Grozdova Rakija

[Quinton Hebenstreit]

Rakijais produced from fermented and distilled fruits, typically plums and grapes, but also apricots, pears, cherries or raspberries.[2] Other fruits but less commonly used are peaches, apples, figs, blackberries, and quince. Common flavours are šljivovica and țuică, produced from plums,[3] kajsija, produced from apricots, or grozdova/lozova in Bulgaria, raki rrushi in Albania and Kosovo, lozovača/komovica in Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina all produced from grapes.[4][5] These are the same as "Zivania" in Cyprus.

Greek ouzo (from grape) and tsipouro (from pomace), Turkish rakı (from sun-dried grapes) and arak in Lebanon and Levant region differ from rakia as they are redistilled with some herbs (commonly anise). Some tsipouro in Greece is made without anise in the same manner as pomace rakia (or pomace brandy).[citation needed] "Boğma rakı" in Turkey (common name of the domestic raki which is produced at homes and villages) is similar to rakia in the Balkans.[citation needed]

Raki (Albanian definite form: rakia) (a type of rakia) is a traditional drink in Albania.[6][7] Until the 19th century, meyhanes would serve wine or meze.[8] Rakia is deeply connected to the Albanian tradition and as such it is produced everywhere in Albania and Kosovo, sometimes professionally and sometimes in an artisanal way. Skrapar is a region of Albania known for the production of rakia. Skrapar spirit is typically found in festive ceremonies as a popular alcoholic beverage. Grapes are grown in pergolas that are arranged in tall trees such as oaks and plums. Overall, the Skrapar area produces a strong spirit with an alcohol content of up to 45%. The most famous villages for the production of rakia are Zaberzan, Muzhak, Rog, and Vendresh. After the grapes are harvested, they are pressed and collected in wooden barrels. Today, plastic barrels are used. The crushed grape at this stage is called brsi, and it is left for 25 days, almost a month which is also the right time for fermentation. Proper grape fermentation is also understood by a strong characteristic odor. When this fermentation is achieved, the shoots are ready to produce spirit. The grape shoots are then boiled in tinned and sealed copper pots; the wood used must be oak wood which produces a lot of heat needed to turn the shoots into steam. These vapors then pass through copper pipes which pass through a cold container from where the opposite process is achieved, that of distillation, i.e. the return to liquid state of the vapors. A small nape is placed at the bottom of the tube from which the spirit flows into a glass or plastic container. The spirit is then stored in small glass bottles.[9] Rakia is produced in a similar way in Kosovo, where it is usually served with meze. Rahovec is the best-known producer of rakia in the country and there is an annual festival dedicated to rakia.[10]

Rakija (Cyrillic: Ракија) is very popular and widespread in Bosnia and Herzegovina, just like in its neighboring countries. A major contributing factor to the production of rakija in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the diversity and availability of fruit in the valley of the river Drina and the untouched and very often wild nature in the mountains.The traditional old craft of producing rakija has managed to survive long throughout time and it is still widely practiced. The production of homemade rakija for private use is the most popular.

Rakija (Serbian Cyrillic: Ракија) is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in Serbia.[15] It is the national drink of Serbia.[16][17][18] According to Dragan Đurić, President of the Association of Producers of Natural Spirits, the EU protects the names of beverages by allowing the prefix Serbian.[15] In Serbia there are 10,000 private producers of rakija. Two thousand are on the official register and only about a hundred cellars produce high-quality spirit.[15] The most popular rakijas in Serbia are: "sljivovica"-it is made from plum, apricot rakija and pear rakija. Belgrade is the site of a Rakija museum.[19] A 14th century Serbian source is the earliest confirmation of Rakija-making.[11]

Rakija (Macedonian: Ракија) is one of the most popular spirits in North Macedonia, with the most common types are yellow and white grape rakija. Tikves winery makes the most famous rakija which is made in Kavadarci. A lot of people in North Macedonia make homemade white rakija with natural process from grape distillate and add anise which gives sweetness. In industrial production, the percentage of alcohol in rakija is between 40 and 45 percent, but in domestic production, this percentage can be more than 60.[citation needed]

In Romania and Moldova, the related word rachiu or rachie is used to refer to a similar alcoholic beverage as these neighboring countries, often a strong fruit-based spirit, usually from grapes. However, the more commonly used terms for similar popular beverages are țuică and palincă; țuică in particular is prepared only from plums. Additionally, the regional term vinars (literally "burnt-wine") in Romania, and divin in Moldova, can refer to brandy in general as well.

In Greece, raki (Greek: ρακή) ) is the most popular traditional Cretan spirit, also known as tsikoudia (Greek: τσικουδιά). The Cretan raki is a pomace brandy made by single distilling grapes after most of their juice has been extracted to produce wine and having left them to ferment in barrels. Special permits are given from late October until the end of November to produce raki at home in Cretan villages. Cretan raki is not twice distilled like tsipouro and does not contain anise. It is commonly served cold as an apritif with seafood and meze, usually referred to as rakomezedes, or as a complimentary digestif with spoon sweets or fruit after a meal.

In North Macedonia it often served with pristine mountain sheep cheese, variety of salads such as shopska salad cabbage salad, yogurt and cucumber salad, root salads, olives dipped in olive oil, as well as yellow cheese kashkaval and less commonly with pork roast or dried pork meats.

In Bulgaria, rakiya is generally served with shopska salad, yogurt salad, pickled vegetables (turshiya) or other salads, which form the first course of the meal. Muskatova rakiya is made from Muscat grapes, while the preparation method of dzhibrova rakiya is the same as for Italian grappa.

Although wine is the essential part of the Eucharist rite in the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in the region, rakia has found uses in certain religious and related rituals across the Balkans.

At the end of the Orthodox Christian burial service, at the exit from the cemetery, visitors are offered a piece of soda bread (pogača) and a glass of rakia.[25] When drinking "for the soul" of the deceased, one spills some rakia on the ground, saying "May God receive this for her/him", before drinking the rest.[25]

During wedding ceremonies, the groom's father goes around all tables and offers a glass of rakia to all guests, sharing a toast for the happiness of the newlyweds. In general, in the Balkans, rakia is offered to guests in one's home as a welcoming gesture.

Common flavours are šljivovica, produced from plums, kajsija, produced from apricots, or grozdova/lozova in Bulgaria (raki rrushi in Albania), or "lozovača" or "komovica" in Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia produced from grapes, the same as "Zivania" in Cyprus. Fruits less commonly used are peaches, apples, pears, cherries, figs, blackberries, and quince. Similar spirits are produced in Romania, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia and the Caucasus. In Albania, rakia is most commonly made out of grapes in mild climate regions and out of plums (and sometimes out of mulberry or walnuts) in colder climate areas.

Plum and grape rakia are sometimes mixed with other ingredients, such as herbs, honey, sour cherries and walnuts, after distillation. A popular home-made variant in Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Serbia is rakia produced from mixed fruits. In the Istrian and Dalmatian regions of Croatia, rakija tends to be home-made exclusively from grapes, where the drink is also known locally as trapa or grappa (the latter name also being used in Italy).

Slivovitz is a fruit brandy made from damson plums. The primary producers are Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. The usual proof of private-produced slivovice is over 50% of alcohol in the final product, commercially available mass-produced slivovice is proofed less.

Šljivovica is the national drink of Serbia in domestic production for centuries, and plum is the national fruit. Šljivovica has a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Plum and its products are of great importance to Serbs and are a part of numerous traditional customs. A Serbian meal usually starts or ends with plum products and Šljivovica is served as an apritif. A saying goes that the best place to build a house is where a plum tree grows the best. Traditionally, Šljivovica (commonly referred to as "rakija") is connected to a Serbian culture as a drink used at all important rites of passage (birth, baptism, military service, marriage, death, etc.). It is used in the Serbian Orthodox patron saint celebration, slava. It is used in numerous folk remedies, and is given certain degree of respect above all other alcoholic drinks. The fertile region of Šumadija in central Serbia is particularly known for its plums and Šljivovica. In 2004, over 400 000 litres of Šljivovica was produced in Serbia.

Age the Rakia. Once distillation is complete, your rakia is ready to drink. Some Bulgarians do nothing more, but most prefer to age and dilute their rakia to make it more pleasurable to drink. Rakia may be diluted by adding distilled water until the desired alcohol percentage is attained. It may be aged as long and in whatever manner you see fit, but most Bulgarians only age their rakia long enough to give it some color and a little taste. We aged our rakia in oak chips for a month and added distilled water to make it more drinkable at 90 proof (45% alcohol).

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