A rum cake is an easy, festive addition to any holiday table. The rum-spiked sponge is baked in a Bundt pan, and drizzled and brushed with a rum syrup. The result is a cake that’s so moist and rich that it doesn’t need a glaze or frosting. It goes perfectly with a cup of coffee, or to cap off a day of celebrations. However, if you’re abstaining from alcohol, don’t believe those who tell you all the alcohol bakes off during the cooking process. Spoiler alert — it doesn’t.

Typically, alcohol is merely a carrier for the flavor a particular recipe calls for, whether it’s a delicious rum cake or a red wine sauce for your steak. Alcohol also enhances the flavors of other ingredients, like in a penne alla vodka where the vodka makes the tomato stand out and tenderizes the meat. It’s a versatile ingredient, and there are numerous reasons to use it, but you should keep in mind that while a large portion of the alcohol does cook off, it’s never completely eliminated.

Read more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink

When cooking with booze, it’s impossible to completely remove all the alcohol from a dish or dessert. The amount of alcohol remaining in the final product depends on several factors, among them temperature, cooking duration, and the surface area of your cooking dish. Alcohol evaporates faster at higher temperatures, and more alcohol cooks off the longer something bakes. However, some alcohol molecules will bind with other molecules in the dish and remain. Studies have shown that even after prolonged cooking, a small percentage of alcohol may still be present in the dish.

Additionally, it’s important to consider the size of your cooking vessel when making rum cake. The larger the surface area, the more contact with oxygen the dish has, so the alcohol will evaporate more quickly in a larger pan or skillet. It’s important to also keep in mind what ingredients you use and what you’re making. A rum syrup drizzle to top your rum cake with, for example, will likely not have cooked nearly long enough (or at the appropriate temperature) to evaporate much alcohol. The cake itself, on the other hand, typically incorporates anywhere from a half to a full cup of rum, resulting in a baked cake with around 5% alcohol (the equivalent of a beer!).

While other dishes might not turn out as boozy as rum cake, there might be any number of reasons to substitute the alcohol in anything you cook. Whether it’s health-related, recovery, or religious, you don’t need to feel left out of the world of boozy bakes. There are many ways to replace the alcohol in rum cake and other recipes that call for alcohol because what you want to focus on is the flavor — the alcohol is just the carrier. There are myriad ways to get similar flavors without alcohol using cooking and baking ingredient swaps such as using various vinegars, herbs, spices, and syrups.

A rum cake can be made with rum extracts and rum-flavored syrups, or a combination of ingredients like white grape juice, molasses, and almond extract. Conversely, you can also hunt down non-alcoholic rum. There are plenty of non-alcoholic spirits that can take the place of their boozy counterparts, so make your next rum cake a booze-free one, and don’t fret about the alcohol content in your next bake.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.

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If you put wine or beer in a freezer, it will be frozen solid in just a few hours.

But if you put vodka in your home freezer, it won’t freeze, even after weeks — or months.

So whether you’re blending vodka with fruit juices to create favorites like a screwdriver, crafting a vodka martini or mixing up a trendy Moscow Mule, having the beverage ice-cold — but not frozen — elevates the taste of the cocktail for sure.

DO HEALING CRYSTALS HAVE ANY SCIENTIFIC BACKING? SOME CITE REMARKABLE BENEFITS

It’s very common to store vodka in the freezer so that you have chilled vodka ready at a moment’s notice. 

Still, you may have pondered why vodka never freezes in your home freezer. 

Whether you’re blending vodka with fruit juices to create favorites like a screwdriver or crafting a vodka martini, having ice-cold vodka elevates the taste of the cocktail. But ever wonder why this spirit doesn’t freeze in a home freezer? 

A science guru unfolded the undeniable reality of why this alcohol doesn’t solidify in a typical household freezer.

The substance in spirits is identified as ethanol.

“The standard proof of vodka is 80, implying that it is made up of 40% ethanol,” stated Tara S. Carpenter, a Doctor of Philosophy and a leading lecturer in the chemistry and biochemistry field at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, situated in Baltimore.

SHAUN WHITE, OLYMPIC SNOWBOARDER, COLLABORATES WITH UTAH’S HIGH WEST DISTILLERY TO SAFEGUARD WESTERN US

“The other 60% is mostly water, although there can be added flavorings, sugar or dissolved impurities,” she said.

The freezing point of alcohol is much lower than the widely known freezing point for liquids such as water.

The freezing point of water is 0°C or 32°F, she said, while the freezing point of ethanol is -114.1°C or -173.5°F.

Since the freezing point of alcohol is much lower than the widely known freezing point for liquids such as water — vodka won’t freeze in an everyday home freezer.

Bottles of assorted alcoholic beverages. While putting vodka “in the freezer will affect it somewhat, it won’t freeze solid in your traditional freezer.”

“At around 40% alcohol (80-proof), vodka has a freezing point that hovers at around -16 degrees Fahrenheit. And while putting it in the freezer will affect it somewhat, it won’t freeze solid in your traditional freezer,” noted Reader’s Digest.

It’s a nifty science lesson, for sure.

“When we mix ethanol and water together, the mixture has its own unique freezing point that is lower than that of water, due to something called freezing point depression,” said Carpenter.

6 BREWERIES ACROSS AMERICA THAT OFFER GREAT BREWS AND STUNNING VIEWS, TOO

That said, if you prefer your vodka without a mixer and on the rocks, or if shots of vodka are your go-to drink, storing it in your freezer is a sound strategy.

For most vodka, storing it in the freezer is the way to go, and it will probably make the shot much easier to handle, according to the VinePair.com.

Many Americans keep a bottle or two stored in their home freezer, but is that truly the best place to store it?

A variety of Smirnoff vodka liquors. Don’t worry about not storing vodka in your freezer — as it leaves more room for frozen pizza and ice cream.

If your chosen vodka is of ultimate quality, then the freezer is not your destination, as stated by Francois Thibault, the creator of Grey Goose vodka, whilst having a conversation with Business Insider.

In contrast, if you lean towards a more economical vodka, Thibault suggested that stashing it away in the freezer might not be such a terrible concept. The chilly temperatures could disguise the vodka’s notes or features, which according to him, might come across as “aggressive” or “burning”.

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So, deciding to store vodka in your home freezer is a personal decision.

Cold temperatures may mask a vodka’s notes or properties.

It won’t freeze, but the quality of vodka could impact your decision about whether to store it in your fridge or your freezer.

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Still, if you choose not to store vodka in the freezer, don’t fret — as that leaves more room for frozen pizza and ice cream.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Erica Lamberg is a contributing reporter for Fox News Digital.

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A rum cake is a delightful and effortless festive centerpiece for any holiday feast. The rum-infused sponge is baked in a Bundt pan and is saturated with a tantalizing rum syrup to produce a cake that’s so moist and flavorful that glaze or frosting becomes unnecessary. It beautifully complements a cup of hot coffee or provides a sweet concluding note to a day of festivities. However, you are misguided if you believe the common fallacy that all the alcohol will evaporate during the baking process. Spoiler alert – it does not.

Typically, alcohol serves as a conduit for the flavor a particular recipe calls for, be it a savory rum cake or a red wine sauce for your succulent steak. It also enhances the flavors of other ingredients, like in a penne alla vodka, where the vodka amplifies the tomato taste and tenderizes the meat. Although alcohol is a versatile cooking ingredient and there are ample reasons to add it to your dishes, keep in mind that while a significant amount of it does indeed evaporate during cooking, it never fully disappears.

Read more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink

When cooking with alcohol, it’s impossible to fully bake or cook all the alcohol out of a dish or dessert. The remaining alcohol content in the final dish depends on certain factors such as the cooking temperature, the duration of cooking and the surface area of your cooking vessel. Alcohol tends to evaporate more at higher temperatures and more of it cooks off the longer something bakes. Nonetheless, some alcohol molecules will latch onto other food particles in the dish and remain there. Studies have shown that even after prolonged hours of cooking, a small amount of alcohol still lingers in the dish.

Considering the size of your cooking vessel when making rum cake is crucial. A larger pan or skillet has a larger surface area, which increases the dish’s contact with oxygen, causing the alcohol to evaporate more quickly. Keep in mind the ingredients you are using and what you are making. For instance, a rum syrup drizzle on your rum cake may not have cooked long enough, or at the appropriate temperature, to evaporate much alcohol. Conversely, the cake itself may contain anywhere from a half to a full cup of rum, resulting in a baked cake with about 5% alcohol, the equivalent of a beer!

There may be various reasons why you may wish to substitute the alcohol in what you cook, be they health, recovery, or religion-based. You don’t have to feel excluded from the world of boozy bakes. There are numerous ways to substitute the alcohol in rum cake and other recipes because the primary focus should be on the flavor, with the alcohol simply acting as a carrier. There are countless ways to obtain similar flavors without alcohol, such as using different vinegars, herbs, spices, and syrups. Make sure to check these cooking and baking ingredient swaps.

Rum cake can be prepared with rum extracts and rum-flavored syrups or a combination of ingredients like white grape juice, molasses, and almond extract. Alternatively, you can find non-alcoholic rum. There are a plethora of non-alcoholic spirits available that can replace their boozy equivalents. So, prepare your next rum cake alcohol-free and cease worrying about the alcohol content in your next baking venture.

For more details, check out the original Daily Meal article.

You may have seen the news about Frey Ranch Distillery’s debut American Single Malt Smoked Whiskey. Single malt whiskey is something of a novelty in the American whiskey scene and we were curious about why the distillery chose that route. To find out more, we talked to Colby Frey, Whiskey Farmer and co-founder of Frey Ranch Distillery.

“Kentucky Bourbon has been the darling of the American Whiskey category for years,” Frey told us. “And rightfully so, but distillers are experimenting more than ever and the grains they distill are central to that conversation and what’s pushing the category in new and exciting directions. Additionally, the American palate is expanding — and with greater access to more international whiskies — it makes sense that American distillers are looking to capitalize on those trends.” One particularly popular international version is Scottish whisky, which is known for using a single malt mash bill.

But it isn’t just marketing and hype. The craft whiskey boom is fueling a lot of experimentation with new and higher-quality products. As Frey put it, “I think people are pushing the envelope and experimenting with other types of grain to differentiate themselves in a crowded category. Craft distilleries, in particular, are willing to push the envelope vs. the traditional large distilleries who are more married to their traditional processes… The flavor profiles you can create with malted grains really opens up a world of options — and gets consumers excited.”

Read more: The 40 Absolute Best Cocktails That Feature Only 2 Ingredients

Although we can’t know for certain what the American take on single malts will look like, we can take some educated guesses. The first thing to keep in mind is that the idea of single malt is closely connected to Scottish whisky. Traditionally, a good portion of scotch was smoked with peat. Peat is a dense layer of organic material that sits in the upper layer of marshes and bogs. It’s a nonrenewable resource since it takes thousands of years to build up, meaning it will one day run out. Scotland has plans to eventually end the sale of peat to reduce the environmental impact and cut down on pollution, which will undoubtedly impact how scotch is made. America doesn’t have quite the same abundance of peat, but that didn’t stop Frey Ranch from smoking their single malt. Frey Ranch MacGyvered an old silo into a DIY smoker and used the organic debris from their farm to make a peat alternative. That’s American ingenuity for you.

Another difference that may seem inconsequential but which will have a huge impact on the product is climate. Scotland is cold and humid, while much of the United States is dry and hot (relatively speaking). When scotch is aged in the barrel, the humidity causes the alcohol to evaporate faster than the water, resulting in a lower-proof whiskey. With Americans’ love for high-proof whiskeys, American single malts may evolve to become a high-proof alternative to low-proof scotch.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

In this article, we will discuss the 20 countries that export the most vodka. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global vodka market, the most popular vodka brand in the world, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the vodka market, and recent acquisitions in the vodka sector and go straight to 5 Countries that Export the Most Vodka.

One of the reasons vodka is so popular is its versatility. It can be mixed with almost anything to create cocktails and is very easy to infuse with different flavors. Moreover, as vodka does not require aging, it’s possible to produce large quantities of this highly sought-after spirit quite quickly. Both Poland and Russia claim to be the birthplace of vodka, but historians generally agree that it was first produced around 1400 AD in Northeastern Europe.

Vodka is one of the Most Consumed Alcohols in the World. As we discussed in our article – Top 20 Best Selling Vodka Brands in the World – the global vodka market was worth $25.98 billion in 2022 and it is predicted to rise to $40.25 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%. This forecast is based on a report from Research and Markets.

Vodka-based ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages are seeing a surge in new product developments, which are expected to drive market growth. The all-natural flavored segment is predicted to experience the fastest growth rate, driven by an increase in demand for premium flavored vodka, particularly among millennials.

Smirnoff, the Best-Selling Vodka Brand in the World, sold an impressive 28.1 million 9-liter cases in 2022. The brand, founded in 1864, was the pioneer in using charcoal filtration in the distillation process.

In 1987, Smirnoff was bought by International Distillers and Vintners, and subsequently came under the ownership of Diageo plc (DEO). Despite its roots being in Moscow, Smirnoff is now manufactured in various countries such as the U.S., Canada, Italy, and more.

Diageo plc, which is also the owner of renowned vodka brands like Cîroc and Ketel One, is one of the Largest Alcohol Companies in the World in 2023.

The landscape of vodka consumption changed last year as the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed vodka into the international spotlight. This has predictably resulted in Western consumers, retailers, and governments opting to ban and boycott Russian vodkas.

Western vodka brands with Russian-like names, such as the top-selling Smirnoff, have been quick to clarify that they do not actually originate from Russia. Instead, Smirnoff is owned by the colossal alcohol company, Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO).

The enduring conflict has also negatively impacted sales of several Ukrainian vodka brands, possibly due to the power cuts and bombardments. A large number of these brands have seen a double-digit reduction in sales in 2022. Nonetheless, with Russian vodkas largely absent from global shelves, a number of erstwhile lesser-known Ukrainian brands are stepping up to fill their place.

Nemiroff, a well-liked Ukrainian vodka brand, had to cease operations at its primary distillery for a month due to the Russian invasion and experienced a remarkable 57.4% dip in sales in 2022. Despite this, the brand has shown resilience and is now seeing a revival this year, including a doubling of sales in the U.K.

In June, it was revealed that the Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) finalized a deal to sell its Finlandia vodka brand to Coca-Cola HBC AG for $220 million, with the sale officially closing in November. With around 2.6 million 9L cases sold in 2022, Finlandia was one of the best-selling brands in the portfolio of the Jack Daniel’s maker.

The popular vodka brand was acquired by Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) from Altia Corp. in multiple phases, obtaining full ownership in 2004. Its sale was described as another step in the company’s long-term strategic ambition to premiumise its portfolio through brand innovation, acquisition, and divestiture.

The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) is placed among the Best Alcohol Stocks to Own According to Hedge Funds.

With that said, here are the Top Exporters of Vodka in 2023.

To collect data for this article, we have referred to the UN Comtrade Database, looking for the Highest Exporters of Vodka in the World. The following countries have been ranked by the total value of their vodka exports (HS Code 220860) in 2022.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $9.51 million

Vodka has been produced in Estonia since the late 1700’s and represents an important part of the local culture. This cultural orientation of the liquor changed to commerce with the introduction of a ferry service between Helsinki and Tallinn in 1968, and the so-called ‘vodka tourism’ began to appear. Today, approximately 15% of the total alcohol consumed in Finland is purchased in Tallinn area stores.

Viru Valge Vodka is the most popular vodka brand in Estonia and is known worldwide for its taste and excellent quality.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $11.85 million

Vodka in Australia is also following a trend seen in other markets around the world. Younger consumers aren’t interested in what their parents and grandparents drink, they’re moving away from dark spirits and opting instead for liquors that lend themselves to lighter, fresher cocktails.

Though The Land Down Under does not produce many big-name vodka products, its craft range is growing in popularity at home and abroad.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $14.91 million

Austria offers all the raw materials needed for the production of vodka, since potatoes and grain are available in abundance in the country, as well as pure spring water from the Austrian mountains. 

More than 30 distilleries produce vodka in Austria and some of the popular brands include Edelweiss, NEFT, and OVAL etc.

Austria ranks among the Top Vodka Drinking Countries in the World.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $20.36 million

Vodka was the most consumed spirit in Canada in 2021 and 61.1% of drinking-age Canadians indicated having had the beverage during the year. Created entirely from the water drawn from the icebergs in Newfoundland, the Iceberg Vodka brand holds considerable popularity within the country.

The United States serves as the largest market for Canadian vodka, being responsible for more than 80% of the total vodka exports from the country.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $20.92 million

Recent years have witnessed an extraordinary transformation in the UAE, which has morphed into a major international hub for trade, travel, and entertainment. With a cosmopolitan population and a flourishing tourism sector, the demand for premium spirits, particularly vodka, has shown significant growth.

The UAE exports most of its vodka to India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. 

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $21.54 million

Lithuania’s best known alcoholic product is its vodka, which is understandable considering the country was once a part of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union. There is a healthy domestic market for the popular spirit in the Baltic state, and a small number of brands are also exported. Lithuanian Vodka is a popular brand from the country. 

Lithuania is counted among the Top Alcohol Drinking Countries in the World. 

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $24.52 million

Spain is better known for its fine wines, but some high-quality vodkas are also now being produced in the sunny Southwestern European country. Although the Spanish offerings do not have a deep-rooted tradition like vodka from other countries, several brands have begun to experiment with flavors and innovative production techniques to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Handcrafted from unique Spanish tempranillo grapes, cereals, and pure water, R.I.P. is a pure, handcrafted 100% unfiltered vodka that fully captures the essence and unique taste of local raw materials.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $26.43 million

The port of Singapore is the second-busiest in the world, and considered the hub of entrepôt trade and a gateway to other Asian markets. The country imports a large amount of wine and spirits, which are then re-exported mainly to Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Singapore is the Country that Exports the Most Vodka in Asia.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $30.4 million

Belgium is known for its rich beer culture but the country has also developed into a top market for vodka, with the average Belgian consuming about 0.94 shots of the spirit every month.

OBEY is a premium vodka brand in the Western European country.

Belgium sits among Countries that Sell the Most Vodka.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $43.49 million

When Russia invaded Ukraine last year its vodkas were quickly removed from shelves around the world, giving an opportunity to rival Ukrainian brands to take their place. Changing their vodka-purchasing habits has been a popular way for Westerners to side with Ukraine in the ongoing war.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $68.47 million

Vodka is perhaps Finland’s national drink, with Finlandia being the best-known brand. The popular vodka is distributed in 135 countries worldwide and is widely associated with Finland on the international market.

The Nordic country exports most of its vodka to Moldova, India, and Russia. 

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $74.7 million

Although the UK is popular for its alluring whiskies, it has also emerged as one of the Top Vodka Exporting Countries recently. 

Vodka has long been a staple in the UK’s drinking culture, with its versatile and clean taste making it a go-to choice for cocktails and mixed drinks. Britain was the world’s leading importer of Russian vodka in 2020, but the war is forcing the Brits to change their habits. The Treasury described that its 35% tariff on the spirit is aimed to ‘cause maximum harm to Putin’s war machine’.

With over $9.5 billion of spirits exports last year, the UK ranks among the Top 10 Leading Countries in Exports of Hard Liquor.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $88.88 million

German vodka embodies the precision and care characteristic of German craftsmanship and is a burgeoning segment of the spirits market, gaining recognition for its quality and unique attributes.

Kleiner Feigling is a top vodka brand from the European nation.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $98.12 million

Latvia is home to one of the Highest Quality Vodka Brands in the World. Due to the geopolitical tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stolichnaya Vodka has officially changed its name to ‘Stoli’ outside of Russia. Stoli is produced in Latvia by the Luxembourg-based Stoli Group, controlled by the exiled Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler.

Altogether, more than 35 million bottles of Stoli are sold worldwide every year, with the biggest markets being the U.S., Canada, Chile, Austria, Greece, Israel, and Lebanon.

Total Vodka Exports in 2022: $121.87 million

Italy is among the countries where the best-selling vodka brand, Smirnoff, is produced and then distributed to 130 markets worldwide. Several locally produced vodka brands have also emerged in the Bel Paese recently, including Roberto Cavalli and VOGA. 

Italy is among the Countries that Export the Most Vodka in Europe.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Countries that Export the Most Vodka.

Suggested Articles:

US Alcohol Exports by Country: Top 15

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Disclosure: None. 20 Countries that Export the Most Vodka is originally published on Insider Monkey.

By Emma Specter

With Hanukkah already here and Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to truly buckle down and start making our lists, checking them twice, et cetera. As a holiday person, nothing brings me more joy than trying to find the perfect gifts for my loved ones. But there is one group (or rather, gender) that’s always stumped me in my present-picking: men.

I abhor gender essentialism as much as the next normal person, but unfortunately, it really has been my experience that men are hard to shop for (and of course, women be shopping). Somehow 99% of the women and nonbinary people in my life are a delight to purchase gifts for, while the men—cis and trans alike—remain a cipher. As a queer woman, I’m not used to spending much of my time trying to figure out what men want—and yet, every Chrismukkah I find myself pondering the same question: How do I captivate the whimsy of the men in my life without going bankrupt?

I was thrilled when I discovered whiskey stones, which seemed like the obvious solution. For years, every men’s magazine and website seemed to tout them as the ne plus ultra of gifts for men—modern and innovative yet macho-retro enough to make them feel like Hemingway. Imagine my disappointment then, when I learned that men don’t actually want whiskey stones. Actually, it’s possible that nobody does, regardless of their gender, as New Yorker writer Helen Rosner demonstrated in her 2019 gift guide: “I took a sip, frowned, waited five minutes, and sipped again. The tequila remained room temperature. I recalled the laws of thermodynamics, and realized the truth about whiskey stones: Despite their striking geometry, they are entirely pointless. I frowned again, and drank my glass of room-temperature tequila, which had rocks in it.”

Perplexed, I sought advice from the trusted men in my life – among them were my father, my partner (who wished to be known as a “transmasculine king”), and several friends who entertained my frantic “What do you want for Christmas?” queries – to tell me whether they even desired whiskey stones and if not, the gifts they truly coveted for Christmas. Here are their responses:

“What on earth is a whiskey stone?”

Actual wished gift: “I don’t want anything.”

“My favorite drink is a martini, though I do savor a whiskey with a well-chosen ice cube occasionally. However, I think I would misplace the whiskey stones somewhere in my home.”

Actually desired gift: Prada loafers

“I get the idea of whiskey stones, so as not to dilute the taste of what I’m drinking, but the name alone makes me think more of passing stones than using them to marginally improve my enjoyment of brown liquor. So no, I don’t need them.” 

Actually desired gift: Those Instagram-friendly tennis candles

“Admittedly not a big whiskey guy, but I have to say this would disappoint me as a gift. Whiskey stones have always felt like a comically gendered ‘safe’ thing.” 

Preferred gift option: “A spa day or a massage would be far more appealing than items that amplify my sophisticated drinking habits.”

“Purchasing these would most likely result in me causing some damage with them, and then consuming whiskey with an absence of the stones to assuage my remorse.”

Preferred gift option: Tickets for a Kylie Minogue concert in Vegas

Consequently, it appears the decision is unanimous: Men are not fond of whiskey stones, for various legitimate reasons. What will I find out next? That women don’t actually desire luxurious hand creams in their Christmas stockings? (Well, too bad, because I have acquired a surplus of high-quality hand cream and I intend to persistently recommend it to everyone, regardless of their gender. Happy holidays!)