How is brandy made?

Rakija is not only a drink, but also a symbol of hospitality and tradition in the Balkans. This fruit distillate, with plums being the most common choice, is intertwined with the history and everyday life of people across the Balkans. We can trace its roots all the way back to the 14th century, when the first records of fruit distillation began to appear in monasteries and courts. Rakija is not just a drink, it is a part of everyday life and an indispensable participant in all important events - from births and weddings to important national and religious holidays. But how is brandy made?

Over the centuries, the recipe and way of making brandy have evolved, but the basic principles have remained the same – fruit fermentation followed by distillation, which transforms humble fruits into a powerful drink. Each region, and even each household, may have its own specific methodology and secrets that are kept and passed down from generation to generation.

U ovom blogu ćemo istražiti kako se rakija tradicionalno pravi i kako mi, „Pod Mirnim Krovovima“, unapređujemo taj proces, čuvajući suštinu dok istovremeno uvodimo inovacije koje našu rakiju čine prepoznatljivom na tržištu.

Choice of Raw Materials

Proizvodnja rakije počinje odabirom pravog voća. Iako se rakija može destilovati iz različitih vrsta voća kao što su jabuke, kruške, breskve, višnje, itd. u srcu tradicije često se nalaze šljive. U našoj destileriji „Pod Mirnim Krovovima“, odlučili smo se za jedinstven pristup: radimo isključivo sa šljivom, verujući da je to voće koje najbolje predstavlja duh našeg regiona. Naš izbor je monodestilat šljive ’Moravka’, sorta koju smatramo najpovoljnijom za proizvodnju rakije.

Plum Moravka is autochthonous in our district, it is valued for its resistance and high sugar content, which contributes to the intense taste of brandy. Our cultivation focuses on quality, allowing nature to determine the moment of harvest: we only harvest when they naturally fall to the ground, thus ensuring that they are at optimal maturity.

Za detaljniji uvid u ‘Moravka’ šljivu i naš pristup njenom uzgajanju, posetite naš another blog, where we explain in detail all aspects of this special variety.

Fermentation

After we have selected and prepared the raw materials, we move on to the key process in the creation of brandy — fermentation. Fermentation is a biochemical process in which microorganisms, usually yeasts, convert sugars from fruit into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process is the basis of the production of all alcoholic beverages, including brandy.

For fermentation, the fruit that we previously cleaned, as well as separated from the stones in order to avoid bitterness, is placed in fermentation vessels. During this period, the natural sugars present in the Moravka plum are transformed, encouraging the development of the rich and complex flavor that characterizes our brandy.

So fermentation not only turns sugar into alcohol, but also shapes the character and flavor profile of the brandy, making every step that precedes this process extremely important to the end result.

Distillation

Distillation is an essential part of brandy production, and in our distillery we use traditional copper cauldrons for this process. Distillation begins in a copper still where the fermented mass is heated. The boiler is placed in a combustion chamber that allows temperature control and has a system for adequate ventilation.

As the temperature increases, alcohol and other volatile substances begin to be released from the mass. These vapors are collected in the boiler head, which is designed to collect them and direct them through a steam pipe, or pipe, which leads them to the cooler. The cooler, or tabarka, contains a copper coil inside a large bowl of cold water, where the vapors condense back into a liquid state.

Prvi i poslednji destilati, poznati kao ‘glave’ i ‘repi’, se ne koriste zbog njihovog kvaliteta. ‘Glave’ mogu sadržati štetne supstance kao što je metanol, dok ‘repi’ sadrže teže alkohole koji mogu negativno uticati na ukus. ‘Srce’ destilata, koji se nalazi između ove dve frakcije, zadržava se zbog svoje čistoće i bogate arome i poznato je kao ‘meka’ rakija. Kada se ‘meka’ rakija destilira ponovo, dobija se ‘prepečenica’, koja je poznata po svojoj čistoći i koncentrovanoj aromi.

The use of copper cauldrons is very important because copper is an excellent conductor of heat, which helps in even heating and distillation. Also, copper helps to remove unwanted sulfur compounds that can spoil the taste of brandy. In addition, copper contributes to the creation of esters and other complex compounds that improve and enrich the aroma of brandy.

Aging and Barrel Influence

Barrel size

The size of the barrel plays a significant role in the aging process. Smaller barrels allow a greater ratio of wood surface area to liquid volume, which leads to more intense contact between the brandy and the wood. This results in a faster and stronger infusion of tannins and aromas from the wood into the brandy, speeding up the maturation process. Conversely, larger barrels provide a slower interaction, which allows for a more subtle and gradual release of flavor.

In our distillery, we use smaller casks with a capacity of 150 liters, which provide intensive contact between the brandy and the wood, which ensures a faster development of complex aromas.

Type of wood

The type of wood from which the barrels are made is key to the quality and characteristics of the final product. Oak is the most common choice for its ability to add rich tannins and complex aromas, such as vanilla and smoke for example. Besides oak, other types of wood such as ash, cer, chestnut, mulberry, acacia, etc. they can provide specific tastes and aromas.

We use only oak from Kopaonik for our barrels. This type of oak is known for its structure that allows optimal release of tannins and aromas, contributing to the depth of flavor of our brandy.

Burning of Bacav

Barrel firing is a process where the inside of the barrel is lightly burned to improve the characteristics of the wood that affect the brandy. This process caramelizes the sugars in the wood, which can add toasted and smoky notes to the brandy. The degree of ignition can vary, which allows producers to precisely control what aromas will be transferred to the brandy.

Old or New Barrels

Although some producers use the same casks multiple times, which can result in subtler and milder aromas, we only use new casks. By using new casks, we ensure that each batch of brandy has the full intensity and freshness of aromas that new casks can provide. This approach allows us to consistently maintain the high quality and characteristics that we believe our brandy should have.

These brandy aging methods are important because they help us achieve the desired quality and richness of flavor that we expect from our product. They represent a key part of our production process, in which we strive to ensure that every step is carried out carefully.

Packaging

Packaging plays a key role in the aesthetic presentation of brandy and represents the visual identity of the product. This aspect is essential because it grabs the attention of consumers and helps differentiate the brand from the competition.

Importance of Packaging

Well-designed packaging makes the product recognizable and attractive. Visual elements such as colors, bottle shape and label design play a key role in forming the perception of product quality and value. Also, the packaging carries information about the product itself, its origin and characteristics, which can be decisive for the final decision of customers.

We believe that the packaging should reflect the quality and character of the brandy we offer. That's why we choose a design that is simple but elegant, we strive that every detail of the packaging contributes to the overall experience of our product.

Svaki detalj na našoj boci pripoveda svoju priču: bakarna ploča na našim bocama stari zajedno s rakijom, menja se kao i ukus koji se usavršava u hrastovim buradima. U čepu se krije esencija naše rakije – kao podsetnik da u malim stvarima leži veličina.

Through this approach, we strive to stand out in the market and create a long-term relationship with our customers, who value well-designed and quality packaging that reflects the high standard of our products. For us, the packaging is a key part of the presentation and represents the identity of our brandy.

Conclusion

Through this blog, we tried to bring you closer to the essence and importance of each step in the production of brandy, from the selection of raw materials, through fermentation and distillation, all the way to aging and carefully designed packaging. Each of these steps not only contributes to the creation of a quality drink, but also to the preservation of tradition and authenticity that makes rakija more than just a drink - a symbol of hospitality and culture of the Balkans.

If you want to try our brandy, you can find information about places where our products can be bought or tasted throughout Serbia at this map. Also, we offer the possibility of ordering directly through our webshop.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our approach to brandy production. We hope that you now have an idea of how brandy is made and that our products will provide you with a pleasant experience and will be an opportunity to get to know the tradition that we strive to preserve.