Top 25 Facts About Eva Ekeblad And The Inventor of Alcohol

Ekeblad was a scientist responsible for the discovery of making alcohol from potatoes, and as a result, we have what is known today as vodka. The process was also used to make flour and made the potatoes very popular.

Because of her achievements, she became the first woman to be chosen to attend the academy. Sadly because the academy was mostly for men, Ekeblad was only an honorary member.

Ekeblad was in fact very good friends with the Queen of Sweden. She was such a good friend in fact that the queen offered her the honored title of chief lady-in-waiting and royal governess to the Crown Prince. However, due to Ekeblad being very ill, she had to turn down both positions.

Ekeblad discovered a way to bleach cotton textile and yarn. It was this process that was later used to make soap.

Ekeblad got married at the age of 16. Some say it was very common in those days to get married at a very young age. However, records say it was more common for women to get married in their 20’s.

Ekeblad not only got married at the age of 16, but she was also the owner of a castle. She was given ownership of Marital Castle and Lindholm Castle, Vastergortland by her father.

Ekeblad’s sister in law Charlotta helped put an end to women being forced to confess to being witches. Charlotte had heard that these women were being tortured into confession, and realized she had to do something.

Yes, the potatoes were used to make alcohol, but they had another use, for hair. Ekeblad made soap out of the flower that grows out of potatoes.

Ekeblad apparently made so many uses of the potato that it became a staple in Europe. Before Ekeblad’s discoveries, people didn’t trust the potatoes despite its many nutritious contents.

Her husband was constantly away on business. Ekeblad was responsible for taking care of three estates. It was actually common for women back then to have this responsibility. She also ran the estates for her son.

She had a good amount of power back in the day. However, it is said that she never abused that power and was known to protect the lower class from the brutality of the government.

She was a noblewoman in Sweden. Ekeblad’s father was a count who fought in wars and served in politics.

She was married to the riksråd count Claes Claesson Ekeblad and had seven children, one son, and six daughters.

Ekeblad’s salon was located in Stockholm and was known to be popularized by philosophers, and writers. Johan Helmich Roman, a musician performed his first concert there.

She discovered that potatoes could be used to make wheat, flour, and barley. The people of Sweden at the time were only using them to make alcohol and then discarding them.

[

Women were using cosmetics even back then. However, they were deemed toxic and unsafe. Ekeblad made cosmetics out of the flower that grows on potatoes, and as a result, making it safer for women to use.

If she were somehow alive today, Ekeblad would be 293 years old. We’re pretty sure that she wouldn’t want to do any vodka shots though.

Much like his father Claes Julius Ekeblad was constantly away from his home because of his job. Claes mother Eva Ekeblad took care of his estate in his absence.

Ekeblad was only 22 years old when she made the discovery. You have to think about how incredible that is. We hope this list inspires other young inventors.

Her sister-in-law Charlotta, not only helped to bring the awful Swedish witch trials to an end, but she also created a vaccine for smallpox.

As previously stated Ekeblad got married at age 16. Her husband Claes Claesson Ekeblad, was 32 years old. Apparently, her family was not too bothered by this arrangement.

During the last 6 years of her life, Ekeblad lived in her castle. She was celebrated heavily until the day she died.

Even though she was an honorary member of the academy. There is no record anywhere of her ever having attended any meetings there.

On July 10th, 2019 Ekeblad was the most searched person on Google. Google honored her by spelling out Google in potatoes.

Hundreds of years after Ekeblad’s death, vodka is still being drunk today. Of course, there have been some modifications and nowadays people mix it with either juice or tonic water.