One of the national treasures of Greece is the spicy vodka Ouzo. Every tourist who has visited this country should try it, and a couple of bottles of this wonderful drink should be taken with you as a souvenir. Ouzo is an obligatory attribute of local feasts; it is drunk both in pure form and as part of cocktails. Alcohol is not only very tasty, but also healthy when consumed in moderate doses.

A bit of history

Greek vodka is made from a mixture of grain and herbs. It was produced in ancient times, but during the existence of Byzantium, the recipe was improved by the Athos monks: anise was added to it. It is to this ingredient that alcohol owes its name ("ouzo" in Greek means anise).

The technology for the production of the drink was finally entrenched in the 19th century, when the Greek state became independent. During this period, three centers for the production of national alcohol stood out: the cities of Tirnavos and Kalamata and the island of Lesvos. Since 1989, only manufacturing companies operating in Greece have been entitled to use the name "Ouzo".

Today each farm has its own unique one. Everyone who has been to Greece knows how proud local taverns are proud of their own Ouzo and persistently treat their guests to it. This is not just a drink, it is part of the country's culture and its unusual flavor.

Aniseed alcohol recipe

When the name "Ouzo" was assigned to Greek alcohol, it became necessary to regulate the process of its production. According to regulatory enactments, alcoholic beverages must consist of at least 20% wine alcohol and must contain aniseed extract.

Some experts believe that Ouzo is not vodka, but brandy, because the base for the drink is obtained by fermenting grape juice. Some tourists compare the drink with the national Turkish vodka raki, but there are significant differences between the production technologies of these products.

Ouzo is prepared by gradually mixing different alcohols with herbs (anise, cloves, chamomile, spinach, almonds, etc.), fermentation and distillation. The number of distillation stages can be up to five. The result is a drink with a strength of 40 to 50 degrees with a characteristic spicy taste.

How to drink Ouzo properly

There are several ways to drink national Greek vodka:

In pure form

Alcohol is served chilled to a temperature of 18-22 degrees in small glasses. You need to drink it in small sips, trying to catch all the shades of taste. It is better to consume aniseed alcohol before meals because it tends to increase appetite.

Ouzo goes well with seafood, vegetable salads, olives, cold cuts and young cheeses. It can be served with a fruit bowl, light dessert, or natural coffee.

Diluted

It is not customary to mix ouzo with juices and other non-alcoholic drinks; only water is added to it to reduce the strength. The drink acquires a whitish-cloudy color and becomes much softer in taste. This way of drinking alcohol is used at Greek feasts, and tourists like it very much.

With ice

Ice is sometimes added to Ouzo to eliminate the characteristic anise flavor. When heated in the mouth, alcohol gives an interesting play of taste.

As part of cocktails

In Greek bars you can find many interesting cocktails based on anise vodka. One of them is Buzo. It is prepared by mixing three pre-chilled ingredients: ouzo (30 ml), dry red wine (15 ml) and bourbon (60 ml).

Ouzo is a national treasure of Greece. Not trying it means not getting a complete impression of the country, its culture and traditions. Discover the spicy and alluring taste of aniseed vodka and you won't regret it.

Greek vodka with anise ouzo is made on the basis of grape distillate or a mixture of brandy with rectified (pure alcohol with a strength of 40-50%) and infused with anise and various other aromatic herbs. In the production of ouzo, almonds, star anise, cloves, fennel, cardamom, coriander and many other spices are often used, the use of which is determined by the region where the anise-infused vodka is prepared. Anise is an invariable component of this strong drink. In appearance, ouzo does not differ from ordinary vodka - the drink is absolutely transparent. The whole process of making vodka with anise resembles making homemade sambuca, but the Greek vodka is not so sweet and does not contain elderberry. The drink has a very mild and balanced taste. Each ouzo maker has its own recipe for making the drink. The national legislation of Greece prescribes the observance of only two mandatory rules for the release of alcohol - in ouzo there must be at least 20% wine alcohol from juice or cake and anise must be present.

According to legend, ouzo is a drink of immortality for the gods. In Greece it is produced everywhere, no feast is unthinkable without aniseed vodka. Vodka with anise is a national treasure and pride of the Greeks.

History of the drink

The predecessor drinks of ouzo, which are herbal infusions with wine alcohol, date back to the times of the Byzantine Empire. In the 14th century, vodka tinctures were used even by the Athonite monks. According to legend, it was the monks who began to use anise in the recipe of the drink, called in Greece the word "ouzo". But the final recipe for ouzo was finalized already in the 19th century after Greece gained independence. The main center for the production of anise vodka was the Greek island of Lesvos and its settlements Tirnavos and Kalamata. Since 1989, the name "ouzo" has become a registered trademark that can be used exclusively for Greek-made products.

How to use

Anise and vodka tincture can be used either in pure form or diluted. Pure ouzo is commonly called "Sketo". In this case, a drink is served poured into glasses of 50-100 grams at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. In Greece, it is customary to drink aniseed vodka in small sips so that you can make out all the shades in the taste of alcohol. Alcohol does an excellent job of stimulating the appetite, therefore it is recognized as an excellent aperitif. Ouzo is eaten with a similar serving of seafood classic for Greek cuisine, light Mediterranean salads, as well as meat, cheese, fruits, olives, sweets and strong coffee.

During mass feasts in Greece, it is customary to dilute ouzo with water. This is done to reduce the strength of the drink and soften its taste. Dilute anise tincture in a 1: 1 ratio, after which it becomes cloudy and becomes white. In Greece, they never make cocktails based on ouzo and do not mix it with any other drinks.

Sometimes ice cubes are added to pure ouzo to soften the rich aniseed flavor. For this purpose, you can also cool the drink well. The change in temperature actively affects the changes in the taste of aniseed vodka.

Despite the categorical rejection in the homeland of the drink, its combination with other types of alcohol or juices, cocktails based on anise vodka are often made in Europe. The most popular cocktails are Iliad, Buzo, and Greek Tiger.

To make the Iliad, you need to take 120 ml of ouzo, 60 ml of Amaretto, 3 strawberries and crushed ice. A cocktail glass is half filled with ice and then filled with the Amaretto and ouzo mixture. Strawberries should be simmered in a blender and the resulting pulp added to the glass with a cocktail. All ingredients are actively mixed.

For lovers of spirits, the Buzo cocktail is great. It randomly mixes 30 grams of ouzo, 60 grams of bourbon and 15 grams of dry red wine. The ingredients are chilled and served in a tall cocktail glass.

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The lightest and most feminine is the Greek Tiger cocktail, which is also prepared on the basis of anise vodka. In a glass of ice, alternately pour 30 milliliters of ouzo and 120 milliliters of orange or lemon juice. The cocktail is actively mixed and served with a citrus wedge decoration around the edge of the glass.

Anise vodka recipe

Anise-based vodka is prepared quite simply at home. Of course, the resulting alcohol has nothing to do with traditional Greek ouzo. However, if you insist vodka on anise, then the taste of the homemade drink turns out to be quite identical to the original product.

Anise-based vodka recipe involves the use of the following ingredients:

• 1 liter of vodka;
• 2 liters of water;
• 100 grams of anise;
• 20 grams of star anise;
• 2 carnations;
• 5 grams of cardamom.

First, anise and all prepared spices are added to the container, where alcohol or vodka is previously poured. This mixture is tightly covered and placed for 2 weeks in a dark place with an air temperature of about 22 degrees. After this period, the alcohol is filtered through cheesecloth, diluted with clean water to a strength of 20-25% and poured into a distillation container. All spices collected after straining are suspended in the same container in gauze. Vodka must be distilled and the finished product kept for about 3 days in the dark.

Before starting home making an analogue of ouzo, you need to take care of where to buy anise for vodka, how to choose high-quality alcohol and decide on the number of distillations of alcohol, each of which makes the degree of vodka higher than the original one.

The benefits and harms of aniseed vodka

Anise tincture with vodka has a number of beneficial properties. It is often used as an effective medication because it contains essential oils that improve digestive functions and have disinfecting properties. With regular problems with stool, anise tincture is consumed before meals in a tablespoon.

The beneficial properties of anise tincture on vodka are also manifested in the treatment of tracheitis, bronchitis and cough of various etiologies. For this, 5-10 drops of an alcoholic aniseed drink are added to the herbal collection, consisting of hawthorn, rose hips and St. John's wort, seasoned with honey and allowed to drink 2 times a day until all painful symptoms are eliminated. The medicine helps the sputum discharge, soothes coughs and eliminates pathogens.

Anise-infused vodka can help women cope with poor health during their menstrual cycle. The drink eliminates spasms and pain in the back and abdomen. Anise tincture to combat premenstrual syndrome is taken 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.

Tincture of anise and vodka helps to eliminate bacteria in the oral cavity, which often cause unpleasant odor and gum problems. To do this, 20 drops of tincture are diluted in a pile of water and rinse your mouth with this solution after each brushing your teeth. Such an elixir can eliminate bad breath and heal the gums in just a few days.

For angina, you can also use anise vodka. In a glass of warm water, it is necessary to dilute 50 grams of tincture and gargle with the resulting solution every hour. Within 1 day, purulent plaque from the tonsils goes away, the throat stops hurting and inflammation is eliminated.

Sometimes even nursing mothers are prescribed anise tincture to improve lactation. Of course, in this case, its concentration should be minimal - 1-2 tablespoons per cup of tea with milk, which will not allow alcohol to harm the child, but will significantly improve the qualitative and quantitative indicators of milk produced.

There are also contraindications to the use of anise vodka, since, like any other alcohol, it can quickly cause alcohol dependence. In addition, the drink has a high allergenic property, so people who are prone to manifestations of allergic reactions should give up ouzo to avoid anaphylactic shock.

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An important contraindication to the use of aniseed is high excitability and a tendency to epileptic seizures, since it can aggravate the course of the disease. As a rubbing, anise can not be used in its pure form, since it causes burns to the skin.

In addition, in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract, in no case should the dosage of alcohol in solution be exceeded, since in small quantities, anise tincture is a medicine, and in large quantities it can become a real poison, aggravating the course of the disease.

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

The history of why Ouzo is called that way is not known for certain, however, it is as much a 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, and also as an aperitif, diluted with water.

Instead of water, some lovers often use ice, but true connoisseurs argue that the latter not only disrupts the aroma, but also contributes to the appearance of headaches later. Traditionally, the best is the Ouzo produced in Lesvos, Tirnavos and Kalamata.

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

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

Speaking of Greek drinks, one cannot but recall Metax, which is a mixture of grape brandy and wine with the addition of herbal infusion. The popularity of Metaxa outside Hellas is enormous - it is not in vain that since the 70s of the last century it has been the most significant export product. Depending on aging and a number of other awards, 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, the three-star Metax is usually used only for cooking, while 5 stars and above are used as a full-fledged drink.

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

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

We associate Greece with a wine-making country. But the product of the vine is not only light alcoholic drinks. Since humanity invented the alembic, crayfish have appeared. Many consider this type of distillate to be the national Turkish drink. But this is not the case. In fact, in the Ottoman Empire, alcohol, especially strong, was allowed to be consumed only by giaours - not Muslims. But there are drinkers everywhere, and therefore Greek vodka came to the court of the conquerors. The name began to sound like "raki". And in Azerbaijan they began to make their own analogue - arak. The Slavs also got acquainted with this vodka. Balkan brandy is also the younger sister of Greek vodka. What other species exist in Hellas? Our article will be devoted to this issue. We will tell you not only about raki, but also such interesting drinks as ouzo, mastic, tsipuro and others.

Poverty is not a vice, but an impetus to invention

Unlike northern countries, where distillates were originally made from grains, Greek vodka is a by-product of winemaking. When the berries were pressed and the precious wort was obtained, the pomace remained. What to do with the cake? Usually it was thrown into the vineyards, and the rotting pomace became fertilizer for the vines. But if a person is poor, he will not just throw something away. Sugar and water were added to the cake and left to ferment again. Then distillation was carried out and received. The drink began to be called "crayfish" much later. The etymology of the distillate is rooted in Arabic. "Arak" in translation means "sweat", which is understandable to anyone who has ever seen a moonshine still in his life. Still, grape vodka from Greece is very different in taste from Italian grappa, although the raw materials and the technology for preparing the two drinks are approximately the same.

His majesty anise

There are two types of plants in the world, not at all related, but bearing fruits with the same smell. Star anise is an evergreen shrub that is native to East Asia. Its fruits look like brown stars, and a grain is hidden in each ray of it. And anise, which is common in Europe, is an herb belonging to the two plant species, the aromatic essential oil of anethole. It is found in abundance in the fruits and anise, and star anise. However, the Greeks call their herb, whose fragrant properties were noticed in ancient times, glycanisos, which means "sweet anise". This seasoning was also used by other peoples. In Egypt, for example, the herb was part of the ointments for the mummification of the dead. Greek has a prototype - "wine of Hippocrates". It was drunk as a medicine for many ailments. Hippocrates was the first to insist wine on anise.

It is believed to be the national Turkish drink. But until the liberal reforms of the nineteenth century, Muslims did not even dare to think about the production of distillates. This was done on the territory of the Ottoman Empire by the Greeks, less often by immigrants from the Balkans. Raki became popular in Turkey thanks to Kemal Ataturk, who really liked this drink. Aniseed vodka should be drunk diluted. Usually a mixture is made from one part of crayfish and two to three parts of mineral water. When diluted with water, the solution instantly whitens and becomes like milk. This is because the ethereal comes out of the alcohol and an emulsion forms. It is because of its opaque white color that the Turkish drink raki (but actually the Greek vodka raki) has the poetic name "lion's milk". The strength of this drink varies from forty to fifty degrees. Undiluted, crayfish has a very strong aniseed smell and a pungent pungent taste.

At first glance, it seems that the national is the same crayfish, only softer. But this is not the case. The production technology is completely different. Grape spirits in ouzo are not more than thirty percent. But that's not all. High-quality Greek vodka ouzo, in addition to anise, also contains a number of seasonings. These are coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, star anise and fennel. Aromatic spices are first infused with pure grape alcohol. It is then distilled through a copper still separating the front and back ends. The middle one is cleaned again, and then diluted with soft lime water to a fortress of thirty-seven and a half degrees. The etymology of the name of this very old vodka is interesting. In the town of Tirnavos, in Thessaly, the local population was engaged in the cultivation of silkworm cocoons for export to France. Then this part of Greece was owned by Italy. Therefore, the boxes with cocoons were marked with the inscription Uso a Marsiglia (it. "Use in Marseille") before being shipped across the sea. Local farmers did not know the meaning of these words, but this phrase was for them a standard of the highest quality. Therefore, when visiting people asked what kind of vodka this was, they answered - ouzo.

Tsipuro

The first mention of this distillate is found in the monastic books of Athos at the end of the sixteenth century. Tsipuro is made by distilling grape pomace. After that, various spices are added to the alcohols - cloves or cinnamon. Further, the alcohol content in the drink is increased to 40-45 degrees. In Macedonia and Thessaly, anise is added to tsipouro, and there the drink resembles ouzo. Crete has its own national Greek vodka. What is the name of the local drink? Racomelo. But in this vodka there is not even a trace of anise, but only stringy honey. Tsipuro is drunk undiluted from small glasses. The drink is served with appetizers (sun-dried tomatoes, spicy sausages and cheeses), as well as desserts (halva, nuts, raisins).

Mastic

A familiar word, isn't it? Translated, it means "to chew with a gnashing of teeth." And all because the Greek vodka mastic is infused on the roots of the chios tree. When the alcohols obtained from grape pomace are driven through this plant material, they are enriched with essential resins. The mastic has a very specific taste and smell. Drink this vodka necessarily with the addition of ice. When the cubes are dipped, the resin dissolved in alcohol comes out of the chemical compound, and the drink becomes cloudy, white like milk. There are two types of mastic in Greece: vodka and sweet liquor.

Despite the fact that Greece is first of all associated with wine, the main national drink of the country is anise vodka. A strong, spicy drink is as distinctive as the people who invented it.

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Greek vodka (ouzo) is an alcohol based on wine and grain alcohols, infused with herbs. The ancient Greeks began to make it, and during the Byzantine era, the recipe was brought to mind - anise was included. And this alcohol is called in honor of anise (ouzo in translation from Greek means anise). It is believed that the anise supplement, as well as supplements of other medicinal herbs, became an innovation of the monks from Mount Athos.

Thanks to this ingredient, alcohol is often compared to from Turkey, Azerbaijani arak and Bulgarian mastic. Although all these varieties of aniseed alcohol are quite different in production technology, they are vaguely similar. Ouzo is not just a Greek alcoholic drink, it is part of the local flavor.

Photo of aniseed vodka "Ouzo"

Since 1989, ouzo has become a geographically fixed name. In other words, ouzo outside the country is another aniseed spirit.

Since ancient times, every family has had its own secret recipe for vodka. It could differ in the choice of basic ingredients, production technology, aging method, and hundreds of other subtle, but important nuances. Everyone who has had the opportunity to visit Greece knows how persistently they will give you local vodka in every pub. The point here is not so much to make money on tourists (although, to be honest, such thoughts are also present), but to acquaint tourists with the personal skill and alcoholic tradition of the country.

It is important to know!

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When the name "ouzo" was registered, it became necessary to regulate the technology of its production. In official documents today it is written that ouzo is an alcoholic drink, at least 20% composed of wine alcohol and containing extracts from anise. Therefore, opinions are often heard that the national drink is not vodka, but brandy. The fact is that wine alcohol for the drink is obtained in a way characteristic of brandy - by fermentation of juice and grape cake.

In the photo - vodka "Ouzo" from anise extract