Greek anise drink. Greek vodka ouzo - a local aniseed drink

The national pride and heritage of Greece, Oyzo vodka in Russian transliteration sounds like Ouzo. The alcoholic drink "Ouzo" is legally recognized as national and can only be produced in Greece. Let's learn more about it.

In the article:

History of Greek anise vodka Ouzo

There are two versions of the origin of the name of the national drink of Hellas. The first and most reliable - according to the Greek name of the obligatory component of this vodka - anise. The second, doubtful, is from the Turkish word "uzum", which means grapes or bunch of grapes. Although, why would the Greeks call their native anise vodka "Uzo" a Turkish word?

The question of who, when and where first made the Greek drink Ouzo remains open, especially since drinks similar in technology and result are safely produced by the countries of the Balkan Peninsula neighboring Greece. In Turkey it is Arak, in Bulgaria it is Mastic. This is not a complete list of alcoholic beverages similar in composition and taste.

But the Greeks want to believe that Ouzo is the drink of the Olympic gods, along with. The Olympians did not write chronicles, only myths remained, but there is not a word about Ouzo. They also say that they began to make this alcoholic drink during the time of the Byzantine Empire, but these are only rumors. It is more likely that the beginning of the preparation of this drink in Greece was laid by the Turks during the time of the Ottoman Empire. Painfully, it is similar to the Turkish "Raki" or "Arak".

Its production is most widely established on the islands of Lesbos, Kalamata and Tirnavos in small distilleries, sometimes located right among the vineyards. Greek aniseed vodka, made in private small distilleries, is valued much higher than a drink of industrial production. It is understandable, here the old technology is observed, according to which only grape cake and herbs serve as the starting material for the preparation of the drink.

Production technology of modern Oyzo vodka

It must be said right away that the entire technological process for the production of Greek OYZO vodka is not intricate. Step by step it looks like this:

1. Braga is made from grape pomace.
2. It is combined with ethyl alcohol with a strength of 40 °, according to the law, in an industrially prepared drink, there must be at least 20% grape rectified.
3. Herbs and plant seeds are immersed in this mixture: the anise seed is obligatory, and then the set of herbs is arbitrary, and each manufacturer has his own. It can be coriander, mastic tree bark, chamomile, fennel, almonds, cloves, etc. All this mass is infused for several months. How much each manufacturer decides at its own discretion. That is why you will not find an Ouzo drink with the same taste.
4. Then all this is subjected to repeated distillation: at private traders - in old copper cubes, at modern large enterprises - in huge stationary distillers.
5. The strength of the original drink should not exceed 50 °.

How to drink ouzo vodka

What is the name and how Greek vodka is made, we already know. It remains to highlight an important question - how to drink "Ouzo"?

In Greece there are taverns called " see”, where only this vodka will be served as alcohol, but there are a lot of snacks. Mostly seafood and the famous Greek salad, which is called “horiatiki” here.

They drink "Ouzo" in piles in its pure form, or diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1. When diluted, it becomes cloudy, but it becomes much softer in taste. So you can better feel the complexity of the flavor composition. Undiluted, it burns. This vodka is very insidious. You can drink it and feel completely sober, but when you decide to get up and go, you will find that you do not have much control over the body. This feature should be known in order not to get into a mess.

Vodka UZO PLOMARI

Like any alcohol that has received national status, Ouzo is considered an elite alcohol on the world market. For that alone, it's worth a try. It is not cheap with us - a bottle of 0.2 liters costs 550 rubles. In the homeland of the drink, the price is several times cheaper.

Collectors of taste sensations will not deny themselves the pleasure of getting to know the legendary Greek vodka better. Why legendary, you ask? Because the Greeks are the coolest producers of myths and legends.

Anise with such a magical name "ouzo" has an incredible taste. In addition, in moderation, ouzo drink is very useful. According to the legends, the gods used it to gain immortality. And in ancient Greece, this vodka was the main one during various feasts.

Today, the Greeks proudly call this kind of alcohol their national treasure. Any person who was lucky enough to visit an ancient country considers it his duty to try ouzo.

Product Description

Ouzo is made from raki and a variety of herbs. Anise is a must. Usually the strength of vodka reaches 40-50 degrees. The smell of the finished liquid resembles cough syrup, so many travelers do not immediately agree to taste the product. But if they still risk doing it, then they are delighted with it.

This vodka is distinguished by one pleasant property: the aroma of alcohol will not come from the person who uses it at all. In a room where there is ouzo, the drink also does not leave alcohol amber.

In Greece, the named vodka is used in the following way: a third of ouzo is poured into a tall narrow glass, and then water is added to the container. Thanks to the liquid acquires a milky color. But there are other ways to drink this vodka. We will talk about them further.

Ouzo is served with a wide variety of appetizers, from seafood to candied fruit. But you can drink it as an aperitif, without snacks. Connoisseurs recommend drinking an undiluted drink, eating it with a melon.

origin of name

According to one of the stories, the drink ouzo got its name thanks to one inscription. And it all happened like this: a long time ago, one of the enterprises for the production of alcoholic products received an order from Marseille. The customer was delivered a ready-made drink in a box on which it was written - uso Massalia. Translated, this phrase means "for use in Marseille."

Over time, the word Massalia disappeared from everyday life. But the word uso remained, and they began to call it a drink. This version has no scientific evidence, and therefore is today only an assumption that does not lose its relevance.

There is another theory as to why the ouzo drink bears this particular name. According to this hypothesis, the title is associated with the word of Turkish origin üzüm, which translates as "grape tincture" or "grape bunch".

In 1989, the title "Uzo" was registered by Greek figures. After that, the product gained national status. It is allowed to produce alcohol only in the territory of the Greek state.

Vodka production technology

Ouzo drink is made by combining moonshine made from grape pomace and forty-degree alcohol. The resulting mixture is insisted on coriander, spinach, chamomile, fennel, almonds and cloves. A few months later, the composition is distilled again. This technology provides the product with a mild taste with distinct notes of spices and herbs. Ouzo is somewhat reminiscent of Italian sambuca.

But there are other recipes for making this vodka. True, here it is necessary to adhere to the only rule established by Greek law: at least 20% of the alcohol base must come from oil cake and juice. Anise should also be an obligatory component of the drink.

Making aniseed vodka at home

Ouzo - an alcoholic drink - can be prepared at home. For this you will need:

• one hundred grams of anise;
• one liter of vodka or diluted alcohol;
• 20 grams of star anise;
• two liters of water;
• five grams of cardamom;
• two cloves.

Vodka is poured into a saucepan or other suitable container and cloves, anise, cardamom and star anise are added. The vessel is closed with a lid and placed for two weeks in a dark room. During this period, it is necessary to control the temperature indicators of this room. The temperature in it should be in the range of 18-20 ° C.

After two weeks, the tincture is filtered, water is added and the resulting composition is poured into a still for distillation. Now you need to put spices in a steamer, but you can also tie them in gauze and hang them in a distillation cube. All this is distilled and the finished vodka is kept in a dark room for three days before use.

The resulting drink has a taste close to the original.

How to drink ouzo

The Greek drink ouzo is drunk in a variety of ways. We have already described the classical method for the inhabitants of Hellas. Now consider other options for the use of aniseed vodka. Ouzo can be drunk with ice - ice cubes slightly soften the persistent anise flavor. If the drink is pre-cooled, then its taste will also become a little softer. Since the product in the mouth instantly heats up, it immediately changes its taste characteristics.

In Greece, a common option is to drink pure vodka. This variant is called Sketo. The temperature of such an ouzo should be 18-23 degrees. They drink alcohol slowly, taking small sips, so you can appreciate its taste. Since alcohol provokes the appearance of appetite, it is advised to drink it as an aperitif.

Seafood or light salads are used by the Greeks as an appetizer. But this vodka goes well with fruit, dessert, cheese, deli meats and strong coffee.

Ouzo in cocktails

In Hellas, it is customary to use ouzo only in its pure form. Drink Greece considers blasphemous to use as the basis for cocktails. But in European countries, bartenders offer incredibly delicious cocktails based on aniseed vodka. For example, a cocktail with the Greek name "Iliad". It includes:

• 60 milliliters of Amaretto liqueur;
• 120 milliliters of ouzo;
• three strawberries;
• one hundred grams of ice cubes.

The glass must be filled with ice, pour the liquor, add the strawberries chopped on the blender and mix the ingredients. After that, Greek vodka is added to the container and everything is mixed again.

Another ouzo cocktail is called the Greek Tiger. It consists of 30 milliliters of anise extract and 120 milliliters of orange juice. Pour juice and vodka into a glass with ice cubes and mix the liquids together. If you don't have orange juice, lemon juice will do.

Museum dedicated to vodka

Ouzo is the national drink of Greece, so he is respected here and even a museum was founded in his honor. The institution is located in the town of Plomari on the island of Lesvos. Here, new technologies are constantly being introduced to produce a product. And the museum has the first tools that were used to create vodka. The famous blue stickers, which were pasted on the bottles before, as well as the first cauldron, dating from 1858.

The museum belongs to the Barbayanni family. These are well-known alcohol producers in Greece. The walls of this institution continue to preserve the secrets of Barbayanni production, which give the drink its special taste and quality.

The doors of the souvenir shop and reception are open for guests, and everyone can participate in ouzo tasting.

Choosing a good ouzo

Tourists often bring ouzo vodka to their relatives as a souvenir. It is always better than magnets and figurines that have become boring to everyone. Many travelers succumb to the temptation and buy vodka in gift bottles that copy the shape of ancient Greek statues. But just such purchases should be abandoned, because only the packaging is chic here, and its content leaves much to be desired. Real ouzo is bottled in "karafki" - bottles made of transparent glass and characterized by a simple shape.

It is also better not to buy the famous vodka in tourist outlets. The best product is sold in the central market in Athens, which is located at the foot of the Acropolis. But the highest quality anise vodka in Greece is made on the island of Lesvos. This rule should be followed when buying the described alcoholic beverage.

Greece is a country with an amazingly rich history and culture. The same can be said about national alcoholic beverages. Some of them are widely known outside of Russia, while others are known only to true gourmets. In this article, we want to talk about the culture of drinking ouzo (ouzo), a vodka loved by all Greeks.

The first mention of it has its roots in antiquity. If you believe the ancient Greek myths, then this alcoholic drink was in honor of the Olympic gods. Moreover, everyone drank it, starting from the winemaker and joker Dionysus, ending with the Thunderer Zeus himself. It was believed that it was he who would give them great powers and eternal life.

Of course, over the past centuries, the recipe for making vodka in Greece has changed many times. Today, ouzo is a mixture of ethyl alcohol and grape distillate in a certain proportion. This mixture is infused with herbs and spices: anise, cloves, coriander, chamomile, fennel and others. The final strength of a clear drink can range from 40 to 50 degrees.

If we talk about the taste of ouzo, then, of course, anise plays the main role in it. It reminds one of French perno and pastis, another Turkish crayfish, and the third Italian sambuca. You can be 100% sure of one thing, if you like anise, then ouzo will definitely appeal to you.

How to drink ouzo?

Any Greek will tell you that there are several options. Among them, everyone can choose one. Which will please him.

Greek anise vodka can be drunk neat. It is poured into small piles and savored for a long time, drinking in small sips. This allows you to fully experience all the facets of exquisite taste.

An alcoholic drink is diluted with clean water. Immediately after that, it becomes whitish and cloudy. This option may appeal to women.

Try adding ice. However, in this case, you need to know one secret. It applies to all drinks infused with anise. Ouzo must first be diluted with water and after that add ice to the glass. The sequence of actions should be exactly this. If you start with ice and add ouzo to your glass, it will start to crystallize and lose its unique taste.

When to eat and what to eat?

Ouzo is a wonderful aperitif. In other words, it awakens a brutal appetite in the person who has tasted it. In this regard, it is customary to consume it before lunch or dinner.

If we talk about suitable snacks, then there is plenty to choose from. Greeks eat their national vodka with hot and cold meat dishes. Also, literally everything that is in the house is used. Olives, olives, cheese and fresh fruit.

Someone prefers ouzo as a digestif. That is, they drink it after a meal to improve digestion. In this case, it can be combined with any dessert and coffee.

What kind of cocktails can you make?

Remember, they are not accepted in Greece. This is more of a European and even world tradition.

Iliad.

As you understand from the name, this cocktail is suitable for lovers of the old Homer.

Ingredients:

• Amaretto - 40 ml;
• ouzo - 80 ml;
• 2 ripe strawberries;
• a couple of ice cubes.

Place crushed ice in a suitable glass. Pour alcohol there and add chopped strawberries.

Buzo.

This cocktail will appeal to true connoisseurs of globalization and the Stars and Stripes.

Ingredients:

• American bourbon - 50 ml;
• dry red wine - 10 ml;
• ouzo - 25 ml.

Mix all the ingredients in any order in a glass.

Greek tiger.

It will undoubtedly appeal to connoisseurs of minimalism and elegant simplicity.

Ingredients:

• ouzo - 40 ml;
• orange juice - 150 ml;
• crushed ice.

Fill the glass with ice and fill it with the remaining ingredients.

How to cook at home?

First of all, you should understand that you will not be able to get an authentic ouzo. But to prepare an analogue very close to it is quite within your power.

You will need:

• diluted alcohol 45 degrees - 500 ml;
• pure water - 1000 ml;
• anise - 50 gr;
• star anise - 10 gr;
• cardamom - 3 gr;
• 1 clove bud.

The correct sequence of actions in cooking.

1. Pour alcohol into a glass three-liter jar. Add all the stocked spices there. Close the lid properly and place the jar in a dark pantry for two weeks.
2. After this time, filter the alcohol through gauze folded in several layers. Mix with water. Pour into a distillation cube.
3. Place the spices in a steamer or secure in a gauze bag in a cube.
4. Distillation is carried out in the usual way.
5. Before tasting, cooked ouzo must be infused for 3-4 days in the pantry.

But this is only a small part of what makes sense to try while on vacation in Greece. In no way am I urging the reader to join in alcoholism, but, in fairness, a little attention should be paid to other traditional Greek drinks. But first things first.

The story of why Ouzo is called that way is not known for certain, however, this is the same part of the Greek culinary and alcoholic life as feta cheese. Although ouzo is a strong drink, it is customary to serve it with fish dishes, as well as as an aperitif, after diluting it with water.

Instead of water, some lovers often use ice, but real connoisseurs say that the latter not only breaks the aroma, but also contributes to the appearance of headaches later. Traditionally, Ouzo produced in Lesbos, Tirnavos and Kalamata is considered the best.

Some tourists confuse ouzo with tsipouro (or, if you prefer, tsipouro), a grape vodka that has a similar taste, but ouzo has a different production technology.

The strength of the final product, as a rule, is from 40 to 50 degrees. Trusted brands that are popular are Varvayiannis and Plomari, but local producers of a regional scale are also often found, whose product quality is also very high.

Speaking of Greek drinks, one cannot help but recall Metax, which is a mixture of grape brandy and wine with the addition of herbal infusion. The popularity of Metaxa outside of Hellas is huge - it is not for nothing that since the 70s of the last century it has been the most significant export product. Depending on the exposure and a number of other regalia, Metaxa ranges from 3 years old (“Metaxa 3 stars”) to 30 years old (“Metaxa Private Reserve”).

Some tourists who try Metaxa for the first time in Greece try to grab a few bottles and go home, however, trying to save money, many of them take home a 3-star drink. Among the Greeks, this causes understandable bewilderment: in Hellas, a three-star Metaxu is usually used only for cooking, but as a full-fledged drink, it is used from 5 stars and above.

Another Greek success story has to do with beer. While in Greece, you should definitely try the local Mythos. Launched into mass production in 1997, today it is a recognized local brand with a number of international awards.

Perhaps of all the beers produced in Greece, Mythos is the most popular. At the same time, the Greeks share a love for a number of international brands. Mythos' strongest competitors for the recognition of Greek consumers are the international brands Amstel and Heineken.

Greece is one of the first countries where people began to consciously produce alcoholic beverages. Alcohol has always been present in overripe berries and fruits. The ancient Greeks learned how to cultivate grapes to make wine.

Wine and grapes were under the auspices of the god Dionysus. He was often depicted during a copious libation, surrounded by satyrs and nymphs.

Metaxa - the most famous Greek brandy

The most famous Greek alcoholic drink. Metaxa is famous all over the world, but it is produced only in Greece. Its recipe is very complicated and secret, so buying a bottle of the original drink outside of Greece can be risky and expensive.

The financial benefit is obvious. A 7-year-old metaxa in Greece is sold for 16-20 euros for a 0.7 liter bottle. In Moscow, you are unlikely to be able to buy it cheaper than 30 euros.

Metaxa is often called cognac in our country. However, we like to call any brandy cognac. Citizens of the USSR were not very spoiled by imported alcoholic beverages, and such a tradition took root in our language.

Metaxa belongs to the class of brandy, by the way, like cognac itself. Cognacs are simply called varieties of brandy produced in France in the province of Cognac.

The history of metaxa began with a fish, no matter how paradoxical it may sound. The Greek Spyros Metaksas was born into a family of fishermen, and his parents dreamed that he would continue the family business. But Spiros did not connect his future with fish and moved to the city, where he founded a company for the production of spirits.

He experimented a lot with different ingredients. Even cocoa and mastic fell into his field of vision. He tried mixing different drinks, including vermouth, absinthe, wines and liqueurs. As a result of the search, he received the recipe for the drink, which is now called “metaxa”. This event is believed to have taken place in 1888.

The drink became popular in Greece, and later in other countries. Especially actively they began to buy it for import to the United States, where at that time there was another economic boom.

Spyros was assisted by his brothers Elias and George. The Metaxa company is still a “family-owned” company, which made it possible to keep the secret of the drink recipe.

It is known for sure that the drink is a mixture of grape wine from three grape varieties and brandy made from grapes and black currants. Herbs are added to the mixture, which ones are not exactly known, but there is information that rose petals are definitely used.

The drink is infused in special barrels that the company buys in Italy. You can see them in the photo on the right. Depending on the exposure time, metaxa receives its “stars”.

Metaxa 3 stars is considered the lowest quality. Many Greeks say that this drink is only suitable for culinary purposes.

Metaxa 5 and 7 stars has great taste and this is the option we recommend to buy during a trip to Greece.

Metaxa 12 stars already belongs to the elite varieties of alcohol. Of course, it is worth trying such a drink, but the prices are already “biting”.