Krambambulya - a drink of Belarus with its own history

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

Every nation has symbols by which they are recognized all over the world. And this applies to all areas of life: cooking, clothing, dancing and even alcoholic beverages. And if Russia is famous all over the world for its high-quality vodka, then krambambula is rightfully considered the alcoholic symbol of Belarus. This drink is so interesting and unusual that you need to learn more about it.

What is Krambambula?

Behind this unusual name lies the national Belarusian alcoholic drink, which is based on ethyl alcohol or vodka infused with honey and a mixture of herbs.

Krambambula is a drink whose recipe is not strict, and everyone who prepares it has the opportunity to adjust the taste. Honey in the composition of the tincture gives a sweet, unique flavor and color. A set of herbs and spices is usually used standard, a change in taste can be achieved by changing the ratio of some of them.

Transparent consistency, moderate strength and honey hue - this is what a good krambambula should look like. The drink, the photo of which is posted below, is the famous Belarusian tincture.

A bit of history

This alcoholicthe drink is adequately aged - its history goes back more than three centuries. The first mention of krambambula in chronicles dates back to the 18th century.

In those days, it was believed that krambambula was a drink of the rich and merchants. It was inaccessible to ordinary people. The thing is that for the preparation of this tincture, in addition to honey, a large number of spices and spices are used. And at the beginning of the eighteenth century, their price was equal to the cost of furs and gold. That is why krambambulya came out truly "golden".

The tincture also owes its unusual name to its historical roots. In those days when the recipe was invented, the territory of modern Belarus was part of the Lithuanian principality. It was there that the German liquor "Krambambuli" was brought from Danzig, from which they borrowed the name for the national drink.

Features of use

Krambambula is traditionally considered to be a drink served warm. The temperature of the tincture should be around 37-40 degrees. It is in this form that the aroma of herbs and spices is best revealed, and the honey taste makes the bitterness from alcohol almost imperceptible.

But over time, cold tincture also gained popularity. Chilled krambambula is a great alternative to vodka or cognac. It is much softer and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

To serve the tincture cold, you need to cool it to at least 14 degrees and pour into glasses.

Cooking recipe

If it is not possible to visit a hospitableBelarus and taste a drink in its historical homeland, then you can cook it at home.

• To prepare krambambuli, pour 500 ml of water and 500 ml of vodka into a clean saucepan. Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 pinch of nutmeg, 4-5 peppercorns and 4-6 sprigs of dried cloves to the resulting mixture, mix and simmer for 10 minutes.
• After this time, turn off the fire, cover the pan with a lid and let the mixture cool to a temperature of 55 degrees.
• The next step is to add 6 tablespoons of honey and another 500 ml of vodka. Mix everything together thoroughly, cover again and let it brew for 10-15 minutes.
• After that, the resulting drink must be filtered. To do this, it is best to use clean gauze, folded in several layers. Through such a filter, it is necessary to pour the tincture into a glass jar and close it tightly with a lid.
• Now the turn of the insisting stage has come: the jar with the future krambambula should be placed in a dark, cool place where there is no access to direct sunlight. Perfect for a pantry or kitchen cabinet. In order for the mixture to infuse, it will take 10 - 14 days. Before drinking, the drink must be filtered again, poured into a glass container for storage.

Subtleties and nuances of the recipe

Krambambulya is a drink, reviews of which are diametrically opposed: both enthusiastic and negative. Consumers respond positively about the mild taste and pleasant aromadrink. Negative impressions of the tincture can lead to improper preparation, which will result in its spoiled taste.

To prepare the tincture, it is best to take bottled mineral water without gas. This will ensure that plain water does not spoil the taste of the finished product.

For the alcohol component, you should not skimp and buy high quality vodka. In no case should you replace it with moonshine - this can negatively affect not only the taste of the drink, but also how krambambula will look like. The drink should be clear, amber-honey in color.

It is best to add honey flower or linden. Buckwheat honey is more specific and suitable for those who love it.

The ratio of spices in the recipe can be adjusted to your liking during the tasting process. Caution should be exercised only with dried cloves - its maximum number should not exceed 6 branches.

Traditional Belarusian krambambul tincture is a not too strong alcoholic drink with an unusual taste. It is not difficult to cook it yourself at home and pleasantly surprise your guests.