The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. The drink was made at a time when Bulgaria, Serbia, and other named countries were not separated and the relations between them were very, very friendly. It is said that it’s best to consume this fiery drink in the mountains. 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. Rakia or Rakija is the collective term used for fruit brandy popular in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and other Balkan countries. Rakia © Srdjan Stojiljkovic / Flickr Every Bulgarian over 18 years drinks 14 liters of alcohol per year. In Bulgaria, it’s an essential attribute of every feast and has the status of a national product. The vessel through which rakia is cooled should be allowed to warm up to 10 cm from the top. Honey and few small bits of black pepper added to it! Italians have grappa, Japanese have sake and the Bulgarians have rakia, a colourless type of homemade, fruit brandy that is prevalent in most Bulgarian homes. There is a wide variety of brands. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK", Rakia | © Pudelek (Marcin Szala)/Wikimedia Commons, Plums are one of the major rakia ingredients. For more information, please contact Iana Roueva at our Bulgaria office. It makes people laugh, cry, mourn, relax or sing. Discover the Famous Bulgarian Rakia - Browse through our selection of Bulgarian food and liquors. Bulgaria has a flourishing wine industry and beer is coming into its own, but rakia is considered the national drink. Rakija (or rakia) is considered to be the national drink of the Balkan nations. It is a clear alcoholic beverage made by the distillation of fermented fruit. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. It is a matter of pride for the host to offer a good-quality homemade beverage to their guests. When the soft rakia is prepared, give the cauldron a good wash, and pour in one half soft rakia and one half off water. The beverage is available at most of the Bulgarian bars and restaurants. It has a high alcohol content varying anywhere between 40% and 95% alc. If it overheats add cold water. There has hardly been a single guest of Sofia to remain neutral after the first sip. Rakia (ракия, rakija, raki, ракија, pálenka) is the traditional drink of Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, grapes, plums, and apricots are most frequently used as a raw material. It is not necessarily home-made. International brands of those types of alcohol are found in stores and are reasonably priced. Rakia and rakia making are deeply rooted in Bulgarian history. For the biggest rakia fans, there is a giant Rakia Fest that takes place in Sofia every year in December (dates vary) with producers from all over Bulgaria and Europe presenting the best of their best. Rakia, rakija or Raki (Greek: Ρακί) (/ ˈ r ɑː k i ə, ˈ r æ-, r ə ˈ k iː ə /), is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans.The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50%).. Name. Rakia is the most popular strong alcoholic drink in the Balkans. It is a matter of pride for the host to offer a good-quality homemade beverage to their guests. The aim of registering rakia as a protected geographical indication is to reduce the tax on alcoholic drinks and rakia in particular. However, the strength of the drink is pretty much always the same – high! The first signs of Rakia production in Bulgaria date from the 11th Century fragment of a distillation vessel used for the production of rakia. Our online stores offer Bulgarian food, drinks, cookbooks and much more and are often the only place online where you purchase famous Bulgarian foods and drinks like banitsa, rakia, boza, etc. It breaks any kind of barrier. Photo by: Irina Ignatova | freeimages.com. Rakia is the most popular strong alcoholic drink in the Balkans. In case you haven’t tried it yet, Rakia is a hard liquor from the brandy family. Rakia is an alcoholic drink that is found in the Balkans and is also classed as a national drink in Bulgaria. Serdika BG - the best selection of Eastern European and Balkan food with delivery to your door or office! ... Rakija uses grapes from the Podgorica vineyards to make its' brandy pleasant with a mild flavor.It is a very strong alcoholic drink with 47 vol % , easy drinking harmonious,.. Bulgaria already has 14 protected brands of Bulgarian rakia. Anyway, the majority of Bulgarians skip the water. It is … Or rakia, a grape-based drink that is consumed in shots and can contain up to 50% of alcohol. Be it shopska salad, ham, cheese dipped in olive oil or any other meat and vegetarian appetizers; it is always better to drink rakia while eating. The drink was made at a time when Bulgaria, Serbia, and other named countries were not separated and the relations between them were very, very friendly. www.balkanfoodrecipes.com/drinks/alcoholic/rakija/rakija-schnapps Discover the Famous Bulgarian Rakia - Browse through our selection of Bulgarian food and liquors. In most wine-producing regions, it is distilled from grapes, and more precisely from grape marc or wine lees. ... Rakia produced from special varieties of grapes, which is then distilled to produce the LR brandy. Rakia – Bulgaria's Most Popular Traditional Alcoholic Drink The aim of registering rakia as a protected geographical indication is to reduce the tax on alcoholic drinks and rakia in particular. Rakia is normally colorless unless herbs have been added. 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. Bulgarian Brandy (Rakia) is as rooted in Bulgarian history and existence as bourbon is in America. There's hardly a foreign guest that hasn't been greeted with rakia and sent home with a wide smile on their face. Discover the history behind the slavic drink, how it is made and where to find the best one! Although rakia can be produced from all types of fruit: plums, pears, apricots, peach, quinces…a common practice is to make wine from the grapes and then use the leftovers to make yet more rakia. However, the homemade stuff can reach an eye watering 90%, so take it easy! The drink matures in oak barrels for 18 months, giving it a specific flavor. Despite the recent drop in its consumption, especially among young adults, rakia can still be considered a national drink. Marinated vegetables with a grape rakia! For more information, please contact Iana Roueva at our Bulgaria office. We delve into the history and traditions surrounding Bulgaria‘s national drink. Bulgarian grape Rakia called “grozdova” is a remedy for many diseases. You can buy it online, but you may need to search a little harder in local specialty liquor stores. For Bulgarians drinking the locally produced alcoholic drink rakia has turned into nothing short of a cultural activity. Many Bulgarians produce their own homemade rakia, especially in towns and villages. Some of them are likely to serve you the drink in a shot glass. After the separation, the drink became the national drink for all of the countries. Buy Bulgarian Liquors - Browse through our selection of Bulgarian food and liquors. In case you haven’t tried it yet, Rakia is a hard liquor from the brandy family. Types of alcohol to buy locally include beer (bira / бира), wine (vino / вино) and rakia (ракия). At all costs avoid buying Bulgarian whiskey, gin, vodka, etc. Fried pieces of bacon are called “stews”, … If you decide to experience rakia in a restaurant, do it while eating … The Mouth-Watering Rakia by Country Albania. The most famous plum rakia region is around the mountain town of Troyan in Central Bulgaria. Some of the Balkan countries have even tried to register it as a trademark, including Bulgaria and Romania, and it is good to bear in mind that the question “Who invented rakia?” might be a sensitive one. Sometimes producers add walnuts, honey, or herbs for extra aroma, but it is not very common. Required fields are marked *, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. In most wine-producing regions, it is distilled from grapes, and more precisely from grape marc or wine lees. Rakija (Serbian Cyrillic: Ракија) is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in Serbia.It is the national drink of Serbia. Nevertheless, rakia is considered a national drink by Bulgarians, Serbs, Turks, and almost all other Balkan countries. It is usually transparent or light yellow. 3. Origin: Republ.. $25.99 Back In Stock Notification. If you are offered rakia from a friendly Bulgarian, don’t be worried you have to keep up with them otherwise you could find yourself blinded by booze and crawling home as the percentage of alcohol is usually between 40-60% proof! When the soft rakia is prepared, give the cauldron a good wash, and pour in one half soft rakia … After the separation, the drink became the national drink for all of the countries. The strength of soft rakia which comes out is to be under 12 gradi. The homemade rakia for personal consumption, however, often surpasses 50% and even 60% alcohol. It is even a matter of pride for some of the locals who of them would produce stronger and still better tasting version of the national drink. Rakia is the traditional drink of Bulgaria. Largely compared to a fruit brandy, rakia is produced out of large quantities of smashed fruits in a barrel. A very strong alcoholic drink - 60 % and more. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50%). Rakia A very strong alcoholic drink made usually by the fermantation of grapes. Every foreigner who is lucky enough to be invited over for a dinner by Bulgarians will have a glass of the strong national drink served to them. In Serbia, they also use pears, quinces, apricots. The word rakia is of Arab origin, too. In Greece, Romania and Hungary the drink is popular with different names – tsipouro and palinka. Rakia is an important part of Bulgarian traditions. Regular Rakia bought in shops and most restaurants is around 40% ABV. On the other hand, grape rakia rarely has a specific taste. the actual origin of the drink is unknown but there is evidence that is has been consumed by Bulgarians before the invasion of the Ottoman Empire. The more exotic varieties of the drink are produced out of strawberries, honey and even roses. In case you are not impressed with the Bulgarian national drink at all, you can still dive into the rich variety of Bulgarian wines and especially the traditional red wine called mavrud. Rakia can be distilled from virtually any fruit. Rakia is also very common in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia. Bulgarian Food | What to eat in Bulgaria | Traditional Dishes, Bulgarian Wine – History, Local Sorts, Must-Trys, Wine Regions. It is highly popular within the territory ofthe Balkan peninsula, mostly in Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia. It is considered an act of hospitality and good intentions. It is made from fermented grapes, plums, or virtually any fruit with sugars in it. They say that Rakia normalizes metabolism, suscitates stomach work, and battles infections. Brandy distillate produced in modern equipment is diluted with water, such as striving to obtain an alcoholic beverage that is has best taste and color qualities. Do not forget to learn and practice the Bulgarian toast “Na-zdra-ve!” which literally translates as “To your health!”, Author: Free Sofia Tour Guide – Dimitar Dimitrov, Your email address will not be published. A common way to sip it is in the good company of fresh or pickled vegetables. It is inseparably there, from weekdays to holidays – on happy and sad occasions. Rakia . Whether it be a birthday, a wedding, a baptism, a national day, or even a funeral, Rakia always takes part of any social gathering. Bulgaria already has 14 protected brands of Bulgarian rakia. If it overheats add cold water. Cognac (Pliska and Preslav are good brands) is also a safe bet. They want people to apply and pay for licenses, but they are having a hard time. Bulgarian rakia has a distinctive aroma and taste and can be compared with Italian grappa, Mexican tequila, Japanese sake, American brandy and, of course, Russian samogon. An interesting archaeological find in Bulgaria this week gave new life to the discussion when the art of distilling became a thing in Europe. The strength of soft rakia which comes out is to be under 12 gradi. One specific type is the rose rakia called gyulovitsa – it is typical of the Rose Valley region, and its taste is very rich. Bulgarian rakia has a distinctive aroma and taste and can be compared with Italian grappa, Mexican tequila, Japanese sake, American brandy and, of course, Russian samogon. Here we feature: Rakia, Menta and Mastika! The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50%). Raki, usually from grapes or plums but occasionally from walnuts and mulberry, is considered a traditional drink in Albania.People produce raki mostly at their homes, although the government is trying to limit that. There are a ton of different kinds of Rakia because you can basically use any fruit you want to make it. We also feature the unique Nameday Reminder Service , which sends out email reminders whenever there is a Bulgarian nameday. First time tasting Bulgarian alcohol! Rakia is a traditional strong alcoholic drink and along with wine and beer makes the three most consumed alcoholic beverages in Bulgaria. Pelin is a bitter wine-derived drink. It might be wiser to consume the drink responsibly with some ice or a bottle of water next to it. The Bulgarian market offers a wide variety of different rakias, but a large part … Bulgarian pickle is a specialty that is perfectly associated with the taste of rakia. It can be made from almost any type of fruits, but some of the most commonly used fruits are plums or apricots. This part of an 11th century distillation vessel is the third piece of hard evidence from Bulgaria that it’s national drink rakia was around a few hundred years before the Western Europeans started distilling, which is believed… The fruit is usually cut up into small pieces and put to ferment together with sugar and certain herbs (for aroma) in a wooden (or plastic) barel. It takes a few weeks for the juice to ferment before the chemical process of distillation begins. It is not necessarily home-made. Rakia is a traditional strong alcoholic drink and along with wine and beer makes the three most consumed alcoholic beverages in Bulgaria. Every Bulgarian over 18 years drinks 14 liters of alcohol per year. In Bulgaria, it is the traditional strong alcoholic drink. 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