I think I have written about this subject a few years ago, but now I am in Russia for even longer and its time to give my 5 cents about vodka and how to drink vodka with Russians or friends.
First of all, get to know your enemy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodka
Read and find out that vodka is actually not typical Russian, but first appeared in Poland. Anyway, among other spirits, beer and wine, vodka  is probably one of the most popular drinks in today’s Russian culture.
Living in Russia you will be confronted with vodka one way or the other. Like it or not. I never liked it, but I got used to it and its actually the one drink that makes me drunk and doesn’t give me a heavy head. Of course good (real!) French champagne does the same, but you won’t find that a lot in Russia and if, its on the women side of the table. Yes Yes, I can hear the women and anti-alcoholics already,  since what does it make you a man, if you can drink a lot of vodka. Believe it or not (and I have this argument a lot), in Russia you are often judged (by other males) on how much vodka you can drink and how you behave, once you are drunk.
Vodka basics
There are 3 different sizes of vodkas and usually they are defined by “grams”. In a family environment (unless you are tested), you will most likely find the small glasses (25 gr). On business meetings, in restaurants and clubs, you’ll be confronted with 50 to 100 grams. Typically is 50 gr. Usually the vodka is drunk in one shot. Russians say “Bustarov” which is the same as “Nastrovje” and means “Stay healthy!” or “to your health”.

Whatever you do before drinking vodka, take your time and EAT! If there is a chance that you will have to drink, grab some fat, greasy food before. In the worst case a few burgers will do, but don’t go with an empty stomach, even if there is supposed to be food. Chances are that you have to drop 3 to 4 vodkas before you even have your first bite. Also make sure you drank a lot of water upfront and you are not arriving thirsty to your meeting.
On site try to get some none alcoholic side drinks. Water or mors will do. Don’t drink any beer or wine on the side, even if the Russians do. Russians have two important sayings which are related to drinking. One is, If you drink alone you are an alcoholic. The other is, If you drink without a reason, you are an alcoholic. So expect a toast every 10 to 15 minutes and after it will go around you will have to make one as well. So be prepared and have a few meaningful sentences ready. Don’t drink alone! In between drinking don’t forget to grab some food and drink water regularly. Fat and greasy stuff like Salo or Salmon will help you. Usually there is ham and salami as well. At least there will be lots of bread, which you can eat.
There are various occasions where you will be “forced” to drink:
The Business Meeting
I have seen various of these “business meetings” where people drank. Sometimes not even Russians, but accustomed foreigners. My worst was a lunch meeting. I had no breakfast and never expected to have to drink. Arrived with an empty stomach. There was no food and the “lunch” was about drinking beer and vodkas during discussing business. Needless to say, that I got completely wasted and I made a fool out of myself. Another “business”  meeting happened on a datcha and we went to a banja (Russian sauna). During the sessions we had to drink a few vodka shots with our Russian counterparts. At least there was food. As of today I didn’t figure out why Russians drink during these business meetings. It may be a social thing. They may think they can get into a better negotiating position against each other or it is just plainly cultural to seal a deal over a few drinks. Fact is that many deals are made over a few vodkas. Looking back, the main decision was often taken exactly during these sessions. BTW: Usually they drink 50 to 100 grams on these meetings. So, these are the hardest, in my opinion. The only good thing is, that your counterpart usually gets as drunk as you are.
Family Gatherings
Russians are social and like to get together with their families. They celebrate birthdays and other family events in small groups of about 10 people at home or in some restaurant. In my opinion Russians are not very hospital. Their home is their castle and only the closest people are  invited to these gatherings, so consider yourself lucky, if you are invited and try to leave a good impression. Getting wasted is probably not what you should leave as an impression. Alcohol plays a big role on these gatherings as well. There is often an aperitif before the first welcome vodka shot. I can’t stress it enough, even here you’ll be forced to drink before you get food, so better get prepared and stuff yourself before going there. These gatherings typically last a few hours. They start with long talks over plates of salads and many vodkas. When you think its finally over, someone will bring in the main dish and it will surely go on for another 2 hours at least. Every 10 to 15 min. Someone will get up (or raise the glass) and make a toast and shoot a vodka. They typically drink out of the small 25gr glasses, but its really depending on the family and the occasion. You  may find larger glasses, if you are introduced to your Russian girlfriends father (and he is testing you). Note that the women usually don’t drink vodka or they just a drink a bit. The more you drink, the more the women on the table will get upset with you (for not stopping) and the other men (for forcing you to drink more). While the women will tell you that it is OK to stop, you should know that the men will see that a different way. Check my “tricks” below. They may save you some troubles. If you have to make a decision (and you should as long as you can) to stop drinking, than note that the women rule the Russian family and their opinion overrules in most of the cases! So better please the mom, than the father. By the way, this is not about you drinking more than the father, brothers and uncles. In most cases they will be able to drink more than you. Its about how much you can drink. So push it, but not too far. You can say NO, when its time or even take a break in between. Its not a shame.
Friends, Clubs, Bars, Datcha
Russians like to drink and most of the men are proud of the fact that they can drink a lot. They are drinking for social reasons, but also to proof their strength to each other. Sometimes they also drink for emotional reasons, because it releases the deep depressive Russian soul. There will always be occasions where you are asked to shoot a few vodkas and it can easily become sort of a competition, but usually its more social. Depending on the people who invite you, you will be forced to drink 25 to 100gr portions and typically they’ll order the next round right after the last one was drunk, but it doesn’t mean you need to drink it right away. Let it stand and wait. There is not much you can do, other than drinking some water on the side, ordering some (fat!!) food or at least bread. In these cases its totally OK to say NO. Just make up some excuse and drink what you want (e.g. I need to drive. I have to go see my girlfriend, meeting some business partners later on etc). Yes, you may be looked at in a strange way by your opponent, but you’ll see him messed up a little later and you’ll be happy not to have participated further. Usually Russians drink moderate in public (believe it or not). In the club, they may have a bottle of vodka on the table, but they take shots only now and then and like to mix it or even drink a whiskey or cognac instead. Be aware of strangers who invite you for vodkas. It often happened to me that the neighbor table invited me for a shot, especially if they realize I am a foreigner. You can always get up and move on or make an excuse. You don’t have to stay on their table. In some cases their motivation may even be to rob you later on or trouble you otherwise, so keep the drinking under control. Also be aware of your typical Expat friends. Any of mine got accustomed to vodka drinking and order one shot after another, while hanging out at the bar. Some of my Expat friends drink faster and more than Russians (in public). Also here you don’t have to participate. Just shoot one or 2 with them and then stop or go to the dance floor to take a break.
Tricks
Over the time I developed and learned a few tricks on how to deal with vodka.
Lets start with some plausible excuses. You cannot do that all the time, but the family accepts it and especially the women will appreciate it very much (while the men will try to talk you into drinking with them). You can always say, you are sick and you took some medicine. Penicillin doesn’t go well with vodka, allergy pills neither. Note that Russians think vodka is a good cure for various illnesses. A flu, stomach bug or hangover from last night won’t cut it. You need the medicine aspect to it.
Spilling the drink is widely used by many of my friends. You can spill a bit from the glass, if its topped or you can simply knock it over by accident. Its important that you do that while they are not watching, otherwise they’ll fill it up again. You can also get a glass of coke or mors on the side (or better wine or beer). Drink some of it and use it as a bin/deposit. Whenever they don’t watch, you can get rid of some vodka into the beer (or coke). Don’t empty the vodka glass. You will always need some vodka to drink with them.  But half is better than full (in this case). You will realize that this gets easier, the more the others are drunk. Don’t worry about the women on the table. They will be quiet, appreciate what you do and support you (usually). Some of my friends also occasionally use flower pots and other nearby things to poor the vodka away. Of course be careful, the Mom is probably not happy, if you kill her favorite plant with vodka ;-)

Halfs. This is my favorite. Drink full shots for the first 3 times and then only drink halfs. Hide the glass behind another or anything else and only pop it out when its time for a refill. The more the others get drunk, the less they’ll realize they are filling up a half full glass. At the end the glass is full, they are happy and you shoot only half again next time. It may be even recognized by one or the other, but its accepted (in my experience). If you are with people you know, you can also do it more openly.
Water. This one was shown to me by the aunt of my girlfriend, when she felt I am having too much. To be honest, I feel embarrassed to use it, but  since she showed it to me, I guess its used. She filled water into my vodka glass when the others were not watching. That of course only works, if you have a supporter on the table or they gave you your own little vodka bottle, which happens a lot, especially on family gatherings. Note that you’ll have to get rid of some of that vodka, though. Also note, that its often very expensive vodka and as for spilling (on purpose) you’d piss your host off, if you get caught.
Well, that is my bag of tricks. Of course you can simply say no. As said before, in Russian families (but also when going out), the women rule and they usually appreciate that move. So while you may lose the respect of your future father in law, you may win the heart of the mother, which in most cases is much more important. And don’t forget. Eat! Eat! Eat! … and drink mors or water in between. If you follow these rules, you should be able to get through this without loosing control or some severe alcohol poisoning. If you stay with vodka alone, you’ll most likely also not have a heavy head the next day. Unless it was cheap stuff you were offered.
So what is my favorite vodka? My girlfriends father makes his own and I like that very much. Other than that my favorite is Dolgoruki, which is 3 times destilled and therefore smooth. There are other good high quality vodkas, like Beluga or Russkie Standards Imperial.
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