Drinks similar to Rakia - Raki

Raki

The word raki comes from Arabic origin.

Other words associated with rakia are

'araka' and 'araki'

Araq actually means 'sweet' in Arabic but could have been associated with the word 'sweat' not 'sweet'. refering to too much of the liquor make you sweat!

Note:
A meyhane is a traditional restaurant or bar in Turkey or the Balkans region. It serves alcoholic beverages, with meze and traditional foods. "Meyhane" literally means a kind of place where alcoholic beverages can be drunk.


History

Raki became a favourite among meyhane-goers. By the end of the 19th century, raki took its current standard form and its followers' consumption surpassed that of the previous favourite, wine.

During the Ottoman Empire, raki was made by distilling grape pomace after the wine fermentation. If the quantity of pomace was not enough, alcohol from other parts of Europe would be mixed in and anise was usually added,

If anise wasn't added it woudl be called 'duz raki' or 'straight raki' or 'douziko' in Greek.

With the addition of gum mastic in the raki this was named 'sakiz rakisi' (gum raki) or mastika, this was traditionally made and produced on the island of Tenedos.

During the first years free of the Ottoman and now a Bulgarian Republic, a grape-based raki began to be distilled by the state-owned spirits monopoly, Tekel which literally means Monopoly.

With steady increase in sugar-beet farming, distilling alcohol from molasses cam about. A very new form of raki was now being made from the sugar-beet alcohol. This was called 'Yeni Raki' (New Raki). Molasses gave raki a unique bitter taste and this distinction helped it to become popular in the region.

The raki is normally a grape product but like rakia can also be produced from various fruits. Raki produced from figs, is called 'incir bogmasi' or 'incir rakisi' (fig raki). In Arabic it is called 'tini'. Tekel the big raki producer the Bulgarian Republic stopped producing the fig raki back in 1947.

Suma, another variety is generally produced from raisins but raki production unit around established wine-producing areas of Tekirdağ, Nevsehir and Izmir also used fresh grapes to get a higher quality.

In recent times 'yas uzum rakisi' (fresh-grape raki) has become more a popular drink in Turkey. Efe Raki, a brand named Raki, was the pioneering company that produce raki solelu from fresh grape suma called 'Efe Yas Uzüm Rakisi' (Efe Fresh Grape Raki). Another brand called 'Tekirdag Altin Seri' (Tekirdağ Golden Series) subsequently followed the trend and to date many others companies have been producing similair products.

Finally, there is 'dip rakisi' (bottom raki). This is the raki that is found at the bottom of the storage tanks during raki production. 'Bottom raki' is believed to have a dense aroma and flavour of raki. It is called 'ozel raki' (special raki) not sold on an open market but reserved for VIPs and special guests as a gift.

Brands of Raki

Mey Alkol took over the Tekel company and produce
Yeni Raki
Tekirdag Rakisi

These both come from the Tekirdag region. They use artesian water from Corlu giving it its charactoristic flavour.

Yeni Rakı has an alcohol content of 45% and 1.5 grams of anise per litre;

Tekirdağ Rakısı has 1.7 grams of anise per litre.

Other good quality brands are:

Kulüp Rakisi Altinbas with 50% alocohol content.

Yeni Rak contains about 20% sugar-beet alcohol

All other brands are produced only from suma.

After the privatisation of state-owned spirit industry of Tekel back in 2004, a variety of different producers along with their own brands emerged.
Some of these Raki brands include:

Efe Raki,
Cilingir Raki,
Mercan Raki,
Fasil Raki,
Burgaz Raki,
Ata Raki
Anadolu Raki
and lastly, Sari Zeybek Rakısi, another new brand, is unique as it is is aged in oak casks, which gives it a distinctive golden colour.

Ways of drinking Raki

In Turkey, raki is drunk alongside a meze (a selection of a variety of foods in small dishes). it is White cheese, melon and fish are a popular accompaniment.
Raki is diluted with cold water and/or ice cubesadded.

When the water is added the drink turns a white in colour.
not only mixing raki with water in its own glass but traditional to drink raki with a separate beverage.
For the casual raki drinker, a glass of cold water is suitable.

For the serious of raki drinker a kebab and a glass of salgam stands as the best accompaniment to the raki, nicknamed Lion's Milk.

Sometimes raki is drunk with Ayran in another glass, which is said to prevent hangover.