Once in the Middle Ages, the Saracens brought aniseed alcoholic beverage to Rome. At first, he served as a medicinal tincture. In 1814, Giuseppe Casoni founded his business in the production of traditional Italian drinks, among which was sambuca. The Italians have always supported nepotism, and today the company successfully works in compliance with all the rules in the manufacture of sambuca, which is confirmed by the quality of the drink.

Drink history

Luigi Manzi in 1851 first unveiled a drink under the brand name Sambuca MANZI di Civitavecchia, which is still popular today.

Angelo Malinari in 1945 brought his recipe  based on anise Molinari Sambuca Extra. In addition, he and his family founded the production of his liquor. At the moment, it is this brand that holds the leading position in the production of sambuca, which accounts for 70% of all supplies.

The variety that is accompanied by the adoption of the drink is associated with the properties of alcohol. Having a significant degree of 38–42 she also has a pleasant aftertaste  and sweetness due to anise seeds. Sambuca fans include not only noisy young people, but also sedate residents. Sambuca does not require jamming or drinking. Anise, which is part of the composition, is famous for its healing properties that have a beneficial effect on the whole body. Herbal liquor is drunk in its pure form or bred.

How to drink sambuca

The incomparable taste of aniseed drink has made it an integral part of youth parties. It can be found on the menu of the most famous restaurants and clubs. Spectacular liquor delivery plays into the hands of the owners of establishments. Many people order sambuca in order to see how the bartender skillfully owns his business in serving sambuca. The spectacle is based on the burning of the drink.

Why sambuca burns when in it fortresses  no more than in vodka. Fusel oils with a low flash point burn with a bright blue flame.

Although the whole effect that bartenders demonstrate in setting fire to fire, Italians themselves do not do this and consider this abuse of the drink. Coffee in Italy is respected.

Coffee sambuca

flies - These are grains of coffee. They are a symbol of wealth, health and happiness. In a glass with sambuca put 3 whole grains. Drinking a drink, I snack on grains, thereby adding notes of coffee to the anise aroma, an attractive taste is obtained. The main thing is that the grains are not overcooked, otherwise it will be bitter. There is a similar option with ignition, we remind true Italians do not set fire, but in modern nightlife places a fiery drink comes first.

How to cook sambuca “Two glasses”, so the most common variant is called:

Easy to cook at home.

2. Homemade coffee drink. Divine sambuca coffee combination  for lovers of these drinks. Sambuca is added to a coffee drink to add sweetness and piquancy in the proportion of one part anise liqueur and four parts espresso. The ratio depending on desire and taste preferences varies. It is allowed to drink separately, gourmets drink liquor in small sips and subsequently drink aromatic coffee.

Great taste, accessibility and spectacular presentation made Sambuca a hit of youth parties. Now Italian aniseed liquor can be found in the menu of all respected institutions. Gradually, the culture of its use migrated to our homes, firmly entrenched here. I will tell you how to drink sambuca in different ways, revealing all the facets of this amazing drink.

1. The Italian way ("with flies").  The classic version of the feed. "Flies" are called three coffee beans, which symbolize health, wealth and happiness. You will need: a sambuca, two glasses, coffee beans, cocktail tubes, paper napkins and matches (lighter).

In the first of the glasses, you need to throw three coffee beans and pour 50-70 ml of sambuca there. Next, make a hole in the center of the paper towel by inserting the cocktail tube into it with the short end, as shown in the figure. In order not to stain the table, I advise you to put this design on a small saucer.

Then the most interesting thing is the burning of a sambuca with a match or a lighter. Due to its high strength, liquor is highly flammable. Sambuca should burn with a blue flame for 5-10 seconds. Then you need to pour the flaming drink into the second glass, and first cover it on top. When the fire goes out, the first glass, in which the vapor has gathered, is very carefully transferred to a napkin.

First, drink a sambuca from a glass in a gulp, holding coffee beans in your mouth, then take a few deep breaths through a tube and chew coffee. The procedure is repeated as many times as desired.

2. Two glasses.  The method is shown in the second video. It differs from the Italian counterpart only in the absence of coffee and in the fact that before setting fire to the sambuca, the glass is slightly heated with a lighter. Repeating all this at home is not a big deal.

3. In its pure form.  Sambuca is an excellent digestif - a dessert drink served at the end of the feast with sweet dishes, coffee and fruits. But before you drink sambuca in its pure form, you need to cool it well by putting the bottle in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

4. A burning pile.  The favorite method of many Russians, since it requires a minimum of body movements and somehow resembles the culture of drinking vodka. It is enough to pour the sambuca into the pile, set it on fire and let it burn for 5-8 seconds. Then extinguish the liquor with one strong exhalation and drink in one gulp while it is hot.

5. Sambuca with mineral water.  In the heat, you can drink sambuca, diluted with cold mineral water in a ratio of 1: 2 or 1: 3 (one part of liquor to two to three parts of mineral water).

Diluted sambuca has a light aniseed flavor. Immediately after adding water, it becomes cloudy. This is normal and does not affect the taste. The thing is a large concentration of essential oils that are poorly soluble in water.

6. Sambuca with milk.  Some connoisseurs like to drink sambuca with fresh cold milk. I advise you to try.

General tips:

• before eating sambuca it is better to eat hearty;
• it’s very difficult to inhale the vapor for the first time, but after several workouts it will become much easier;
• in reasonable quantities, sambuca does not cause a hangover and fumes, the next day after drinking it, you can work or study normally.

Sambuca is rightfully considered the world leader among cocktail bar drinks. Thanks to the refined taste, unusual, slightly tart aroma and effective serving, the “burning” liquor is a hit of entertainment events. Not a single high-level youth party can do without sambuca. If you want to surprise guests, it is important to study in advance all the subtleties of drinking a drink at home. Connoisseurs have developed several technologies that are considered basic. Let's consider each method in more detail.

What is a "sambuca"

The original Italian alcoholic drink is a liquor. The taste of sambuca is slightly tart and at the same time sweet, but not cloying. The main components of the drink are considered to be granulated sugar, mainly cane, wheat-based alcohol, elderberry (berries), aromatic medicinal herbs, anise.

The classic sambuca has no color at all, it is completely transparent. However, over time, new shades appeared, which are achieved by adding food colors, there is nothing to worry about.

As for the beneficial properties of an alcoholic drink, it improves the functioning of the digestive tract and speeds up the metabolism. Sambuca also prevents the formation of inflammatory processes in the bronchi, lungs and the body as a whole. It kills harmful bacteria with excellent antiseptic properties.

In addition, in the cold and flu season, the “burning mixture” perfectly fights the first symptoms of the disease, eliminating them at the initial stage. Many people notice that the use of sambuca in small quantities (this is how it is drunk) increases vitality and overall performance.

How to drink sambuca at home

As you can see, the liquor should be in the minibar of every self-respecting person. For this reason, you need to learn to drink it correctly.

Method number 1. "Two glasses"
  The technology of drinking sambuca in this way is also called "Italian" or "With flies", the essence of the process does not change from this. The technique consists in the use of coffee beans, which play the role of those same "flies".

Essential ingredients.  In order to fully comply with the culture of drinking you will need to prepare 3 coffee beans in advance (roasting does not matter). It is this move that will allow you to drink sambuca "for Feng Shui," each grain carries happiness, wealth and health.

In addition, you will need paper napkins, cocktail tubes with a corrugated bend, matches, two glasses for cognac.

Training. The culture of using sambuca is not considered simple, but the excitement from the preparation compensates for the expended energy. Place coffee beans in a cognac glass, pour 60 ml. sambuca. Take a paper towel folded in the usual way (4 turns). Using a tube, make a hole in it exactly in the middle so that the bend (corrugation) is exactly at the edges of the hole.

Technology. After completing the preparation, proceed to the main stage. Light a match, grab a glass in your hand and tilt it slightly so that the surface of the liquor is at an angle. Put the lit match in the container, set it on fire, twist the vessel in your hands in an hour’s circle for about 4-5 seconds. The longer the composition is in the lit state, the stronger the sambuca. For the first time, the indicated time is quite enough.

Next, pour the burning sambuca into the second glass, cover it first with the top so that the combustion process is completed due to a lack of oxygen. You have to cover one container with another like connecting a plastic egg from Kinder Surprise. In the upper glass, vapors will begin to accumulate for their subsequent inhalation.

Place the napkin and tube on a flat surface so that the long portion is on the bottom and a short section sticks out on top, with which they usually drink cocktails. Remove the glass that acts as a lid and immediately place it on a napkin so that the steam does not have time to evaporate.

Drink liquor to the bottom, take coffee beans in your mouth and hold them on the edge of your tongue. Then deeply inhale the sambuca pairs, but do not rush so as not to burn your throat. Start chewing coffee beans, savor them. Repeat simple manipulations to achieve the desired effect. It is important to remember that sambuca acts on the brain after 40 minutes, so take your time so you don’t get too drunk.

Important!
  As mentioned earlier, the most common are cognac glasses called “snifter” or “rox”. In cases where you do not have suitable vessels at hand, pour sambuca into a regular glass for juice, set it on fire, blow it out, cool it down a bit and drink it. Be sure to snack on coffee beans.

Method number 2. Sambuca with coffee
  If the above recipe is considered to be a classic of the genre, then there is nothing special in using sambuca with coffee. Brew espresso with a turkish or coffee machine. Pour 55-65 ml into a glass. liqueur, add 25 ml. mix coffee in advance. Put on the tongue 3 pinches of cane sugar, drink the sambuca in one gulp, suck on the sweet crystals. You can use sugar cubes, cutting them into 4 equal parts and taking one. Europeans like to use sambuca in a similar way during a lunch siesta, adding a spoonful of liquor to coffee.

Method number 3. Sambuca in a glass
It is generally accepted that in Russia only vodka and strong liquors are drunk from glasses, but this error is erroneous. By holding massive youth parties, experienced bartenders came up with another burning way to drink. Unlike the first technology, this technique does not require physical costs and expensive utensils.

Take a 60-gram glass, put 3 coffee beans in it, pour in 50 ml. liquor. Ignite the match and carefully bring it to the surface of the sambuca, wait for the fire. Count to five, put out the fire, wait a certain time for the sambuca to cool slightly. After this period, drink liquor in one gulp, chew coffee beans.

Important!
  Do not make mistakes experienced, who consume liquor in a still burning state! This option is not safe to drink, you will not be able to avoid burns of the palate, tongue, throat.

Pay special attention to the glass with which the drink will be consumed. It should have thick walls and have excellent fire resistance, otherwise the dishes will burst.
  The above technology was developed specifically for the treatment of symptoms of the disease and diseases in general. Usually, flu, cold, runny nose, wet and dry cough are treated in this way. If you drink sambuca precisely for this purpose, do not bite it with coffee beans.

Method number 3. Pure sambuca
  The option is not suitable for use at entertainment events, as an aperitif and "for relaxation". Pure sambuca is drunk exclusively on a full stomach, as a rule, it is served after dinner (at 8-9 o’clock in the evening). This technology is also called "jestiv" or "dessert."

The main distinguishing feature is that the liquor is drunk when cold. It is sometimes even placed in the freezer to achieve a better effect. Pour into a glass or a glass of 60 ml., Drink in one gulp, bite a slice of pomelo, grapefruit or orange.

Method number 4. Sambuca with mineral water
  If you are going on a trip to the sea or planning an incendiary party by the pool, this method is quite suitable. Place a bottle of sparkling mineral water in the freezer. Bring it to such a state that ice crystals form (holding time varies from 30 to 45 minutes, it all depends on the power of the device).

After this period, pour 45 ml into a tall glass. sambuca, add 90-135 ml. iced mineral water (proportions 1: 2 or 1: 3). The more water you add, the lower the liquor will be. Do not be surprised when, after combining all the ingredients, the sambuca will become slightly cloudy. The thing is that it contains a sufficient amount of esters, which practically do not dissolve in water.

Method number 5. Burning in the mouth of a sambuca
  This technology is considered to be one of the most original, it is suitable for lovers of strong cocktails and thrills. To translate the method into reality, you need an assistant.

To drink sambuca correctly using the “dry” method, put a little liquor in your mouth, do not swallow it. Take a paper towel or towel, wipe your lips, eliminating possible drops from the drink.

Sit on a chair with a back, relax, raise your chin down and lower your lower jaw, opening your mouth wide. Ask the assistant to light a match and bring it to the oral cavity, setting fire to the liquid. After 3 seconds of burning, you will feel a slight tingling and heat. It is at this moment that you need to close your mouth, return your head to a straight position, wait about 5 seconds and swallow the liquor.

Of course, the method is the most spectacular of all possible, but it is also extremely dangerous. If you are not experienced in drinking this way, take no chances. Entrust the procedure to bartenders or seasoned lovers of "hotter".

As can be seen from the above, the use of a burning drink does not include any particular difficulties. The culture of drinking with the help of two cognac glasses, a straw and a napkin is considered to be a classic of the genre. At youth parties, the technology of drinking sambuca diluted with water is used. It all depends on personal preferences, experiment, vary the proportions, monitor your well-being.

Video: how to drink sambuca

Sambuca is a strong alcoholic drink, approximately 38-42 degrees. A large number of people are sure that sambuca is a special kind of vodka. However, this is completely wrong, sambuca is a classic liquor, originally from Italy.

There are a lot of options for using sambuca. Consider in this article the most popular and well-known ways to consume this drink. It is worth noting that some options are ideal for home use, however, if there are extreme methods that I most often use in nightclubs. And they are in no way worth trying at home.

Read also:

How to drink sambuca:

Before eating

Sambuca greatly enhances the appetite, so the ideal option is to eat it before eating. To arouse appetite, just drink 50 milliliters of sambuca. However, do not forget that this liquor has a fortress of about 40 degrees, so you should not get carried away with the use of this alcoholic drink, because you can get drunk very quickly.

With water or ice

You can dilute sambuca with water or ice. The use of sambuca with ice perfectly refreshes and removes thirst. Water contributes to the full disclosure of the taste of this drink. You should know that when water is added to sambuca, it begins to cloud - this is a normal reaction. Indeed, the composition of Italian liquor contains essential oils. The amount of ice or water should be chosen, first of all, based on your personal preferences.

Chilled sambuca

A fairly popular option for drinking sambuca is to use it chilled. To do this, put the bottle with sambuca in the freezer for several hours. The result is an excellent soft drink that will be very refreshing. You can also add lime or lemon to the sambuca, according to your preference.

Fire sambuca

This method is probably one of the most famous in Russia. And many are sure that this is the only sure way to drink this drink. Of course we are talking about hot sambuca. This is not only very spectacular, but also great for medicinal purposes. To do this, set fire to the sambuca and let it go out.

Read also:

To use this drink you need to be warm. I would also like to note that this option is quite dangerous and it is necessary to use dishes with thick walls for it, and be very careful. After all, this drink is very flammable and you can get serious burns.

By the way, an interesting fact is that in Italy they drink sambuca in the traditional ways and never set it on fire, because Italians find this very strange.

How to drink sambuca with grains

Coffee sambuca. For this method, it is necessary to put a few grains of coffee in a glass. Usually no more than three grains are used. In many countries, it is customary to set fire to sambuca after this. But Italians don’t set it on fire, and they add coffee grains exclusively to reveal the taste of this drink. After the drink is drunk, you can use the coffee beans as a snack.

Coffee with sambuca

There is another coffee way to drink sambuca. It is very popular in Italy, because in this country there is a certain cult of coffee. Its essence lies in the fact that instead of sugar, coffee is added to nothing more than sambuca. In the classic version, 30 ml of sambuca is used per 30 ml, however, for greater piquancy, the amount of sambuca can be increased to 15 ml. Also, some drink coffee and drink it in pure sambuca. It is worth trying these options for using sambuca, not for nothing that Italians admire them so much.

How to drink a burning sambuca

In addition to the classic ways of using this drink, there are also very extreme ones. This method of eating sambuca, most often can be seen in night clubs. Sambuca is poured into the mouth and set on fire right in the mouth. When the client begins to feel a slight warmth, he needs to swallow the drink.

This method looks very spectacular and dangerous. However, in most cases it is completely safe. But it is worth saying that you do not need to experiment and try to repeat this method at home, as this can lead to very sad consequences.

There is another extreme way to consume sambuca. They set it on fire and pour it into the mouth already burning. This method requires skill, so in no case should it be repeated independently at home. The main rule here is not to close your mouth, for extra safety, you can pre-lubricate the lips area with water.

The most exotic way

There is a very strange way of using sambuca, but it also has a place to be. To do this, pour water into a teapot and boil it, then drain the water and pour 50 milliliters of sambuca into the teapot, after which the teapot should be shaken and its contents should be drunk. This method is great for eating sambuca at home. But before you drink this drink, you need to inhale the smell through the spout of the kettle. This method is very peculiar.

Sambuca in cocktails

Of course, sambuca can be used as part of various cocktails, and, perhaps, this method is one of the most common. Because it is very tasty and safe. Sambuca can be an excellent basis for a huge number of cocktails. Starting from the delicious Malibu and ending with rum. Since sambuca has a high density and transparency, any cocktails obtained with it are not only tasty, but also very effective in appearance.

Sambuca with milk

There is another very strange way to consume an Italian drink. This is a sambuca with milk, of course, from the side this option seems crazy, however, many note that these are very interesting flavor combinations. Therefore, it is worth trying this option at least once. But the ingredients do not need to be mixed, but Italian liquor must be washed down with milk. You should definitely try this option of using sambuca, since it is very popular.

So, we looked at various ways to drink sambuca. Starting from the classic, ending with very strange and unusual, as well as extreme options for using sambuca. Now you know the most common uses of this drink. And you can safely experiment and surprise friends, however, it is worth remembering safety measures.

Video on how to drink sambuca

What is it worth to eat sambuca

So, since sambuca is a fairly strong alcoholic drink, and its strength varies from 38 to 42 degrees, it is necessary to have a bite, because otherwise you can get intoxicated very quickly. Consider what kind of snacks are ideal for Italian liquor.

So, the classic option for a sambuca snack is coffee. This appetizer is most often used by Italians. You can use coffee beans or combine sambuca with espresso.

Another ideal appetizer for sambuca is cheese. It goes well with this drink.

Also, taking into account the fact that sambuca is an excellent aperitif, then meat and fish snacks are ideal as snacks, which, moreover, will not let you get drunk, with moderate use of this drink.

An alcoholic drink with the interesting name Sambuca came to us from Italy. It is a strong liquor that has a clear color and bright aroma. They make it from elderberry, sweeten with sugar and enhance the taste with natural herbs and spices, the liquor has a flavor of licorice. It is less sweet than other liquors and not so viscous. How to use it and with what drinks to combine?

The name "sambuca" originates from the scientific name of black elderberry. In addition to elderberry, there is anise in the composition, which is also used to make absinthe, Galliano. If Sambuki is not at hand, you can replace it with Pernod, Ouzo, Anisette.

Liquor has a rich taste, because in addition to anise and elderberry, it contains many different ingredients - fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, nuts, plant roots. It began to be produced in Italy in the 1800s, in the city of Civitavecchia.

How much alcohol does Sambuca contain?  The percentage of alcohol can vary, the minimum is 38 degrees, the maximum is 42 degrees. On sale you will find both a transparent sambuca, and painted in various colors.

How to drink sambuca at home?For many, liquor is associated with a blue flame, as it is set on fire in bars. The flame is extinguished very simply - placing your palm over the top of the glass. The most common ways to use sambuca:

In pure form- served after a meal, the drink has a room temperature. One serving is 20-30 ml of the drink.

Chilled  - add a few ice cubes or crushed ice to the liquor. When adding ice, you will see how the transparent liquor became cloudy, this is a normal reaction. Add a few drops of lemon or orange juice if desired.

With coffee -just add 1-2 tsp to freshly brewed coffee liquor to sweeten it and give an original taste;

With coffee beans. By tradition, just put 3-4 coffee beans in the liquor that will float to the surface. Then the liquor is set on fire, the grains are “fried” and liquor with the aroma of coffee is added.

Wash down with milk.A very unusual way, but we are sure that you will like it. First take a sip of liquor, then - cold milk. So what do you think?

Dilute with cold mineral water- if there is no ice at hand, add a little mineral water to the glass with liquor. The amount of mineral water depends on your preference.

Using a kettle.  This method is most convenient to implement at home. Pour boiling water into the ceramic teapot, after 10-20 seconds pour it and pour 50 ml of sambuca here. Shake the container well, exhale the air and inhale the vapors that come from the teapot spout. Then we drink warm sambuca.

How to set fire to a sambuca?You can even burn it at home, on your own, and for this you do not need to have the skills of a bartender. Pour 50 ml of Sambuca into the stack and set it on fire. We are waiting for it to stop burning and drink it hot or warm.

Do not drink sambuca on an empty stomach!

You can just drink liquor or have a bite. As an appetizer, low-fat, semi-hard cheese, meat cuts, olives, nuts, fruits (especially citrus fruits) are suitable.

Sambuca Cocktails

Liquor can be used to prepare various cocktails, the recipes of which we will present below.

Toxic Mint

Mix 50 ml of liquor and 1 tsp. mint syrup, mix well and pour into a glass. Add absinthe on top, you will see how a layer forms on top. We set it on fire when the fire goes out, we drink through a straw.

"4 riders"

We will need 25 ml of tequila, the same amount of sambuca, rum and fruit liqueur with herbs. Mix all 4 drinks and serve in a whiskey glass.

The clouds

A strong cocktail is not for wimps! To prepare it, you need to take 20 ml of sambuca, 20 ml of silver tequila, 10 ml of absinthe, 5 ml of Blue Curacao and the same amount of Bailey's. The bottom layer is sambuca, followed by tequila, baileys and curacao. Add absinthe on top with a spoon and set it on fire.

With moderate consumption, sambuca will help to cure a cold and improve overall well-being. You should not use it if you are taking any medications.