When tourists go to the Czech Republic, most of them think that only beer is drunk in the Czech Republic. In fact, spirits are also popular among the local population, which I will talk about in this post and which you should definitely try.

Becherovka

Becherovka- Czech strong liqueur (fernet), which has been produced in Karlovy Vary since 1807. The strength of the drink is 38% and it was originally used as a medicine. Becherovka is prepared only from Karlovy Vary water, but the recipe of the drink itself is under the strictest confidence, it is only known that more than 20 herbs are used in the production of the drink. The taste of the drink is specific.

How to drink Becherovka?

It is customary to drink Becherovka strongly chilled in its pure form and in small glasses, as an aperitif or after a meal, while the drink should not be drunk in one gulp, but savored. This drink is not customary to have a snack, but I think that any fruit is suitable as a snack, especially citrus fruits. Becherovka can also be added to tea or coffee; Becherovka Cordial and Becherovka Lemond are best suited for tea.

There are rumors that Becherovka can be drunk with dark beer. We conducted an experiment and found that this combination is really very good!

How much does Becherovka cost in Prague and the Czech Republic?

1 liter of Becherovka costs 300-360 CZK. In addition, Becherovka is sold in bottles of 50 ml, 100 ml, 500 ml, and in special packaging with shot glasses.

As a souvenir, people like to bring sets of various Becherovkas (Becherovka Cordial - liquor with a strength of 35% with the addition of lime blossom and white wine; Becherovka Lemond - a liquor with a strength of 20% with the taste and aroma of citruses; Becherovka KV 14 - a liquor with a strength of 40% with the addition of red wine ; Becherovka KV 15 - liqueur with a strength of 39% red, aperitif.). The price of such sets: 225-450 CZK.

Slivovitz

Now I will tell you about Slivovitsa - one of the most famous and popular Czech drinks. Slivovice is a plum distillate (brandy), widespread in all Balkan countries, as well as in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, especially in the Moravian part. Slivovitz is sold in stores with a strength of 40%, 45% and 52%. It is best to buy Slivovitz with a strength of 52%, because. it is the highest quality aged Slivovitz and is not diluted with water. Good Slivovitz is usually aged in oak barrels or glass bottles for 3 to 8 years.

In general, there are a lot of distilleries in the Czech Republic, and brandy is made not only from plums, but also from pears, apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries. This is how the following drinks appeared: Hruškovice - distillate from pears, Vishnevka (Višňovka) - distillate from cherries, Meruňkovice - distillate from apricots. Slivovitz is also often mentioned in Remarque's novel Love thy neighbor.

The most popular brands under which Slivovitz and other distillates are produced are: Žufánek, Božkov, R.Jelínek. In my opinion, Slivovitz from Slovakia is much softer and tastier than Czech.

  • How much does Slivovitz cost in Prague and in the Czech Republic?
  • Most often, Slivovitz is sold in bottles of 0.5 liters, the price of such plum brandy varies from 150 to 400 CZK. Of course, there is also a gift Slivovitz, aged for 5-7 years, in a gift box, the price per bottle is about 700-1000 CZK.

Swedish

If you do not like strong drinks, then you should pay attention to a drink called Švestka. This distillate from plums is usually weaker than Slivovitz (strength 30-40%), but it is aromatic and pleasant to the taste. Something like a fortified fruit compote. I like Švestka from Fleret the most.

  • How much does a Swedish drink cost in Prague?
  • A bottle of 0.7 liters costs approximately 150-250 CZK.

Tatra tea (Tatranský čaj) is a tea-based herbal liqueur that originated in the High Tatras. The most common strength of the drink is 52%, there are options for 22%, 32%, 42%, 62% and 72%. There are 7 varieties of this tea, for example, with the taste of wild berries or coconut.

For my taste, this Slovak drink is, to put it mildly, an amateur, very vile and unpleasant in taste.

  • How much does Tatra tea cost in Prague?
  • A 0.7 liter bottle of Tatra tea costs 350-600 CZK.

Borovička is a Slovak drink, very popular in the Czech Republic, the strength of the drink is from 37% to 55%. Borovichka tastes like gin. There are two ways to prepare a drink. The first is a triple distillation of grain must, and then infusion with juniper berries. The second is when the wort is prepared from fermented crushed juniper berries by triple distillation. Borovichka is drunk as an aperitif in its pure form or with tonic, with the addition of lemon, much like gin.

  • How much does Borovichka cost in Prague?
  • A bottle of 0.7 costs 170-300 CZK.

Kontushka (Kontušovka or Kontuszówka) is a strong sweet anise liquor with an alcohol content of 40-60% ethanol; honey, cumin, coriander and other spices are also added to the drink during manufacture. Homeland Kontushovka - Poland.

Since the 17th century, Kontushovka has been a favorite drink of the Polish aristocracy, and then spread throughout Austria-Hungary, where it became very popular. By the way, the name of this drink is often found in the works of Yaroslav Hasek, for example, in the book "The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik."

I do not like anise-based drinks, but Kontushovka turned out to be pleasant to drink.

  • How much does Kontushovka cost in Prague?
  • A 0.5 liter bottle of Kontushka costs 250-300 CZK.

Absinthe

Absinth is a strong alcoholic drink that contains from 70 to 86% alcohol. The main component of absinthe is wormwood extract. In addition to wormwood, absinthe contains lemon balm, coriander, chamomile, mint and many other components. Absinthe is most often emerald green, but can also be clear, yellow, blue, brown, red, or black. Due to its green color, absinthe has earned the nicknames "Green Fairy" and "Green Witch".

There are many ways to drink absinthe: someone sets fire to it, someone mixes it with other drinks, someone makes cocktails from absinthe, and someone does not want to drink this drink, but simply buys a bottle of absinthe for someone as a gift. Fortunately, absinthe in Prague is sold on every corner. You can also try absinthe in almost every bar in Prague, but in the Czech capital there is Absinthe Time Cafe Club Bar, where you can try 20 types of this absinthe and 20 different cocktails from this drink.

I don’t like this drink, so I can’t add anything from myself.

  • How much does Absinthe cost in Prague?
  • A bottle of Absinthe 0.7 liters costs 300-1000 CZK.

Cherry liqueur Griotka

Griotte is a delicious cherry liqueur from the Czech Republic. Liquor is produced by a variety of brands: Hanácká, Božkov, R. Jelínek. I really like this liquor, it really warms you very much, and if you drink a couple of glasses of this liquor with tea, you will be very hot. The cost of 0.5 l of Griotka in supermarkets is approximately 120 - 180 CZK (5-7 Euros). The strength of the liquor varies from 18 to 25%.

Nutcracker

For lovers of more exotic drinks, I can recommend the amazing Orechovka liqueur from Žufánek. This liqueur with a strength of 35% is made from walnuts with the addition of herbs. As for me, it is more tasty and interesting than Becherovka.

Most of the drinks described in the article can be bought in popular supermarkets in Prague and the Czech Republic: Albert, Billa, Kaufland. Lidl presents its own incomprehensible drinks, so I do not recommend buying alcohol there. Keep in mind that the larger the supermarket, the greater the choice and discounted drinks may come across.

Plum moonshine (Slivovitz) is a strong, aromatic drink that is popular in Slovenia and the Czech Republic and the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. You can also prepare plum moonshine at home. Alcohol made from plums is very similar to brandy if done exactly according to the recipe. The main raw material of moonshine is plum juice fermented without yeast, which is distilled twice.

After the first distillation, raw alcohol with a strength of 40-50 degrees is obtained from the mash, then fractional distillation is performed, as a result of which a distillate with a strength of 70-80 ° is obtained. In the Czech Republic, they make another, third stage, so that the final product is cleaner. Slivovitz is diluted to a strength of 52 degrees, and then aged in oak barrels for three or more years. The real recipe for plum brandy is a “secret under seven locks,” but ordinary home-made moonshine made from plums is similar
for the original drink, distillers have long mastered.

Classic plum moonshine recipe

For this recipe, plum varieties are suitable - Hungarian, renklod, mirabelle, in principle, you can use blue or yellow (green) plums of any variety. At the end of summer and beginning of autumn, the plum is gaining the largest amount of sugar, at this time it must be collected. The fruit must not be rotten or shriveled. If fermentation without yeast is planned, then the plum is not washed, so as not to wash away the “savages” from the surface of the fruit.

Ingredients:

  • Plum - 15 kg;
  • Sugar - 1.6 kg;
  • Water - 12 liters;
  • Wine yeast -20 gr

There is enough sugar in plum fruits, on average 10-13%, which means that plum mash can ferment without additional sugar. The aromatics and taste of the drink will be better, but the yield of the product will decrease. Therefore, you need to decide this issue for yourself, you need quality or quantity. Yeast in the recipe can also be used, or you can ferment the mash with wild plum yeast, in which case the fermentation process lasts 2-3 times longer. It is advisable to use special wine yeast, which does not spoil the taste of the drink, but it is also possible to use ordinary dry yeast.

Video recipe - how to make moonshine from plums at home

Preparation of plum mash for moonshine

  1. Sort the collected plums, remove rotten fruits. If the plum will ferment without yeast, then it is not necessary to wash it. Divide the plum in half, pull out the bones, they give an unpleasant smell to the moonshine. Place the pulp of the plum into a saucepan.
  2. Mash the plum, at home for this you can use a drill with a construction mixer. Pour water into the mashed mass. Make syrup from sugar and add to the container, stir the contents. Add prepared yeast.
  3. Cover the pan with gauze and leave to ferment for 3-5 days. Periodically, 1-2 times a day, it is necessary to stir the wort and drown the cap formed on the surface. Then squeeze the juice and pour into a clean bottle. Install a water seal or a regular medical glove and leave in a dark, warm place to ferment. Without yeast, mash ferments for 1-2 months, and with yeast it will be ready in 1-2 weeks. The mash will lighten up, carbon dioxide stops emitting, the finished mash should taste bitter.
  4. Carefully drain the finished mash from the sediment using a siphon or PVC hose. Additionally, you can filter through a gauze filter.

Obtaining moonshine from plums

  1. Pour the mash into the distillation cube of the moonshine still. Install the unit and overtake at maximum power. Do the first distillation to water or so that there are 5 degrees in the stream.
  2. Pour the raw plum alcohol obtained for repeated fractional distillation. At low power, select dropwise head fractions, approximately 100 ml. Then add power to the selection speed and select the "body". You need to select up to 65-70 degrees in the jet. Then come the tail fractions, they can not be selected and the selection can be stopped.
  3. Dilute the finished moonshine with water to 45-50 ° and pour it into an oak barrel, keep the distillate for 3-6 months and then you can taste the drink. It turns out delicious plum brandy prepared at home. After the barrel, it becomes soft, cognac in color and with a delicate aroma of plums. If there is no oak barrel, then moonshine can be aged on oak chips. You can drink moonshine from plums and in its pure form.

There are many delicious and flavorful alcoholic drinks that can be prepared at home. Slivovitz is one of those drinks. This is a fairly strong alcohol, from 40 to 50 degrees, and even those who have just begun to master the art of moonshine can cope with its preparation.

Slivovitz is a kind of brandy, or just moonshine made from plums. In Western countries it is known as rakia, it is most popular in the Balkans. The Serbian version of the preparation of the drink is very popular all over the world, and Czech brandy is also famous. Each recipe for making an alcoholic drink on plums has its own nuances. Some argue that rakia and slivovitz are essentially the same drink, just under a different name. Others argue that, despite the similarity, these are still two different moonshine products.

Secrets of Homemade Slivovitz

The first step is to answer the question about the presence of sugar in the traditional recipe. Many who decide to cook plum brandy at home for the first time ask just such a question. The classic preparation of the drink denies the addition of sugar. But if we take into account many of the nuances that relate to the climatic and geographical conditions of the location of our country, then the presence of sugar in the drink is still allowed. Plums that grow in our gardens often do not have enough sweetness.

Each nation amends the recipes that are borrowed from other countries. In the presence of plums with a low sugar content, it is necessary to adjust the technology for preparing plum brandy. In principle, only plums and water are needed to make rakia, but if the fruits are sour in taste, then sweets will have to be added. However, it is better not to overdo it, otherwise, instead of a pleasant drink, you will get ordinary mash.

So, in optimal proportions you will need:

  • 10-11 kilograms of ripe plum fruits;
  • 9 liters of purified water;
  • The amount of sugar is determined by eye, and depends on the sweetness of the fruit.

In addition, you will need two containers for fermentation. Making plum brandy is not that difficult. The first step is the preparation of plums, then the wort is set, fermentation occurs, after which the drink is double distilled and infused.

Properly preparing fruits

Homemade plums are best for making slivovitz, but if they are not available, then any available variety will do. It can be a Hungarian plum, altana, egg or mirabelle. Fruit picking for slivovitz takes place as late as possible, before the first frost. That's when they're at their sweetest. The fruits should be allowed to ripen as much as possible, but do not miss the moment when they begin to rot and deteriorate.

The surface of the fruit has natural yeast, so they are not washed when preparing alcoholic beverages.

To get rid of dirt and dust, you just need to wipe them with a dry cloth. Plums need to be removed from the pits, divided into two halves and mashed directly into the fermentation tank to a puree state. This is easy to do with a regular kitchen grinder or a drill with a grinder attachment. It is also recommended to add a fifth of the seeds to the wort, which must also be crushed beforehand. Fruit pits will give plum brandy a bitter, tart taste.

Setting up the fermentation wort

In principle, this process does not bring anything new. As a container for fermentation, you can use a wooden vat or a barrel where plum gruel is placed. You can also use plastic barrels if the material is suitable for food. If the wort seems not sweet, then you can add sugar to taste, or follow the hydrometer readings. It is necessary to gradually add sugar and mix, periodically measuring the sugar content. Ideally, when the indicator is 18 percent.

In order to start the fermentation process, the wort barrel must be covered with a thin cloth or gauze, and put in a warm place for a day. If the process goes correctly, then foam will begin to form on the surface. If after a day there are no signs of fermentation, then you should add more sugar, and wait another ten hours.

After the fermentation process has begun, the wort can be poured into a more convenient, even glass, container. To reduce the acidity of the wort, water must be added at this stage. The wort will foam up a lot, so you don't want the container to be filled to the top. The wort must be mixed well, and a water seal should be installed on the neck of the bottle. Braga should be placed in a dark place where it will be protected from any temperature extremes and sunlight. Ideally, the temperature in the room should be 15 degrees, but 20-22 is allowed. At a temperature of 15 degrees, the mash will be ready in one and a half to two months. At a temperature of 22 degrees, this process will be reduced to two or four weeks.

In the process of fermentation, carbon dioxide is released in large quantities, with the help of which spontaneous mixing of the mash occurs. It is absolutely impossible to beat the wort on your own. The gas will lift up the pieces of plums, thereby forming a film. Well, if it is possible to carefully remove it, without waiting until it sinks to the bottom of the bottle. There are quite a lot of harmful and unnecessary impurities in this film. It is worth starting distillation immediately after carbon dioxide has ceased to be released.

Distillation and infusion of slivovitz

It is worth distilling the drink at least twice. To do this, the mash is poured into a distillation cube and chased until alcohol is no longer felt in the distiller. Braga turns out to be thick, so to avoid burning, you need to heat it over low heat, but it is better to use a steam generator. On the first distillation, you should not remove the first and last product. It contains many aromatic oils.

At the second distillation, the first and last alcohols should be cut off by diluting the crude alcohol from the first distillation to 25 degrees. Pervak ​​is often used for medicinal purposes, and the "tail" is used in further distillation. If you fully comply with the proportions, then you should get about 150 grams of pervak, the main product and a half liters, and 200 grams of the tail. After the second distillation, slivovitz is very strong, up to 60 degrees.

Of course, lovers of strong drinks can use it like that, but still it is worth diluting it to 45 degrees.

Traditionally, brandy is infused in oak barrels, if there is such an opportunity, then it should not be neglected. Of course, at least 10 liters of slivovitz are insisted in barrels. Serbs spend at least one hundred kilograms of plums to get this amount of drink. Tasting the drink right after the pasture is a bad idea.

The drink should rest and brew for one or two months. Only then will its taste be pleasant, and the aroma refined.

If there is no oak barrel, or the volume of plum brandy does not allow it to be infused there, then glass bottles are also great, but only with the right lid. In the Czech Republic, plum brandy is aged until its strength drops from 53 degrees to 50. In Moravia, the bottles are buried and taken out only on occasion.

The history of the drink and how to drink it correctly

Slivovitz is prepared by absolutely all the inhabitants of the Balkans. They produce it not only for themselves, but also treat tourists with a drink, and even use it as a means of combating many ailments. The inhabitants of the Balkans are well versed in the intricacies of the distillation of slivovitz, and its fundamental difference from moonshine. They withstand the drink for at least one year, and sometimes five years.

A real drink called slivovitz has a characteristic golden color. It acquires this shade due to prolonged infusion in oak barrels. Therefore, if plum brandy turned out to be transparent at home, there is no doubt about the quality of the drink. By the way, store-bought slivovitz may not have a color. This alcohol is very easy to drink, even though it is very strong. It does not burn, and even a hangover from it is quite light.

The Serbs have a patent for it, but this is not entirely fair. The Czechs prepared such a drink five hundred years ago, and in Moravia during the war they ate only plums, and alcohol was also prepared from its fruits. But, starting from 2007, only Serbia can produce a drink called Slivovitz, so you should be very careful in stores, be sure to pay attention to the manufacturer and year of manufacture.

Of course, in order not to fall for a fake, it is better to prepare this drink yourself. In our country, there are no problems with plums, and besides, in a year rich in such fruits, you can not rack your brains.

Where to use them

In addition to observing the correct process of preparation and infusion, plum brandy must be drunk correctly. This is a very strong drink, and the culture of drinking here is more important than ever. Most often plum brandy acts as an aperitif, and only in its pure form. Adding plum brandy to cocktails is not worth it, it will only spoil the taste with metallic notes. The ideal snack for this drink is lightly toasted cornmeal bread. As a rule, the first stack is not supposed to be eaten, but with plum brandy this is not necessary.

Strong alcohol causes an increased appetite, which is why plum brandy is ideal for an aperitif. Often it replaces vodka on the festive table. Fruit notes go well with most meat dishes, so you can eat it with what we are used to seeing on the table. The temperature of plum brandy during use may be different. Some prefer chilled plum brandy, while others prefer warming it up. Room temperature is also suitable. It is worth trying different options, because each temperature state reveals individual notes of the drink.

Of course, not only slivovitz is cooked in the Balkans. There you can find a large number of alcoholic drinks on various fruits and berries, as well as real fruit mixes. Various varieties of brandy are popular in the Czech Republic, for example, blackcurrant, slightly rotted wild pear, cherry, blackberry and strawberry. Coniferous brandy, made with brewer's yeast and apples, is also popular there. All these drinks can be found on the shelves of Czech stores, as well as cooked at home.

The Balkans are accustomed to treating wounds and cuts with slivovitz, using brandy as an antiseptic. In combination with various herbs, slivovitz-based tinctures help them fight cardiovascular diseases, rheumatism, sciatica and colds. It is also used in home cosmetology to cleanse the skin of various rashes. It also helps with disorders of the nervous system.

The drink, which won the hearts of Serbs and Czechs a long time ago, is gradually gaining popularity all over the world. This is not surprising, because it is based on natural ingredients, these are just plums that turn into a pleasant alcoholic drink.

If you have been on vacation in one of the Balkan countries, Turkey, Bulgaria or Seria, you probably had the opportunity to taste a strong local fruit drink called Rakia. Rakia is made from anise and grapes, apples and other fruits and berries, but the main ingredient in the classic recipe is plum. The recipe for homemade slivovitz is very simple - plums and plain water.

Preparation of slivovitz can be divided into several main stages: preparation of fruits, preparation of wort, fermentation and distillation.

Plums can be taken any sweet varieties, preferably well-ripe. If you have collected plums in your own area, then you can not wash them; it is best to wipe the purchased plums with a paper towel. You can even use overripe, bursting fruits, but it is better to throw away rotten and spoiled ones.

The classic recipe for plum vodka is fruit juice with pulp and water, but if the plum is not very sweet, you can add a little sugar.

Divide the selected fruits into two halves and remove the seeds. Since the amount is large enough, it is better to grind the plum with a conventional meat grinder. For a small amount, you can use a blender. From the resulting thick puree, you need to prepare a wort - sourdough for fermentation.

The wort for homemade plum brandy should be covered with gauze and put in a warm place to start fermentation. After about a day, the first foam should appear on the surface, if this does not happen, then you can add a little sugar. Do not pour a lot, otherwise, instead of plum brandy vodka, you will get ordinary fruit moonshine.

As soon as the entire surface is covered with foam, pour the wort into a suitable container with a water seal - this can be a large glass jar or a milk can. Pour the required amount of water, mix and put in a dark warm place. Before you make plum brandy, you need to prepare the mash. Depending on the sweetness of the berries, fermentation can last 2-3 weeks. As soon as the gas bubbles stop actively coming out, the mash will need to be filtered and it will be ready for distillation.

Carefully, with the help of gauze folded in several layers, we separate the cake. Before you cook plum brandy, you should learn all the intricacies of distillation, especially if you are doing this for the first time.

Prepared mash should be poured into the evaporation tank - the liquid should occupy no more than two-thirds of the volume. If the container is designed for 20 liters, then the mash in it should be no more than 13 liters. We install the distiller from above and close the lid well. Connect the cooling hoses for draining and supplying water, and put the device on the stove on a heat source - a gas stove or an electric oven.

Please note that for the preparation of a high-quality alcoholic beverage, it is necessary to distill twice. Re-distillation is fractional - the mash will need to be diluted to a strength of no more than 40 degrees - use an alcohol meter to measure. After that, the resulting liquid as a result of distillation will need to be divided into three fractions: “head”, “food” and “tail”.

After the first drops of the long-awaited drink go, the heat supply must be reduced. Remember that the first fraction is life-threatening - the poison must come out slowly. The head fraction occupies approximately 10% of the total volume - for 10 liters of mash it will be approximately 100 grams.

When the foreign smell is gone, it will be possible to substitute a jar to collect vodka. At this stage, you need to slightly increase the heat so that the liquid flows in a thin stream, as thick as a needle. Picking plum brandy until the liquid stops burning is very easy to check, just moisten a piece of paper and light it. Burning stops at about 35-37 degrees - the selection of vodka can be completed. Leftovers can be discarded or left for later use - they can be added to the mash for the next batch.

Slivovitz at home will be ready for use immediately after distillation. The drink turns out to be quite strong, so it is best to drink it by diluting it with cold water with ice and a slice of lemon.

If you have an oak barrel and want to taste the real original plum brandy, stopper your throat and put it in the cellar for 5 years to infuse. The classic plum brandy has a clear yellow color and is 52% ABV. Freshly made plum vodka is a clear liquid with a pleasant plum aroma.