Rakiya Tradition from a Bulgarian Student

This article was from a school project completed all about "National Drink and Related Traditions" It shows another view of how Rakia is processed. It is interesting to see that they recommend double or triple distillation to get rid of toxins, this doesn't happen normally in rural Rakia making customs.

Another point of clarification was the mention of Rakia improving with age. In wooden barrels apparently as the wood, typically oak, affects, but in glass bottles or non-wooden containers it doesn't.

Rakiya

The manufacturing of typical drinks in Bulgaria has a long story and stable traditions. My country is relatively famous in Europe mostly for its alcoholic drinks, but I am going to include some of the soft drinks in my composition, too. The main raw stuff for the manufacturing of wine and the strong alcoholic drink called "Rakiya" are the grapes. Rakiya can be also made from plums, apples, pears or other similar fruits which contain a large quantity of glucose.

The production of wine and rakiya is based on the fermentation processes of glucose. The raw fruits have to be pressed and squeezed. The extracted juice is poured into big wooden casks.There it ferments for a long period of time by itself. The rest of the raw stuff which is called "Jibre" is used to make rakiya. When it ferments it is placed into metal containers with some water added. These containers are closed ones, with a spiral pipe on the top called "serpentine".

The container has to be heated till its content begins to boil. The alcohol evaporates and condenses in the serpentine. The result of this distillation is a liquid which consists of ethylic and methylic alcohol. This liquid should be distilled one or two more times in order to separate the poisonous methylic alcohol. Every distillation increases also the alcoholic concentration of rakiya. After the distillation processes rakiya is stored (as wine) in wooden casks. The longer period of time rakiya matures, the better its taste becomes.

Rakiya is an inseparable part of Bulgarians' table, especially on holidays. February 14, also called "Trifon Zarezan Day" is a holiday which is related to rakiya and wine. On this day the vines are trimmed.

By Andrew Andronov, 11V Class
91 German Language High School, Sofia, Bulgaria

Project co-opdinators:

"Pavle Tvaliashvili" ;

"Gela Azikuri"

This was taken from http://iearn.osgf.ge/drinks/rakiya1.htm

http://bulgarianslivatree.com
http://365bulgarianadvetures.com
http://bulgariantruelove.diydating.com
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