Ouzo drink: the origin of the name and photo. Greek anise vodka Ouzo

Coffee especially loved, and prepared in many ways. For strong black coffee, the grains are ground in a special way and served in small cups along with a glass of pure water: very sweet coffee is called glycos, medium sweetness is metrios, and no sugar is called sketos. Whipped cold coffee frappe sorbet is also made from it, which miraculously quenches thirst in the most intense heat.

Tea in Greece, it is not customary to drink, it is used as a cure for colds and other ailments.

Wine. The Greeks prefer it to all other alcoholic drinks. Greece is a country of winemaking. Here, thanks to the mild and warm climate, grapes have been cultivated since ancient times. Therefore, the range of wines produced is very diverse.

The most famous dry wine is retsina. Its unusual taste is explained by the fact that a little pine resin is added to it.

Of the red wines, it is worth trying rapsani, in the preparation of which three varieties of grapes are used at once. Of the fortified wines, muscats are the most famous, for example MOSCATO ALEXANDREIAS, "Alexandrian Muscat", LEUKO, "white", RODOI, TRANI.

In ancient Greece, 150 varieties of grapes were cultivated, adapted to various soils and climatic conditions. Even then, there was a huge variety of Greek wines, ranging from light whites, sweet or dry to rosés and reds, semi-sweet and sweet. Each city-polis produced its own wines. The Greeks preferred thick dark red wine. In large vessels (pithoi) it was placed in cellars for six months - for fermentation. Then the wine was fixed with raisins, which were always in abundance, or with honey. Samos and Yudos wines were considered the best. Slightly more than 1.5 million hectares of land are occupied by hailstones. About 500 million liters of wine are produced annually, of which half is imported. The wines from the islands of Chios and Lesbos were not inferior to them. And to this day, the tart wine from the island of Santorini (Thira) and the city, cultivated on volcanic ash, is especially famous.

Of the Greek vodkas, ouzo and tsipouro are widely used.

The island of Lesbos is famous for giving the world another characteristic alcoholic drink of Greece - ouzo. By the way, grapes are also used for its production.

Many recklessly believe that this name is given to grape vodka like Turkish raki. This is just a misconception. Grape vodka, rather, can be called another alcoholic drink in Greece - tsipouro. It has long been driven by local gardeners who had vineyards, as they say, for themselves, for their families. But its modification in question is not so much an alcoholic drink of Greece, but a characteristic element of local color, like, say, tequila for Mexico. In 1989, this name was registered as Greek, so since then this drink can only be made in its historical homeland. The love of the Greeks for an anise drink with the aroma of cough medicine, which turns whitish when water is added, is so great that there is even a whole museum on the island of Lesbos, although, in fairness, it should be noted that it is also produced in large quantities in the cities of Tirnavos, Kalamata . The credit for creating the museum belongs to the Varvenis family, who have been making this alcoholic drink in Greece for over 170 years.

The Greeks carefully preserve their traditions, and this applies not only to the very recipe of their national alcohol, but also to the rituals that accompany its production and drinking. For example, on the first day of summer in the city of Mytilini, the Ouzo Festival is invariably held. The castle located here becomes the epicenter of fun. Not only do all kinds of performances take place here, in which well-known actors and singers take part in the country, the companies that produce this national drink of Greece pour it for the audience for free, thus allowing them to taste their products.

Any alcoholic drink in Greece, as well as the national alcoholic delights of any other countries, has a certain connection to the area. Here, for example, the history of the appearance of the progenitor of an anise alcoholic drink called "tsipouro" is inextricably linked with the legendary city of Athens.

In general, some evidence suggests that this Greek alcoholic drink made from grape pomace was invented in the 14th century by monks from an Orthodox monastery located on Mount Athos. They say they treated tsipouro to everyone who visited the monastery. A century later, this alcoholic drink of Greece began to be produced in Athens. There is also documentary evidence for this - the production of alcohol in those days was regulated by special sultan's decrees. In one of these circulars, the tsipouro also fell. Now it is produced in most regions of Greece, including Thessaly, Crete (by the way, here honey is sometimes added to tsipouro, resulting in a specific drink “rakomelo”), Epirus. In these regions, grape moonshine is also called "tsikudya". But it was allowed to freely trade it outside of its nome (the area where the Greek moonshiner lives) only in 1980. By the way, at the same time, the in-line production of tsipouro was also established at large licensed enterprises.

It would seem, why make a drink that the Athenians dabbled in back in the 15th century, if there are already many others, more modern ones? Everyone chooses the answer for himself. Some Greeks stand up for the preservation of ancestral traditions, others value diversity (it’s not for nothing that the saying “Greece has everything!”), while others simply do not like the anise flavor present in ouzo. Oddly enough, they are all right. Of course, this alcoholic drink of Greece has a very specific character, which not everyone likes, but this shows its similarity with the city where it was created. Athens is the cultural center of Greece, where the buildings of ancient times peacefully coexist with houses built according to the latest modern architecture. Showcases of newfangled boutiques, combined with preserved Byzantine basilicas here and there, give rise to a unique image of this beautiful city, which has experienced many ups and downs in its long history. Tsipouro - this national alcoholic drink of Greece over the past three decades has become no less significant and in demand than its younger brother. Today, the production of tsipouro remains a real ritual. This cult action takes place in October. This national alcoholic drink of Greece is driven, accompanying the process with songs and dances around copper boilers. When the tsipouro is ready, round dances give way to noisy feasts and festivities.

Very popular brandy outside of Greece METAXA.

This Greek alcoholic drink is a brandy diluted with wine with the addition of tincture of certain herbs. The exact recipe is kept by the Greeks in the strictest confidence. The essence of this process lies in the production of wine from slightly raisined grapes of three varieties characteristic of the Mediterranean, its subsequent distillation, as well as the addition of sweet Muscat wine, distilled water and tincture from a mysterious set of herbs to the resulting distillate, the composition of which is known to the uninitiated.
not allowed. After aging for at least 3 years, such a mixture becomes metax.

By the way, this national alcoholic drink of Greece appeared relatively recently. The first plant for its production was opened in a town called Kifisia in 1882. The author of the recipe was a certain Spyros Metaxa, after whom this alcoholic drink of Greece got its unusual name. At first, only the compatriots of the inventor of the recipe used it, but they did it with such undisguised pleasure that already in 1892 he decided to try to send a batch for export. Three years later, this national spirit of Greece received its first award abroad, winning a gold medal at the International Exhibition held in Birmingham (Germany). Since then, it has not lost its status as an exquisite drink for connoisseurs of delicate taste and aroma.

The Greeks are very proud of their alcoholic brainchild. To emphasize once again that this alcoholic drink of Greece is a national treasure, a designer named Janis Tseklenis received a patent in 1963 for a bottle of a special shape resembling an amphora. It is in such containers that 7-year-old metaxa is now poured.

Another Greek alcoholic drink, which is a mixture of logical in this context and unusual components, is called "masticha" . This is a traditional liqueur from the island of Chios, which is distinguished by an impressive fortress (about 30%) and the presence of mastic in the composition. If a Russian person is not the first to encounter strong drinks, then the last component of the appetite is not very exciting.

In fact, mastic is the resin of one of the subspecies of pistachio trees (rather, it is even a shrub), which grow only in Chios. They tried to grow them in various places, but only capricious bushes did not want to take root, not only abroad, but also in other regions of Greece itself. According to geologists, mastic trees grow in Chios thanks to a combination of limestone-rich soils with the impact of the Psarona volcano. From one tree you can get only about 300 - 400 grams of resin. In Greece, it is often used in cooking, adding to food, sweets and even chewing gum, as well as drinks. The viscous, spicy smell of mastic will remind you of eastern countries. Since ancient times, resin of the highest quality was sent to the harem of the Sultan of Constantinople. Hundreds of his concubines were thus able to use mastic oil, making their skin fragrant and silky.

Masticha has a soft coniferous-fruity aroma and a sweet taste with a fresh touch of cucumber. This liqueur is completely versatile. This alcoholic drink of Greece is enjoyed by men from cognac glasses, supplementing with a cigar. Women like cocktails with mastic or its combination with desserts. By the way, such a Greek alcoholic drink is often served during wedding feasts, when the main course has already been eaten.

Ouzo is a traditional Greek strong alcoholic drink that is consumed both in Greece and around the world. This drink has been known since ancient times of the Byzantine Empire. In ancient Egypt, it was considered a medicinal drink. In another way, it can be called anise vodka. In fact, this is a brandy widely used in Greece based on anise extract. In other countries, such a drink may be called cancer, mastic, arak.

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The name Ouzo has been patented as Greek since 1989, and a drink with this name can only be produced in Greece. The traditional production areas of the drink are Lesvos, Tirnavos, Kalamata. The name of the famous Greek aperitif Ouzo (Ouzo) refers to anise, which is the main component of this drink. The word itself comes from the Turkish word for "bunch of grapes" or "grape tincture".

Ouzo is a mixture of alcohol and aromatic herbs. In addition to the main component of anise, the composition of the drink includes various aromatic herbs. Usually these are components such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg. Since 1932, copper cubes have been used for the distillation of raw materials. The drink has a small percentage of grape distillation, about 20%. In some cases, there is a higher percentage. After a long process of distillation and fermentation, the strength of the drink can reach up to 40 - 50 degrees.

On the island of Lesvos, there is the Ouzo Museum, where you can get acquainted with the rich history of the famous drink and the intricacies of its production. There is also a private museum of the Barbayanni family on the grounds of the Barbayanni distillery. There you can see the old tools that were used to bottle the drink and stick the branded blue label. In this museum you can taste and buy high quality traditional Ouzo.

The drink is available in bottles of different sizes from 0.2 to 2 liters. One of the most popular brands is Ouzo 12.

How and with what to drink Ouzo

The most common way to consume Ouzo is as an aperitif. It is served in narrow tall glasses with a volume of 50 - 100 ml. big amount cold water and ice. Greeks traditionally drink this drink to increase their appetite at lunchtime and in the evening before the main meal. As an aperitif, it is also used as a component of various cocktails. Ouzo, unlike many other strong drinks, is great to drink in such a hot country as Greece.

True fans of Ouzo use it undiluted. Only in this way, according to their statements, you can feel the true taste of the drink. However, this method is not recommended for beginners. For novice Ouzo lovers, a drink mixed with water and ice cubes is more suitable, which softens the strength and makes the taste more pleasant. When water is added, the drink loses its transparency and acquires a cloudy milky color. This is due to the anise oil, which is part of it.

If the drink is served with snacks, then seafood, fish, salads and confectionery are best suited. In Greek restaurants, it is served with traditional snacks, such as fried octopus, anchovies, sardines, pickled and salted vegetables, and fresh herbs. Well suited varieties of Greek cheese and traditional Greek salad "horiatiki", which includes feta cheese, olives, olive oil, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Melon is perfect as an appetizer for Ouzo.

As already mentioned, the drink is suitable as an ingredient for cocktails. The most popular Ouzo-based cocktails: "Ilaida", "Buzo", "Blue Negligee", "Zorbantini", "Master Scatter", "Jelly Bean", "Greek Tiger", "Greek Tycoon", "Lumberjack" and many others .

Cocktails use a wide variety of ingredients. For example, for a cocktail with the romantic name Greek Tiger, a very simple composition is used, including one part Ouzo and four parts orange juice with ice cubes. And in Jelly Bean, in addition to Ouzo, red or blue liquor and lemonade are added. Thus, this drink allows you to create unique combinations of taste and color. A variety of ways to serve make it especially popular.

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The name "Ouzo" can only be a Greek product. It was officially registered only in 1989, although the drink itself has been known for several centuries. In Greece, "Ouzo" is called not only an alcoholic drink, but also anise, which must certainly be part of the Greek brandy.

Alcoholic drink "Uzo" is made by distillation of ethyl alcohol, to which various aromatic herbs are added. An obligatory ingredient of the mixture is anise. Alcohol is obtained by partial distillation of grapes. The distillate should make up approximately 20% of the mixture. Usually distillation is carried out in large copper boilers, which is akin to our moonshine stills.

After distillation and mixing, the composition must be fermented at least twice. As a result, an alcoholic product with a strength of 40 - 50 degrees with a characteristic anise flavor and a rather intense smell is formed.

Alcoholic product with anise flavor

The traditional regions where it is produced are the city of Tirnavos, in the region of Larisa, in Thessaly; the capital of the nome of Messenia is the city of Kalamanta, as well as Lesbos, located in the northeast of the Aegean Sea.

Plomari, on the Greek island of Lesvos, even has an ouzo museum. It was organized by the owners of a private factory for the production of alcoholic beverages Barbayanni. In the museum you can see the first distillation boiler, which was brought from Constantinople back in 1858. In it, according to a representative of the family, conducting a tour of the museum, their great-great-grandfathers conducted the first experiments on the embodiment of the secrets of production, known for centuries only to family members. In addition, there is the first equipment used for gluing the famous blue labels on bottles and for bottling ouzo into bottles.

The museum hosts ouzo tastings, in addition, there you can buy souvenirs and the drink itself. Even on Lesvos in the city of Mytilini, an ouzo festival is held annually on June 1. There is not only a tasting of the product from the best manufacturers, but also music concerts.

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Traditionally, Greek vodka is poured into narrow tall glasses with a volume of 50 to 100 grams.

Despite the fact that this brandy may be stronger than traditional Russian vodka, you should not drink it in one gulp, knocking over a glass completely - you may not like it.

Glasses with vodka "Uzo"

In Greece and other neighboring countries, it is customary to dilute this vodka with ice water. After that, the alcoholic drink not only lowers the degree of strength, but also acquires a dull white color, similar to diluted milk. This is due to the fact that anise oil, found in alcohol, is simply dissolved in it. But it becomes noticeable after lowering the fortress. Oil gives a precipitate, which forms, as it were, a suspension, being distributed throughout the entire volume of the liquid.

Usually, "Uzo", like its counterparts - "Mastic", "Rakia", arak - are used as an aperitif before a feast. But in many Greek taverns, this drink is served with snacks. Most often, seafood is used in this capacity: squid, mussels. And sometimes a salad of tomato, pepper, olives and sheep's cheese is served as an appetizer.

Aniseed vodka "Uzo" is almost the subject of national pride of the Greeks. You can buy Greek brandy "Ouzo" from us with the famous blue sticker, in addition, with white and red-yellow. But all these drinks are not for everyone, for those who normally perceive the taste and smell of anise.

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In Greece, alcohol is not just an element of the feast. And it doesn't matter whether it's a casual lunch or a gala dinner, alcoholic drinks are always on the table.

Acquaintance with national alcohol becomes all the more interesting because there are several unique varieties of alcohol in the country. They are not produced anywhere else in the world. The most famous Greek spirits are ouzo, tsipouro and raki.

Ouzo

To create a product, a simple technology of distillation of ethyl alcohol is used. The moonshine obtained after distillation is insisted on anise with the addition of cloves, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, other herbs and spices.

The small town of Plomarion in the southern part of the island of Lesvos is recognized as the birthplace of ouzo. Since 1989, an alcoholic drink with this name and composition can only be produced in Greece.

The composition and combinations of additives differ depending on the region of the country. But the use of anise seeds remains unchanged for the preparation of the famous Greek alcoholic drink. Anise "nectar" has a soft and rich flavor range, as it is traditionally distilled twice.

Ouzo is recommended to be served as an aperitif chilled to a temperature of +20°C. It is better to savor it in small sips, enjoying how the notes of the seasonings used are slowly revealed. And if you are a little scared by the strength of alcohol - 50 degrees! - then ouzo can be diluted with cold water in a ratio of 1: 1.

A traditional Greek alcoholic drink is sold in any store at a price of 5-7 € per bottle (0.5 l). The undisputed market leader is Plomari Isidoros Arvanitis.

Tsipouro and crayfish

According to a technology similar to ouzo, two more national alcoholic drinks are produced in Greece - tsipouro and raki. For the preparation of the first of them, fermented grape pomace is used, the distillate of which is mixed with ethyl alcohol and, like ouzo, is infused with anise. For the manufacture of crayfish, not only grapes can be used, but also melon, quince, plum, apples. Anise is not used in such fruit and berry mixtures.

The fortress of raki ranges from 35 to 47 degrees. The method of consumption and serving are identical to serving ouzo - in small chilled glasses with a volume of 50 ml. Traditionally, tsipouro and raki are served with mezo (Greek: Μεζέ) or grilled seafood.

Tsipouro is worth trying in the many tsipouradiko taverns on the mainland. And to taste real raki, it is best to go to Crete. It was here that in 1920 the local authorities issued the first official permit for the production of drinks by distillation.

Popular spirits in Greece are sold everywhere and are relatively inexpensive, 3-4 € per bottle of 0.2 liters. Among a large number brands, special attention should be paid to Tsipouro Tsilili or Tsipouro Tirnavou Katsaros.

Metaxa

Another Greek national alcoholic drink worthy of attention is Metaxa, with a strength of 40 degrees. Its production was established in 1888 by Spyros Metaxas. In fact, the idea behind the recipe of this Greek drink is to mix it with wine.

The method of creation is based on mixing distillates of three grape varieties. They are aged in oak barrels with small pores for at least three years. The secret of cognac lies in the combination of herbal extracts that are added to the barrels. The proportions of plants are kept in the strictest confidence, and Muscat wine gives softness to the Greek strong alcoholic drink. That is why the taste of Metaxa is unique, and the product occupies a large volume in the country's export policy.

Traditionally, alcohol is consumed neat (with ice) and is used as the main ingredient in many cocktails.

Since 1895, Metaxa has won many awards, first in Europe and later on the American continent. The Second World War made some adjustments to the question of whether to consider the drink cognac or brandy. French manufacturers have patented the name "cognac", which is forbidden to be used in the designation of other alcoholic products.

On the other hand, given the peculiarities of the manufacturing method, local entrepreneurs also abandoned the use of the word “brandy”. And they weren't wrong. Metaxa is known far beyond the region due to its unsurpassed taste and does not need to be specified. The cost of national alcohol varies from 13 to 30 € depending on the number of stars.

Masticha

Masticha is a spicy Greek liquor with the addition of mastic resin. The drink is unique in that the pistachio trees from which the resin is extracted grow only on the island of Chios. The tradition of making liquor is rooted in the deep past, when the resin was used for cooking.

The resin collection process is carried out by hand at the beginning of summer. The bark of the mastic is slightly incised and further production consists in waiting for the containers to be filled with resin. It is cleaned, mixed with alcohol and “simmered” in tanks over low heat. The result is a thick alcoholic drink with a strength of 30 degrees and a delicate aroma of coniferous forest.

Given the main ingredient, mastic, of course, also has medicinal properties. It is believed that it has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, helps the stomach, and is useful for colds.

The liqueur is served chilled as an aperitif with main Greek dishes or at the end of a meal with almond desserts. The most famous regional brand at the moment is the Skinos distillery.

Those who are looking for what they drink in Greece from drinks more familiar to Europeans should definitely try it. At lunchtime, in cafes across the country, you can see tables filled with visitors with mugs of intoxicating drink. And although Greek beer is little known in the world, this category has its own unique examples. In addition to the Mythos brand, familiar to many beer lovers, it is worth trying such a national brand as Fix, one of the oldest in the country.

The products of other local breweries also deserve special praise: Nissos from the island of Tinos, Volcan from Santorini, Septem from the island of Euboea (Evia). Each manufacturer strives to make their products really tasty and original. The average cost of a bottle of Greek beer is no more than 1 €.

Wine

They are not as well known in the world market as strong national alcoholic drinks, but there are excellent examples among them. This is especially true for white wines made from grape varieties - Assyrtico (Santorini), Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains (Peloponnese), Robolla (Kefalonia), Savatiano (common in many areas), Malagousia (Macedonia). In total, there are about 10 regions in Greece that have become the birthplace of excellent white, red, and rosé wines.

The rarest wine in Greece, which has no analogues in the world, is retsina. The drink is made from white grapes with the addition of Aleppo pine resin.

The most famous Greek wine brands are Boutari, Malamatina, Kourtakis, Achaia Clauss, Papaioannou, Megapanos, Cavino. The cost of a bottle, depending on the category and manufacturer, is 7-20 € and more.

What to drink in Greece and what to bring to friends as a gift are purely individual questions. It is best to find an opportunity to taste the drink before buying and make sure of its quality.

You also need to remember how much alcohol you can take out of Greece. As such, there are no rules, so you need to be guided by the rules of the state in which you arrive. For example, one person can bring 5 liters with a strength of less than 70 degrees to Russia for personal use..

If you are traveling to the land of Hellas straight from another country and are already carrying other national alcoholic drinks in your luggage, do not forget how much alcohol you can bring into Greece. The import norm is 1 liter (more than 22%) or 2 liters (less than 22%).

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 tastes great and we recommend this option for buying 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”.