Moscow – In Russia, the country’s most authoritative web portal dedicated to alcohol products on the market – Alconews.ru – writes that, recently, vodka-producing companies are increasingly turning to the Department of kosher Chief Rabbinate of Russia for recognition of its products as kosher.
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Kosher wine or any alcohol product is difficult to confirm simply by laboratory studies, so the most important and decisive factor is the signature of the most authoritative rabbi. In Russia this individual is Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar.
Due to this developing tendency, more vodka brands in Russia now bear a kosher certificate. In November 2008, the Moscow-based ‘Crystal’ Factory launched the vodka brand ‘Jewish Standard’ issued by the ‘Whitehall’ Company. Then, in December, the brands ‘Kremlin Legends’ and ‘Kremlin Standard’, which are produced in Kaliningrad and managed by the ‘Kremlin’ Factory, also received certification. January saw the addition of yet another vodka brand, ‘Yuri Dolgoruky’, which is issued by ‘Vremena Goda’ Ltd.
The certification of these kosher vodka producers was awarded by the Kashrut Department of the Chief Rabbinate of Russia, which conducted a study of the ingredients’ composition and production technology for these respective vodkas. Upon successfully passing this examination, these vodkas have been recognized as kosher on all days of the year, excluding the days of the Passover holiday.
There are many varieties of vodka that cannot claim to be kosher because of the presence of milk supplements among its composition. To boot, to be considered kosher, beverages cannot comprise more than one type of grain among its ingredients, so any vodka containing mixed grains or oat extracts cannot be considered to be kosher.
What the smack is he talking about? Mixed grain is not kosher?
My oh my, they’d better immediately inform all the rabbis who certify six-grain bread as kosher!
I wonder if i dip the bread into kosher vodka, does it become kosher?
Its not unusual during hard economic times for “kashruth” certification to be relied upon by the non-jewish population as a surrogate for government approvals which tend not to be trusted because of corruption and bribery. Unfortunately the same issue becomes a concern when “new” sources of hasgacha suddenly emerge and offer their certification with no oversight. In one case several years ago, they invoked the name of a Rav who was niftar over 18 months while his name was still being used. We need to carefully check and recheck the legitimacy of the hashgacha. In this case, all seems to be legit.
Huh? What’s not kosher about mixed grains? I think this reporter got very confused…
Reb Lazar is a gadol torah but also a great leader who operates under the most difficult circumstances considering the growing Russian antisemitism. His name alone should assure anyone wanting to be sure they are the best product. BTW. They also produce a kosher for pesach vodka made from potatoes which tastes like drek but is kosher for mehadrin.
Smirnoff red is the only way to go! Lechaim!
#13 No one is asking for you to adhere to the customs of Chabad Or Rosh Kol Bnei Hagola R ‘Akiva Eiger or for that matter to the Torah at all. But I think their opinion counts for alot more than your atitude projects
Berel Lazar may be a lot of things, but a meshichist he ain’t.