Artsakh (mulberry brandy, mulberry vodka) is a strong alcoholic beverage produced by distillation of white and black mulberry (mulberry) brew in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. Artsakh is aged in mulberry barrels from one to five years. This gives the mulberry a characteristic pleasant aroma of mulberry and yellowish-green color. The strength of the drink from 40 to 75%. The taste of Artsakh is slightly oily with a pronounced woody note. The aftertaste is long, warm, filled with the aroma of tutus and herbs.
The history of making Artsakh began more than a thousand years ago, but the exact date now can not be called. Most experts agree that for the first time mulberry vodka appeared in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic). Therefore, very often this name is written on the bottle with a tunic. In Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, the owner of each house has its own secret recipe for the production of this drink.
The preparation of Artsakh is a complex and multi-stage process, which has its own characteristics. In General, it is similar to the production of cognac and whiskey, as like them Artsakh is aged in special barrels burned. The only difference is that the barrels are made of mulberry wood. For this purpose, the wood is old, not fruit trees.
The manufacturing process of Artsakh on an industrial scale consists of several stages:
The berries of the mulberry tree, is held in the month of June at sugar content not less than 16%. After quantitative and qualitative acceptance of the berries are sent to the receiving hopper, then to the crusher. Berries are processed into juice on the press, the resulting juice is poured into enameled tanks for further fermentation.
Fermented juice is distilled in copper distillation apparatus distillation product-mulberry alcohol (has a strength of about 70%). From 14-15 kg of fruit is obtained 1 liter of a mulberry alcohol, which is poured into barrels and aged them from 1 year to three years. After aging in mulberry barrels (from 1 to five years, respectively) produce a blend of mulberry alcohol with purified, softened water to 45 - 57 %.
At home, each owner, of course, uses his recipe for Artsakh production. As a rule, a mulberry Braga is distilled once or twice in a home moonshine. After that, either immediately bottled or kept in a barrel (less often). At its core, it turns moonshine from high-quality raw materials.
Despite the fact that the use of this drink uses high-quality raw materials, do not forget that the final product is alcohol. Well, if Artsakh is made at home and is not cleaned properly, then fusel oils and aldehydes of its composition will also be revealed. We have already talked about the harm of alcohol abuse more than once. Therefore, it is better to limit yourself to the use of any alcohol.
Other strong alcoholic beverages
