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Crownhart-Vaughan's introduction to her translation of Krasheninnikov's Explorations of Kamchatka mentions an Imperial monopoly on liquor, and the state's difficulty in enforcing it, in 1750s Kamchatka. One main principle of the alcohol business in Siberia was not serving native peoples.

A book called "The Russian vodka monopoly" describes another such plan, but one created in 1894.

Did the alcohol monopoly of Krasheninnikov's time cover the whole Russian territory? Were measures and prices standardized?

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    The word "monopoly" could be a bit misleading, as the state owned only wholesales, while alcohol retail was a farming business. However, the state regulations were really strict (at least on the paper), so basically the answers are "yes" and "yes".
    – Matt
    Dec 17, 2017 at 17:45
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    @Matt - This really should have been an answer. Its got more than enough good information in it.
    – T.E.D. ♦
    May 3, 2019 at 13:20
  • Basically, you have all the answers on page 14 and 15 of the book you posted.
    – rs.29
    May 3, 2019 at 13:30
  • @rs.29 That seems to be a good summary of the 1894-era setup, but I want to know about the situation a century before that. Clarifying the title.
    – Aaron Brick
    May 3, 2019 at 14:21
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    @AaronBrick В 1696 году Петр I учредил третью государственную монополию. Через 20 лет, в 1716 году, царь ввел свободу винокурения в России, обложив производителей «винокурной пошлиной». ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
    – rs.29
    May 3, 2019 at 16:10

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Did the alcohol monopoly of Krasheninnikov's time cover the whole Russian territory? Were measures and prices standardized?

The word "monopoly" can be misleading. For example, the alcohol retail was a farming business. However, the state had imposed very strict regulations on it, so both measures and prices were totally standartized.

Well, in fact, they were standartized in the most territory of the Russian Empire, but there was, at least, one exception: the Hetmanate (and the Malorossian governorate later; note that the word Ukraine was not in official use at that time) had quite a few priveleges, including non-taxed alcohol sales. That situation only changed in XIX century.

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