More Rakia Planned - This Time Grape

iThe grape rakia season is now in full swing in Bulgaria and I can see the local Yambol rakia house chimneys expelling thick black smoke from every one of its kazans that are working full time. There is some serious rakia being distilled here right now.

Having all my grape bar a little salvaged for wine by picking them early, I had to supplement sugar to bring the alcohol content up to 11%. I think now that the wine will not be the best so 30 litres of wine now will be turned into rakia. There is also 20 litres of sub 37% rakia from previous rakia making to be added to this, that’s 50 litres of liquid to distil right now. There is a source of buying grapes at 40 stotinki (around 30 US cents) per kilogram and this is going to be bought to make up and extra 200 litres of wine and fill up the 250 litres that the big kazan can take.

The sliva rakia has now stood for 20 days and was tried last night at 44% by adding mineral water (Devin). It was the smoothest rakia made to date and will improve with more time. I feel that the addition of bicarbonate of soda and coriander seeds made the difference. The current stock of 40 litres however is not going to last through to next summer so the extra grape rakia should see us through with another 40 to 50 litres of rakia.

So another rakia day to look forward to this year.

Troyan Celebrates Rakia

There is a Rakia festival going on in the Bulgarian Town of Troyan and its municipality alongside the national exhibition Oreshak – This is sponsored and organised by “Vinprom Troyan”, JSC, National Community Centre and the local tourism council.

The celebration goes under the name of ‘Plump and Plump Rakia Holiday in Troyan’ and the National Exhibition in the starts at 10:00 on 19th September 2009 on Oreshak Village

Here is the Program of events

Oreshak village
- 10:00 AM – Official opening of the holiday in the National exhibition of crafts and arts in Oreshak village.
- Demonstration of traditional production of plump rakia from famous masters.
- Competition for best homemade plump rakia.
- Plump rakia bazaar.
- Theme festival “Rakias’ meeting”;
- Concert program with the special participation of local bands;

Troyan
- 6.00 PM – Festive defile from the bridge near Elma;
- Local cheerleaders;
- The local community centres;
- The community of the Troyan Jokers and Cards;
- Students from the national art high school;
- Groups from Gabrovo, Pirdop and Knezha;

Source: http://www.visitbulgaria.net