Polish spirits

Everything you need to know about Polish strong alcohols...

The information presented in this article are my private feelings and do not represent any manufacturer. This article does not intend to promote alcohol among minors.

A bit of history

Polish history begins in the Middle Ages, about 1050 years ago. At the time, they drank mostly beer and mead.
Prince Leszek White did not participate in the crusade because of the lack in the countries of the East of beer and mead.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth century, each farm owned distilleries, often very primitive, which were driven vodka. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century there was coercion drinking as a law since 1768. For work paid alcohol. To this day, it is customary. Vodka generally regarded as the golden means to treat all sorts of diseases, it was given even restless infants.

In 1978, a single point of sale of alcohol falls to 631 people, making Poland the country the best-stocked in the liquor in the entire continent ...

Some of manners

1. Each nobleman have to drew up a tincture.
2. One customary rights becomes known. litkup - transaction is considered invalid until it is "covering" in the inn.
3. Strzemienny - One for the road an old Polish toast erected at the departure of guests. The name comes from the fact that it was drunk at the time, when leaving put a foot in the stirrup. Still practiced
4. If the noble daughter was born, christening drank Hungarian wine barrel, which then poured alcohol and buried. As daughter got married, barrel dug ...
5. Bruderszaft - ceremony preceding the passage of the participants on you (by name), giving the salutations Mr., Mrs. It takes place often with common drinking a glass of alcohol. Sometimes, however, less and less, is added to the kiss.
   
   By Walek UO - Praca własna, Domena publiczna,
6. Karniak - penalty shot (Portion of vodka for latecomers).

Types of strong polish spirits

1. Vodkas

• pure vodkas like Wyborowa, Luksusowa (potato), Sobieski. Pan Tadeusz etc.
• colored vodka - made from rectified spirit, water, plant extracts, essential oils, sugar, etc.
• hooch (bimber) - high-proof alcoholic drink produced in amateur conditions.
  
  By Flominator - Praca własna, CC BY-SA 3.0,

In May 2012, the Polish Sejm adopted a definition of "Polish Vodka", a drink produced in Polish from cereals or potatoes cultivated in Poland

2. Tinctures

Alcoholic extracts of fruits, roots, flowers or herbs (or mixture of components), typically about 40-45 per cent alcohol. They shall be made in the process of maceration, or by flooding the components alcohol. They can be sweetened syrup.

CC BY-SA 3.0,

3. Meads

Traditional alcoholic drink resulting from the fermentation of honey wort, usually lime. Manufacturing and consumed since the Middle Ages, among others, Poland and Lithuania. Since 2008. Polish meads are registered by the European Commission as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed.

By Skitof - Praca własna, Domena publiczna,

Honey divided depending on the degree of dilution: połtorak ( (58-61 °Blg) - 1 barrel fo honey for half barrel of water, dwojniak (48-50 °Blg), trojniak (34-36 °Blg), czworniak (25-28 °Blg).

What to drink

if you want to try Polish flavors

Number one - "Wyborowa"

By Kamil Śliwiński, Pernod Ricard Poland - CC BY-SA 2.5,

Pure vodka. It tastes best firmly frozen.

Number two "Żubrówka"

By CEDC International Sp. z o.o. - Materiały promocyjne CEDC International Sp. z o.o., CC BY-SA 3.0 pl,

Flavored vodka distilled on the basis of rye containing 38% alcohol for flavored vodkas and 40% pure. Rye rectified spirit is mixed with fragrant brew with a bison grass (Hierochloe odorata) - a species of grass known colloquially Zubrowka, growing in the forests of the Bialowieza Forest. Each original bottle of Zubrowka contains one blade of grass, which does not affect the taste and color.
There are many varieties of bison. If you want to know the traditional flavor, keep up with the original grass version.
Best to drink with apple juice and ice - popularly known as "tatanka".

Number three "Żołądkowa Gorzka"

By Ormowiec - Praca własna, CC BY-SA 3.0,

It has a bitter-sweet taste and distinctive aroma. It is created with the infusion of dried fruit and mixed herbs and roots. It is an alcoholic beverage, which is aged before being bottled.
Recommended for stomach pains or just one shot for taste.
Currently, there are many variants of this alcohol.

Krupnik

By Mohylek - Praca własna, GFDL,

Sweet tincture of honey and spicy taste, which is based on an old Polish recipe from the seventeenth century. So in novadays, You can find also pure vodka called "krupnik".
You do not have to be cooled. Good for lunch.

Others similar: rosolis, goldwasser (with gold flakes).

By © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5,

Śliwowica łącka (slivovitz)

By Goku122 - Praca własna, GFDL,

Type of plum brandy produced and distributed outside the regular market, a strong alcoholic drink (70%) produced in the traditional way with plums, primarily with a variety of Hungarian Normal. It has a distinctive yellowish color and smell of plums. This drink is produced in the municipality of Łącko, located on the edge of the Beskid Sadecki and Wyspowy.
Drink carefully, you will not know when you get drunk.

Honeys and Tinctures

By Stormbringer76 - Praca własna, Domena publiczna,

There are many types of these drinks. Just try mead type "trojniak" or higher, to learn the characteristic taste of mead.

Sources:

• krotka-historia-pijanstwa-w-polsce
• historia-produkcji-alkoholu-w-polsce
• brudershaft
• Wikipedia.pl

Write in the comments what you think of Polish alcohols.