alcoholic beverage as, "any beverage in liquid form which contains not less than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume", but this definition varies internationally. These laws can restrict those who can produce alcohol, those who can buy it, when one can buy it, labelling and advertising, the types of alcoholic beverage that can be sold, where one can consume it, what activities are prohibited while intoxicated, and where one can buy it. In some cases, laws have even prohibited the use and sale of alcohol entirely, as with Prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Karlsson, Thomas; Simpura, Jussi (2001). "Changes in living conditions and their links to alcohol consumption and drinking patterns in 16 European countries, 1950 to 2000" (PDF). Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 18 (1): 82–99. doi:10.1177/145507250101801S03. ISSN   1455-0725. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Shield, Kevin D.; Kehoe, Tara; Gmel, Gerrit; Rehm, Maximilien X.; Rehm, Jürgen (2012). "Societal burden of alcohol" (PDF). In Anderson, Peter; Møller, Lars; Galea, Gauden (eds.). Alcohol in the European Union: Consumption, harm and policy approaches. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. pp. 10–28. ISBN   978-92-890-0264-6 . Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Iontchev, Atanas (1998). "Central and Eastern Europe". In Grant, Marcus (ed.). Alcohol And Emerging Markets: Patterns, Problems, And Responses. Taylor & Francis. pp.  177–202. ISBN   978-0-87630-978-0.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Popova, Svetlana; Rehm, Jürgen; Patra, Jayadeep; Zatonski, Witold (6 February 2007). "Comparing alcohol consumption in Central and Eastern Europe to other European countries". Alcohol and Alcoholism. 42 (5): 465–473. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agl124 . PMID   17287207.
  5. ↑ World Health Organization, Global status report on alcohol and health (2014)
  6. ↑ Grigg, David (2004). "Wine, Spirits and Beer: World Patterns of Consumption". Geography. 89 (2): 99–110. JSTOR   40573955.
  7. 1 2 3 Stubb, Alexander (December 2006). "The European Vodka Wars" (PDF). Blue Wings. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "'Estonian vodka' is a protected geographical indication in the European Union". Republic of Estonia, Ministry of Rural Affairs. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  9. ↑ Korotayev, Andrey; Khalturina, Darya (2008). Douglas W. Blum (ed.). Russia and Globalization: Identity, Security, and Society in an Era of Change (PDF). Baltimore: Woodrow Wilson Center Press. pp. 37–78. ISBN   978-0-8018-8842-7 . Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Krakow Beverages" at krakow-info.com
  11. ↑ Alex de Jonge, "Stalin and the Shaping of the Soviet Union", Collins, (1986), ISBN   0-688-04730-0, the relevant excerpt online Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ "Alcohol Alert Digest", Institute of Alcohol Studies, UK.
  13. ↑ Hosking, Geoffrey A. (2001). Russia and the Russians: A History . Harvard University Press. p.  13. ISBN   978-0-674-00473-3 . Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  14. ↑ "Alcohol in Postwar Europe: A Discussion of Indicators on Consumption and Alcohol-Related Harm"
  15. ↑ "EJPAU 2004. Kowalczuk I. Conditions of Alcoholic Beverages Consumption Among Polish Consumers" . Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  16. 1 2 Vodka war: "MEPs serve up a compromise cocktail", a Europarliament news article
  17. ↑ "EU Farm Chief Warns of Legal Action in Vodka Row". Flexnews.com. Reuters. 25 October 2006. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007., a 25 October 2006 Reuters article
  18. ↑ "A spirited war: The search for the real vodka", International Herald Tribune , 23 November 2006
  19. ↑ Geeraerts, Dirk (1999). "Beer and semantics". In Leon de Stadler; Christoph Eyrich (eds.). Issues in cognitive linguistics: 1993 proceedings of the International Cognitive Linguistics Conference. Walter de Gruyter. p. 35. ISBN   978-3-11-015219-7.
  20. 1 2 "Euro MPs spurn 'pure vodka' bid". BBC News. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Brussels braced for vodka battle". BBC News. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  22. ↑ Corran, H. S. (23 January 1975). A History of Brewing. Vermont, Canada: David and Charles PLC. p. 303. ISBN   978-0-7153-6735-3.
  23. ↑ "The London magazine, 1752", page 332
  24. 1 2 "Erreur 404" . Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  25. ↑ "Charlemagne: In vino veritas". The Economist. 14 June 2007.
  26. ↑ Waldfogel, Joel (22 September 2006). "Global warming and vineyards". Slate Magazine.
  27. ↑ "Wines of Canada". Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  28. ↑ "Introduction To NZ Wines". Archived from the original on 6 April 2007. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  29. ↑ Philp, Robert Kemp (1867). A Journey of Discovery All Around Our House: Or, The Interview : a Companion Volume to "Enquire Within Upon Everything.". Houlston & Wright. p. 51.
  30. ↑ "The Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. (Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene".
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