Georgian lemonade: types and brief description of drinks

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Georgia is famous not only for the production of good wine, but also for delicious lemonade. It is made on the basis of pure mineral water from local mountain springs. The composition of Georgian lemonade includes natural syrups from berries and fruits, herbal tinctures. In the production process, they saturate the carbonated drink with vitamins. In an open bottle, Georgian lemonades retain their quality and original taste for a long time.

The history of lemonade in Georgia

The famous Georgian drink was opened by a student of the Polish pharmacist Mitrofan Lagidze. It happened in the already distant 19th century. The young man helped the pharmacist in the manufacture of soft drinks and decided to try to make a syrup based on berries and fruits on his own. He did not succeed immediately, but by trial and error, Mitrofan Lagidze invented not one recipe for Georgian lemonade, but several at once. Later, these recipes will be used in the manufacture of the famous drink.

In the 19th century lemonadedrinks began to be called "Waters of Lagidze". In tsarist Russia, they were supplied to the court of the emperor, and in Soviet times they became the favorite drink of the party elite and ordinary people.

Natakhtari Lemonade

The leader among the producers of soft drinks in Georgia is Natakhtari. The plant with the same name is located in the Mukhran valley. In the manufacture of Georgian lemonade "Natakhtari" they use medicinal water from a local mountain spring. Even after processing, the soft drink retains valuable minerals.

The plant in the Mukhran Valley produces the following range of flavors: grape, tarragon, pear, lemon, orange, tarragon, feijoa, peach, cream and chocolate, lemon, lemon and mint, apple, raspberry, white grape, saperavi and cream.

Georgian lemonade "Saperavi" is considered the most popular. Its base is natural red grape syrup. The drink has an indescribable taste and aroma. A little tart lightness and multifaceted notes make Saperavi look like the famous Georgian wine of the same name.

Tarragon (Natakhtari) lemonade is no less tasty and popular. Tarragon gives originality to this carbonated drink. It is a useful herb with medicinal properties. Georgian lemonades Natakhtari are an integral part of any feast. The plant is constantly improving technologies and increasing production volumes. Georgia supplies Natakhtari lemonade to Russia, USA and European countries.

Kazbegi Lemonade

In the Georgian city of Rustavi is the Kazbegi plant, which until 2001 specialized exclusively in brewing. Now the production includes the production of the Georgian lemonade "Kazbegi" and the drink "Zivi Chai". Product volumes are not yet as extensive as those of the above companies, and Kazbegi lemonade rarely hits the shelves.

However, this brand of soft drink has a significant advantage: it contains no sugar! American stevia acts as its substitute. This plant grows exclusively in the United States and is used as a sweetener. The range of flavors of Kazbegi lemonades is as follows: cherry, cream, soda, lemon, orange, feijoa, tarragon, pear, isabella.

Lagidze Lemonade

The name of lemonade, no doubt, is associated with the name of the very famous young pharmacist Mitrofan Lagidze, who invented the first recipes for carbonated soft drinks in Georgia. Today on the territory of Tbilisi there is a large plant "Water Lagidze", where the production of natural syrups for the manufacture of Georgian lemonade has been established. "Lagidze" is a soft drink that has excellent taste and delicate aroma, it does not contain any chemical preservatives. The popularity of lemonade has gone far beyond Georgia. The types of products manufactured by Lagidze CJSC are as follows:

• fruit and berry lemonade flavored with quince, cherry, feijoa, apple, isindi, pear;
• citrus lemonade with lemon, orange flavor;
• mint and tarragon lemonade;
• exclusive lemonades based on cognac or wine;
• dessert lemonades: cream soda, coffee, chocolate, cream, rose.

All Lagidze Waters lemonades contain a natural vitamin complex, so they are very he althy.

Zandukeli Lemonade

Castel Georgia brewery (Tbilisi) produces another famous Georgian lemonade - Zandukeli. The history of the appearance of the recipe for this soft drink is very romantic. In 1914, the Georgian prince Niko Zandukeli, who at that time lived in the capital of France, fell in love with the countess, and in the past, the Russian emigrant Anna. To win the heart of a Frenchwoman, the prince created the “Drink of Love” according to a unique recipe (it took him 2 years to do this). This is how Zandukeli lemonade appeared, which is currently available in nine flavors: pear, saperavi, peach, cherry, lemon, cream soda, banana-strawberry, tarragon, mango.

Zedazeni Lemonade

Another well-known manufacturer of Georgian lemonade is Zedazeni. This brand was launched in 2012. The manufacturing plant is located in the village of Saguramo at the foot of Mount Zedazeni. Water for the production of lemonade is extracted from wells located right on the territory of the plant. The high quality of the product is due to its composition - it is pure mineral water and natural fruit and berry components. Assortment of flavors of Zedazeni lemonade: saperavi, lemon, pear, cream,tarragon.

Lemonade recipe

In Georgia, in ordinary families, soft drinks were prepared even before factory production appeared. This traditional Georgian lemonade recipe is still relevant today. To prepare it, you can take any fruit: peaches, apples, pears, etc. Fruits need to be washed, cut into pieces and put in a jug. Then take some sugar and squeeze the juice from two lemons into it. To dissolve the sugar, you need to pour a little water into it.

The resulting mixture should be added to a jug of fruit. Then tarragon, basil or mint are added there. All this is poured with boiled or spring water, the jug is put in the refrigerator. That's it, the lemonade is ready. After an hour, you can pour it into glasses and enjoy a natural fruit drink.

Features of Georgian lemonades

The main feature of any Georgian soft drink is that it is very tasty. There is no chemical taste in them, and even if the lemonade is left open for a long time, it will not turn into tasteless unpleasant water. Everyone knows what open fruit soda turns into after some time. This is not the case in Georgian lemonades.

The second indisputable plus is the rich assortment. In addition to the banal and familiar tarragon and pear lemonade, Georgian companies produce lemonades of various fruit and berry and even exotic flavors.

Georgian lemonades are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are based on pure mountain water from local sources. The taste of natural berries and fruits and the excellent aroma of Georgian lemonades cannot be compared with anything. An interesting fact is that lemonades have almost completely replaced the famous fanta and cola from Georgia. Many Georgian restaurants do not have cola on the menu, but locally produced lemonade is always present in it. Georgian lemonades are he althy, so they can be drunk by both young children and pregnant women.

Georgian lemonades have an excellent taste, excellent composition and high quality. They are prepared according to old recipes using the latest technology. Georgian lemonade is recognized as one of the best carbonated drinks in the world. It is supplied not only to Russia and the countries of the former USSR, but also to Europe and America.