Rakı

Rakı or raki, (Turkish pronunciation: ) is an alcoholic drink made of twice-distilled grapes. It is the national drink of Turkey. It is also popular in other Balkan countries as an apéritif as well as in Kazakhstan. It is often served with seafood or meze. It is comparable to several other alcoholic beverages available around the Mediterranean and the Middle East, e.g. pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak and aguardiente.
In Crete, tsikoudia is a pomace brandy that is sometimes called rakı. It is used to make rakomelo, which is flavoured with honey and cinnamon. Rakomelo is served warm during winter months. Cretan Raki does not contain anise, so it is not to be confused with the Turkish version.
Etymology
The term raki entered English from Turkish . The Arabic word , means "distilled", other variants being araka, araki, ariki. The Teleuts, who are a Turkic ethnic group living in Siberia, use the term arakı for wine and other alcoholic drinks. Additionally, in Ancient Greek the grape was called ῥάξ.
History
Where or when raki was first produced is unknown. It is first mentioned by the Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi during his travels in 1630. In his Book of Travels he reports that ancient people produced their own raki in small towns.
Until the last decades of the 19th century, the production of raki was done exclusively "at home", ie there was no mass industrial production. Colorless alcoholic beverages had long been consumed throughout the Mediterranean, known by various names: tsipouro, raki, arak, grappa. These are distilled from the by-products of wine, exploiting the vineyard as much as possible.
In the Ottoman Empire, until the 19th century, meyhanes run by Rûm (Greeks) and Albanians would mainly serve wine along with meze, due to religious restrictions imposed by various sultans.
During this period, rakı was produced by distillation of grapes pomace obtained during wine fermentation. When the amount of pomace was not sufficient, alcohol imported from Europe would be added. If aniseed was not added, it would take the name ('straight rakı'), whereas rakı prepared with the addition of gum mastic was named ('gum rakı') or .
With the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the modern-day Republic of Turkey, grape-based rakı began to be distilled by the state-owned spirits monopoly Tekel, with the first factory production taking place in 1944 in Izmir. With increasing sugar beet production, Tekel also began to distill the alcohol from molasses, and a new brand of raki made from sugar-beet alcohol was introduced under the name ('new rakı'). Molasses gave a distinctive bitter taste and helped increase the drink's popularity.
Today, with increased competition from the private sector, and the privatization of Tekel in 2004, several new brands and types of raki have emerged, each with its own distinct composition and production method, although the overall qualities of the drink have generally been kept consistent. These include and . , another recent brand, is aged in oak casks, which gives it a distinctive golden colour.
Production
Raki is traditionally produced from raisin/grape spirit called suma that is distilled to a maximum of 94.55% abv. This spirit is not highly rectified spirit and unlike other flavoured spirits Raki producers consider that the suma has an important role to play in the flavour of Raki itself.
The suma, or suma mixed with highly rectified spirit, is diluted with water re-distilled with aniseed and the spirit is collected at around 79-80% abv. The flavoured distillate is diluted and sweetened and rested for minimum of 30 days prior to sale in order to allow the flavours to harmonize.
Serving and drinking
In Turkey, rakı is the national drink and is traditionally consumed with chilled water on the side or partly mixed with chilled water and brown sugar, according to personal preference. Rakı is rarely consumed without the addition of water. Ice cubes are often added. Dilution with water causes rakı to turn a milky-white colour, similar to the louche of absinthe. This phenomenon has resulted in the drink being popularly referred to ('lion's milk'). Since ('lion') is a Turkish colloquial metaphor for a strong, courageous person, this gives the term a meaning close to 'the milk for the strong'.
Rakı is commonly consumed alongside meze, a selection of hot and cold appetizers, as well as at a ('rakı table'), either before a full dinner or instead of it. It is especially popular with seafood, together with fresh arugula, and melon. It is an equally popular complement to various red meat dishes like kebabs, where it is sometimes served with a glass of .
The founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, was very fond of rakı, drinking up to a half-litre daily (he died from cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 57), and his late-night sessions were his favourite place to debate issues with his closest friends and advisors.
Types and brands
Standard rakı is a grape product, though it may be produced from figs as well. Rakı produced from figs, particularly popular in the southern provinces of Turkey, is called incir boğması, incir rakısı ("fig rakı"), or in Arabic, tini. Tekel ceased producing fig rakı in 1947.
There are two methods of Turkish rakı production. One method uses raisins and other grapes. Yeni Rakı is produced from raisins and Tekirdağ Rakısı is produced from grapes. Fresh grape rakı is like ouzo but has a higher alcohol content.
Suma rakı, i.e. distilled rakı prior to the addition of aniseed, is generally produced from raisins but raki factories around established wine-producing areas like Tekirdağ, Nevşehir, and İzmir may also use fresh grapes for higher quality. Recently, yaş üzüm rakısı ("fresh-grape raki") has become more popular in Turkey. The maker of a recent brand, Efe Rakı, was the first company to produce raki exclusively of fresh grape suma, called Efe Yaş Üzüm Rakısı (Efe Fresh Grape Raki). Tekirdağ Altın Seri (Tekirdağ Golden Series) followed the trend and many others have been produced by other companies.
The best-known and popular brands of rakı, however, remain Yeni Rakı, originally produced by Tekel, which transferred production rights to Mey Alkol upon the 2004 privatization of Tekel, and Tekirdağ Rakısı from the region of Tekirdağ, which is famous for its characteristic flavour, believed to be due to the artesian waters of Çorlu used in its production. Yeni Rakı has an alcohol content of 45% and 1.5 grams of aniseed per liter; Tekirdağ Rakısı is 45% ABV and has 1.7 grams of aniseed per liter. There are also two top-quality brands called Kulüp Rakısı and Altınbaş, each with 50% ABV. The former one was the favorite of the Iraqi regent Abdul Ilah.
Dip rakısı ("bottom rakı") is the rakı that remains in the bottom of the tanks during production. Bottom rakı is thought to best capture the dense aroma and flavour of the spirit, and is also called özel rakı ("special raki"). It is not generally available commercially; instead, rakı factories reserve it as a prestigious gift for large clients.
Events
Aniseed-flavoured Rakı, has been celebrated as a festival in Adana and Northern Cyprus since 2010. World Rakı Festival in Adana, emerged from a hundred-year tradition of enjoying Adana kebab, with liver, şalgam and rakı. The event turned into a nationwide popular street festival, street musicians playing drums and zurna, entertain visitors all night long at the second Saturday night of every December. North Cyprus Rakı Festival is a week long festival taking place in Girne, Lefkoşa and Gazi Mağusa.
Other uses
In Crete tsikoudia is a pomace brandy that is sometimes called rakı but made from grapes. It is used to make rakomelo, which is flavored with honey and cinnamon and is served warm during winter months.
See also
Culture of Turkey
Cuisine of Turkey
List of aniseed-flavoured liqueurs
Arak, a similar drink from the Levant and Iraq
Ouzo, Greek aniseed flavoured drink
Ouzo effect, the science behind the milky appearance
Pastis, French anise-flavoured spirit
Rakia, a fruit brandy popular in the Balkans
Sambuca, an Italian aniseed flavoured drink
Tsipouro, Greek distilled drink
Vodka, a Polish-Russian clear distilled drink
Zivania, the ouzo/tsipouro of Cyprus
References
Bibliography
External links
Turkish national drink, Raki
About Raki subculture in Turkey
Turkish Raki Commercial
Ottoman Food Map
In Istanbul, raki and a bottomless pit of gluttony
Rodiaki Newspaper
Anise liqueurs and spirits
Turkish distilled drinks
Turkish inventions
Distilled drinks