Tuica
Encyclopedia
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n spirit
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
of somewhere in between 45%-60% alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
. It is usually made from plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
s.
Ţuică is the official name for the drink when it is prepared only from plums. Other spirits that are produced from some other fruit or from a cereal grain are called "rachiu" or "rachie."
The term "palincă" (for "strong ţuică") is not accepted in the official nomenclature
Nomenclature
Nomenclature is a term that applies to either a list of names or terms, or to the system of principles, procedures and terms related to naming - which is the assigning of a word or phrase to a particular object or property...
published by ASRO.
Preparation
Traditionally, ţuică is prepared from early October until early December (after winemaking is complete). The process must generally be finished before ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, as not to leave unfinished business for the next year. If using plums, they must be left for fermentation (macerare) for 6–8 weeks, in large barrels (butoaie or căldări).
According to both tradition and Romanian standards (SR) distillation must be done in a brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
still
Still
A still is a permanent apparatus used to distill miscible or immiscible liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor...
(cazan, pictures at http://www.tuica.go.ro/images/Poze/DSC05410.JPG), using a traditional fire source (generally wood, but also charcoal). Distillation can be done inside a specially built barn (this is practised especially in Oltenia
Oltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
) or outdoors, usually on a hill (in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
).
The temperature is controlled traditionally by interpreting the sounds that the still makes and by tasting the brew at different points in the process. Usually, this process results in three grades of ţuică:
- very strong - distilled twice, generally a quarter of the production, and the first to come out of the still; about 55-60% alcohol by volume, being stronger than palinkaPalinkaPálinka or Palincă is a traditional fruit brandy made in regions of the Carpathian Basin. Modern commercial production occurs in Hungary, Romania and parts of Austria. It is commonly made from the fermentation of plums, but other fruits used include apricots, apples, pears, peaches and cherries...
; called făţată or întoarsă depending on the regions; the most famous ţuică being served before meal; in rural regions, it is habit to serve a guest with this drink. - normal (known as 'vodcă' after Russian vodkaVodkaVodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
) - the last to come from the still; between 20-30% alcohol;
After distillation, ţuică may be left to age between six months and ten years in oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
aging barrels (the result is pearlescent yellow, has a strong aroma, and is known as "old ţuică", ţuică bătrână), or it may be consumed immediately ("new ţuică", ţuică proaspătă). The people preparing ţuică are sometimes referred to as ţuicari, căzănari, cazangii, but this varies depending on geographical regions. Mixed with water, ţuică should never turn white or opaque.
Types
Most ţuică is moonshineMoonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
, prepared using traditional methods both for private consumption and for sale. Although this is illegal, the government tolerates the practice due to the traditional character of the beverage Most ţuică is sold in markets and fairs, and at roadsides, bottled in unlabeled PET bottles. Some communities have acquired production licences and produce it legally.
A famous type is "ţuica cu fruct." This is a glass bottle of ţuică containing a whole fruit (usually an apple or a pear). It is obtained by hanging empty bottles on trees in spring or early summer and growing the fruit inside the bottle.
The generic term "ţuică" comprises plum brandies (jinars, horincă, cocârţ, tura) and other fruit brandies. A specific nomenclature was created for ţuică, comprising varieties such as old, selected, superior, etc.
A simple classification of types of ţuică is :
- ţuică = a generic term for an alcoholic beverage distilled from fruit
- palincă = double-distilled plum brandy (a Hungarian term for strong fruit liquor — used mostly in TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
) - horincă = double-distilled plum brandy
- vin ars = a strong alcoholic beverage (i.e., brandyBrandyBrandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
) obtained by aging distilled wineWineWine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast... - făţată = the strongest kind, double-distilled (similar to horincă and palincă)
- frunte = the very first ţuică that comes out of the still during the distillation process; it has a unique taste and different strength than the rest
Consumption
Normally, ţuica is only consumed before the meal (traditionally every meal). In most cases, only a shot is served as it is too strong to be sipped. The drink is also present in all traditional parties (agape) such as weddings, baptisms, hunting parties, harvest festivals, religious holidays, family reunions, and wakes. In most of rural Romania, ţuică is the usual drink to hold a toast with, rather than wine, which is almost always consumed towards the end of the party. Usually it is drunk before meal, as it increases appetite.A modern portrayal of a modern village inhabitant almost always includes a bottle of ţuică. Production of ţuică can amount to up 5 kilolitres per family per year, as the plum tree is the most widely present tree in Romanian orchards (see also Agriculture in Romania
Agriculture in Romania
Romania has an agricultural capacity of approximately 14,7 million hectares, of which only 10 million are used as arable land. In November 2008, an evaluation revealed that 6.8 million hectares are not used....
). According to the 2002/2003 census, 143,167 farms had plum trees bearing fruit covering a total area of 554 km². According to the same census, about 75% of the crop ends up as ţuică.
See also
- PalinkaPalinkaPálinka or Palincă is a traditional fruit brandy made in regions of the Carpathian Basin. Modern commercial production occurs in Hungary, Romania and parts of Austria. It is commonly made from the fermentation of plums, but other fruits used include apricots, apples, pears, peaches and cherries...
, a Transylvanian and HungarianHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
drink, very similar to ţuică. Unlike ţuică, palinka is always distilled twice and usually is 52 to 60 proof. In many communities, especially in BihorBihor CountyBihor is a county of Romania, in Crişana, with capital city at Oradea. Together with Hajdú-Bihar County in Hungary it constitutes the Biharia Euroregion.-Demographics:...
and SălajSalaj CountySălaj is a county of Romania, in the historical regions of Crișana and Transylvania, with the capital city at Zalău.-Geography:Sălaj county has a total area of ....
(Romania), palinka is made alongside ţuică. - SlivovitzSlivovitzSlivovitz or Slivovitsais a distilled beverage made from Damson plums. It is frequently called plum brandy, and in the Balkans is part of the category of drinks called rakia...
, the national drink of SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... - Raki (alcoholic beverage)Raki (alcoholic beverage)Raki is a Turkish unsweetened, anise-flavored hard alcoholic drink that is popular in Turkey, Greece, Serbia, and other Balkan countries as an apéritif. It is often served with seafood or meze...
, a Turkish drink - RakiaRakiaRakia is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by distillation of fermented fruit; it is a popular beverage throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger . Prepečenica is double-distilled rakia which has an alcohol content that may...
, traditional Balkan drink (Slavic countries)