Raki

[Mike G]

When we asked about this in a couple of local tavernas we were told it is home made. Does anyone know what strength it is (or does it vary widely, bearing in mind that the average Cretan would not have access to chemical analytical equipment so must distil/blend/dilute based on experience)? Maybe they use a hydrometer.

Most UK spirits are around 37.5-40% ABV although export versions of gin and whisky are normally 43-47%. Based on the effect on the throat I would say Raki is stronger.

Also, what gives it its distinctive flavour?

Mike

[Susan K]

Based on past experience I'd say 99%  

Susan

[sheryl]

because its home made nobody knows- whats why its illegal to take the real stuff out the country (i usually hide it in a water bottle) but the colder it is the easier it is to swallow. some say its like medicine...lets face it, it will definetly kill all known germs. they also say that because the real stuff is pure alcohol you should be hangover free.  personally if i'm lagging after a big meal at night i find a wee raki wakes you up and keeps you going..........and thats coming from a person who seems to have missed this famous fountain for the past 3 years  

[John R]

because its home made nobody knows- whats why its illegal to take the real stuff out the country (i usually hide it in a water bottle) but the colder it is the easier it is to swallow. some say its like medicine...lets face it, it will definetly kill all known germs. they also say that because the real stuff is pure alcohol you should be hangover free.  personally if i'm lagging after a big meal at night i find a wee raki wakes you up and keeps you going..........and thats coming from a person who seems to have missed this famous fountain for the past 3 years  
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6175\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It is superb for cleaning windows - so possibly exporting it in a window cleaning bottle may be an answer

John R

[Alex&fran G]

because its home made nobody knows- whats why its illegal to take the real stuff out the country (i usually hide it in a water bottle) but the colder it is the easier it is to swallow. some say its like medicine...lets face it, it will definetly kill all known germs. they also say that because the real stuff is pure alcohol you should be hangover free.  personally if i'm lagging after a big meal at night i find a wee raki wakes you up and keeps you going..........and thats coming from a person who seems to have missed this famous fountain for the past 3 years  
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6175\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It is superb for cleaning windows - so possibly exporting it in a window cleaning bottle may be an answer

John R
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6176\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Where can I get it from? Alex G

[harribobs]

someone said...( was it Denis) that the butcher is selling good raki, just take along your own bottle

[shinaria]

For those who are intersested:
http://www.webcam-crete.com/sfakia-crete/raki.html
There is also a small book you can buy in the local stores about the history and the "making of". With the help of the booklet everybody should be able to create his own raki in the kitchen...

shinaria

[Mike G]

With the help of the booklet everybody should be able to create his own raki in the kitchen...

shinaria
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6207\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

... except distillation of ethanol (i.e. alcohol) is illegal in the UK and potentially dangerous as you could concentrate the small quantities of methanol (wood alcohol), which is highly toxic amd makes you go blind.

Mike

[beachcombers]

With the help of the booklet everybody should be able to create his own raki in the kitchen...

shinaria
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6207\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

... except distillation of ethanol (i.e. alcohol) is illegal in the UK and potentially dangerous as you could concentrate the small quantities of methanol (wood alcohol), which is highly toxic amd makes you go blind.

Mike
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6209\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Did you know that each Greek farmer has a legal right to distill Tsikoudia at certain dates? ( This is about the same as in France, only the distillation has to carried out by professional distiller, who comes to the farm with his mobile distillation plant! In France it is a limited quantity 20 litres of "eau de vie". and intended for personal use.  )

It is not possible to make wood alcohol in toxic quantities from fermented graperesidues. The mentioned "high potential risk" as often mentioned is a therefore a fairy tale.

Leen
 

[Noopsy]

With the help of the booklet everybody should be able to create his own raki in the kitchen...

shinaria
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6207\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

... except distillation of ethanol (i.e. alcohol) is illegal in the UK and potentially dangerous as you could concentrate the small quantities of methanol (wood alcohol), which is highly toxic amd makes you go blind.

Mike
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6209\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It is not possible to make wood alcohol in toxic quantities from fermented graperesidues. The mentioned "high potential risk" as often mentioned is a therefore a fairy tale.

Leen
 

Nevertheless, as Mike G says, in the UK the private distillation of spirits is illegal; you'll have Revenue & Customs knocking on your door if you tried it!

[beachcombers]

With the help of the booklet everybody should be able to create his own raki in the kitchen...

shinaria
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6207\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

... except distillation of ethanol (i.e. alcohol) is illegal in the UK and potentially dangerous as you could concentrate the small quantities of methanol (wood alcohol), which is highly toxic amd makes you go blind.

Mike
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=6209\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It is not possible to make wood alcohol in toxic quantities from fermented graperesidues. The mentioned "high potential risk" as often mentioned is a therefore a fairy tale.

Leen
 

Nevertheless, as Mike G says, in the UK the private distillation of spirits is illegal; you'll have Revenue & Customs knocking on your door if you tried it!

Our police and customs are to occupied to find the illegal weed greenhouses.  
No priority for finding / locating home distilled products.
Did you know we are allowed to grow 5 canabis plants in our homes.  
Most likely small scale distillation will be "tolerated" here as well.  

Leen
 

[Alex_Kidd]

Did you know we are allowed to grow 5 canabis plants in our homes.

I think 5 plants are a bit too much for personal use...  
Better change them with 5 bottles of Cretain Raki... that's not too much!      

[Mike G]

Our police and customs are to occupied to find the illegal weed greenhouses.  
No priority for finding / locating home distilled products.
Did you know we are allowed to grow 5 canabis plants in our homes.  
Most likely small scale distillation will be "tolerated" here as well.  

Leen
 

Leen,

All of this is illegal and very inadvisable in the UK.

Mike

[toma2]

Our police and customs are to occupied to find the illegal weed greenhouses.  
No priority for finding / locating home distilled products.
Did you know we are allowed to grow 5 canabis plants in our homes.  
Most likely small scale distillation will be "tolerated" here as well.  

Leen
 

Leen,

All of this is illegal and very inadvisable in the UK.

Mike

In UK it is also highly inadvisable and illegal to cross the street on a red light.  

Here in between the mountains in the high north, every second home has its own illegal distillery. Methanol poisoning happens so seldom that they always get big headlines and high priority with the police. Not once in living memory (mine) have the source been a private still. The wood alcohol is always smuggled in and sold as pure alcohol in three or five liter plastic canisters. Mostly it originates in Spain and Portugal. The moral is: never drink alcohol that you have not made yourself.      

Tom

[Mike G]

Hello Tom,

Re. home distillation, good luck to you in Norway if you know what you are doing. There would be significant penalties if you were caught doing it in the UK.

As a matter of interest in these times of heightened security, I wonder what the authoriities are making of people taking the unlabelled bottles of raki (40+% alcohol) that are for sale in Plakias on to planes.

Mike