The Lemon Fool

The beer thread has been discussing Polish beers, which set me on my own voyage of recollection. As a teenager travelling in Eastern Europe, encountering Serbian plum brandy @ 70% ABV was a bit of a shock in more ways than one. What's more, this raw rocket fuel was cheap. Any distress that it caused to the throat was soon assuaged by the general anaesthetising effect, and shortly after that by the tendency to fall down and snore.

Fifty years on, it isn't so cheap any more. And maybe that's a good thing? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Okowita-Aquavi ... B01DSPRY5W. Sheesh.

BJ

As one who has spent a lot of time beyond the Iron Curtain, I can sympathize. Wodka Wyborova in Poland, Egri Bikaver in Hungary and a variety of plum brandies in the Balkans, we had them all.. Formal dinners in the USSR always had 5 of them to one of you , intent on drinking you under the table, usually successful.

But that's how we won contracts.

TJH

When I worked in Turkey the usual after-dinner sit-back-and-reminiscence drink was Raki (local Arrack brandy) tasting of aniseed and scorched tongue - a bit like very rough Pernod or Ricard. I was warned beforehand that some brands were 'improved' with methanol so allowed my hosts to recommend and share a bottle for which I paid.
After that and neat Glenfarclas 105 from when I lived in Scotland, my mouth can take anything.

stewamax wrote:When I worked in Turkey the usual after-dinner sit-back-and-reminiscence drink was Raki (local Arrack brandy) tasting of aniseed and scorched tongue - a bit like very rough Pernod or Ricard. I was warned beforehand that some brands were 'improved' with methanol so allowed my hosts to recommend and share a bottle for which I paid.
After that and neat Glenfarclas 105 from when I lived in Scotland, my mouth can take anything.

I've only had Raki in Greece, long ago and far away. I suspect that was a true marc - i.e. made from the grape debris from making wine. It was poured from a plastic jug that was filled by dipping it in the barrel behind the bar. We were 20ish at the time. I think the barman allowed us 4 each. Which was plenty. The number 5 drachmas come to mind, but god knows at this distance.

Used to get unwatered Glenfarclas via my FiL in anonymous bottles. I believe a friend of his was buying barrels and hand bottling. Then all the distilleries cottoned on to putting stuff in cardboard sleeves and making a fortune.

Navy strength rum is quite serious.

genou wrote:Navy strength rum is quite serious.

Strong rum can be ruinous

Worked with a German lass who kept a bottle of Stroh rum in her desk for when she had a cold
- it was very easy to tell when she had a cold

-sd