From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (October 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

A traditional bottle of slivovitz, plum rakia

Rakia or rakija (Bulgarian: ракия, rakia, Bosnian: rakija, Croatian: rakija, Greek: ρακί, Macedonian: ракија / rakija, Serbian: ракија / rakija, Hungarian: pálinka, Albanian: raki, Romanian: rachiu (reg. răchie), Slovenian: žganje, Slovak: pálenka, Turkish: rakı) is similar to brandy, made by distillation of fermented fruits, popular throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40%, but home-produced rakia can be stronger, typically 50 to 60%. Prepečenica is double-distilled rakia, with alcohol content sometimes exceeding 60%.

Rakia is considered to be the national drink among some of the South Slavic peoples: in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and the Republic of Macedonia. Its most common form, slivovitz, is produced from plums. Other commonly-used fruits are grapes (the most common in Croatia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Macedonia), peaches, apricots, apples, figs, and quinces. Plum and grape rakia is sometimes mixed after distillation with other ingredients, such as herbs, honey, sour cherries and walnuts.

There are many kinds of rakia, depending on the fruit it is produced from:

 aniseta (with anise)

  ^*   Kom or džibra is the fruity grape mash that remains after winemaking. It contains up to 5.5 litres of pure alcohol per 100 kg, and at least 40% dry matter.
  ^**  Not to be confused with mead, which is made solely of honey.

Croatian Sljivovica and Slovenian Slivovka, two different names for the same drink, a plum rakia

Normally, rakia is colorless, unless herbs or other additives are added. Some types of rakia are kept in wooden barrels (oak or mulberry) for extra aroma and a golden colour.

It is supposed to be drunk from special small glasses which hold from 0.3 to 0.5 dl.

A popular myth is that one can tell the strength of rakia by size of the ring of bubbles (venac) which forms when the bottle is well shaken. This is also mistakenly used as a measure of the quality of the liquor.

In Bulgaria and Macedonia, rakia is generally served with shopska salad, milk salad, pickled vegetables (turshiya) or other salads, forming the first course of the meal. Muskatova rakiya is made from Muscat grapes, while the preparation method of dzhibrova rakiya is the same as for Italian Grappa. Another type of serving is "greyana" rakia, which is heated and sweetened with honey or sugar.

In Croatia, travarica (herbal rakia) is usually served at the beginning of the meal, together with dried figs. The Croatian Adriatic coast in known for a great variety of herbal grappas, some of them typical for only one island or group of islands. The island Hvar is famous for grappa with the addition of myrrh (mrtina - bitter and dark brown). Southern islands like Korčula and city of Dubrovnik are famous for grappa with anise (aniseta), and in central Dalmatia most popular rakia is grappa with nuts (orahovica). It's usually homemade, and served with dry cookies or dried figs. In the summer, it's very typical to see huge glass jars of grappa and nuts on every balcony, beacause the process of production requires the exposure of orahovica to the sun. In the northern Adriatic - mainly Istria - rakia is typically made of honey (medica) or mistletoe (biska). Biska, which is yellow-brown and sweet, is a typical liquor of Istria.

A home rakia still in Darlevtsy, Bulgaria

Although wine is the essential part of the Eucharist rite in the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in the region, rakia has found uses in certain religious and related rituals across the Balkans.

At the end of the Orthodox Christian burial service, at the exit from the cemetery, visitors are offered a piece of soda bread (pogača) and a glass of rakia. When drinking "for the soul" of the deceased, one spills some rakia on the ground, saying (in Romanian, "Dumnezeu sa-i primeasca" (May God receive this for her/him), before drinking the rest.

During wedding ceremonies, the groom's father goes around all tables and offers a glass of rakia to all guests, sharing a toast for the happiness of the newlyweds. In general, in the Balkans, rakia is offered to guests of the home as a welcoming gesture.

Often, "cooked" (kuvana or greyana) rakia, heated in large kettles, is offered to visitors of various open-air festivities, especially in winter days. It is somewhat similar to mulled wine, as weaker brands of rakia are used (or stronger ones diluted with water), with added honey, sugar and spices.

Raki was brought to Albania through the Ottoman conquest of the country in the late 14^th century. It is made from fermented and distilled fruit, usually grapes or sometimes plums. Albanian raki contains no aniseed. Raki made from grapes is usually considered superior. Mixing raki with water is considered improper and is uncommon in Albania.

The process of making raki in Albania is exceptionally difficult, with the slightest mistake turning a potentially perfect batch into what is known as "soft raki", which is considered by many to not be worth drinking. From the mashing of the fruit, to fermenting it under the proper conditions, to making sure that there is the correct amount of fire beneath the distillery barrel and finally to infusing the final product with leaves from the apple tree, it is a laborious task, and those who can do it well are highly respected.

Albanians are very fond of their national drink, which is sipped in tiny amounts, and both making and drinking raki are almost art forms. It is usually drunk at social gatherings as an apéritif.

Some of the best raki in Albania comes from the Skrapar and Përmet districts.^{[citation needed]} A very highly rated rakia is also rakia made from mulberry (raki mani).

• Rakı, an anise-flavored liquor in Turkey
• Tsikoudia a similar drink in Greece, especially Crete
• Tsipouro, an alcoholic beverage of Greece
• Ţuică, a similar drink in Romania.
• Palinka, a similar drink made in Hungary and Romania.
• Mead, an alcoholic drink made directly from honey
• Grappa, an alcoholic drink similar to komovica