Russia is considered as one of the top three tea-drinking countries in the world along with Britain and Japan. Teas are most of the time consumed dark. Sugar and lemon can be added for taste. In Russia, tea is usually stored in a portable water boiler called Samovar and when the tea is needed, it is prepared in a small teapot. People living in Russia typically consume teas as frequent as possible with a small dish of fruit preserve or a slice of sweet cake. Coffee is also a typical drink in Russia, although it is not popular. Most Russians prefer drinking teas instead, although there are still some people who prefer coffee.
The national drink of Russia is Vodka. The traditional types of Vodka contain no additional flavorings although some Russians wish to add flavor to their vodka with the use of pepper, lemon peel, cranberries or other herbs. In Russia, when drinking vodka, you must also eat something along with your drink, such as salt herring, black bread, pickled mushroom or sour cucumber.
Russia is also considered as the world’s third largest producer of wine, with over three million acres of vineyards located in the southernmost parts of the country. Russians who reside in the northern parts of the country like to consume vodka but they also consume fortified wines such as madeira, sherry and port, although these are sweetened with the use of sugar. The majority of wines that are produced in the county stays within Russia although some are also exported such as Anapa Riesling, Tsimlanskoye and Champanskoe. Gourdzhuani and Tsinandali are some of the most popular when it comes to white wines. Saperavi and Mukuzani are some of the heavy red wines. Cabernet and Romanesti are some types of conventional wines which can be laid down to age and stored for special events while Aligote and Riesling are some examples of classic summer wines. The wine growing areas of the country are also excellent producers of delectable brandy.
Beer is another popular drink in Russia. The typical Russian beers are still made using the conventional home brewing procedures and are of a very high quality. A summer beer called Kvas is made from fermented rye bread.