Another Home Made Rakia Distillery (Kazan)

A home made distillery system from the home of one of last year's (2008) Big Brother constestants. You don't need to understand Bulgarian to realise he is a fan of communism and is proud of his Rakia.

A very basic distilling system here, very much typical of many in Bulgaria set up in an outhouse in homes across the country.

Rakia Stilled As If for Last (Quote)

An interesting account of Rakia making from the heart of Bulgaria from Stara Zagora. This is in reference to joining the European Community and the closure of thousands of homemade Rakia distilleries thorughout Bulgaria.

Only poor people still rakia (brandy) in Bulgaria. A passing glance over the orders for distilleries in Stara Zagora district of Kolyo Ganchev shows that most of the people have put orders for the small stills of 180 litres. I put what we picked up from the vine-arbour in the yard. I could not afford to buy grapes, Ivan Mitev (73) says. He confesses that he and his wife have a sip of rakia almost every evening. Thus they could recollect their youth and forget the old age that is becoming harder and harder. Dimitar Zheliazkov from Stara Zagora stills rakia for the fourth time this year. He does not trust the talks that Europe could close down the distilleries. He is positive that if, God Forbid, the rulers yield to the pressure, the people will put up a resistance so they could sustain one of the few delights in their sorrowful living. The worst thing they could do is made us still the rakia secretly in villas, cellars and ceilings, Dimitar forecasts. Matey Bonev clipped from new.standartnews.com