# Let's discuss Hard liquor around the world **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2005, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028 "2005-07-25T09:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/21 "2005-07-25T22:12:50Z")
> [@Tomcat](#): > > **Slivovice** is common to this area. You have heard of it called ‘Plum Brandy’ or ‘Pear Brandy’ or ??? this liquor is made from distilling different fruits into a strong, normally clear, drink. You could probably consider many drinks to fall into this category: **Grappa** is ‘Grape Brandy’, **Arak** from Indonesia is ‘Coconut Brandy’, etc. etc. I’m pretty sure _slivovica_ is specific to plum brandy, since _sliva_ is the root word and means “plum.” At least this is how it works in Polish and Croatian. I may be wrong, but I’ve never come across _slivovica/slivovitz/szliwowica_ as anything but plum brandy. Anyhow, variations of clear fruit-flavored (but not sweet) brandies are found throughout Europe. In Germany, they’re called schnapps. In Hungary, palinka (pear, peach, sour cherry, and plum versions being the most popular). In Croatia, rakija (slivovica being the main type consumed there). In Poland, wodka is used as a general term for grain and fruit distillates. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/22 "2005-07-25T22:29:58Z")
I’ve heard of something called Gin Long Drink which is very popular in Finland. Basically, it’s gin and grapefruit juice in a can. Just the thing for when you’re rolling down the street and smoking indo in Helsinki. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/23 "2005-07-26T08:47:58Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m pretty sure _slivovica_ is specific to plum brandy, since _sliva_ is the root word and means “plum.” At least this is how it works in Polish and Croatian. I may be wrong, but I’ve never come across _slivovica/slivovitz/szliwowica_ as anything but plum brandy. > > Anyhow, variations of clear fruit-flavored (but not sweet) brandies are found throughout Europe. In Germany, they’re called schnapps. In Hungary, palinka (pear, peach, sour cherry, and plum versions being the most popular). In Croatia, rakija (slivovica being the main type consumed there). In Poland, wodka is used as a general term for grain and fruit distillates. 100% right…mea culpa. The ending _-vice_ is what I meant to further expound upon. Hruskovice (pear brandy), Tresnovice (cherry), Merunkovice (apricots), even Pivovice which is distilled from beer mash! I LOVE the stuff…but man, it is strong and can hurt you in the morning. Less of a hangover than wine if poured drink for drink, but all too often once a bottle of Domaci Slivovice (homemade plum brandy) is cracked, that thing gets drained. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/24 "2005-07-26T12:32:47Z")
> [@Tomcat](#): > > 100% right…mea culpa. The ending _-vice_ is what I meant to further expound upon. Hruskovice (pear brandy), Tresnovice (cherry), Merunkovice (apricots), even Pivovice which is distilled from beer mash! Pivovice, huh? Is that anything at all like whiskey? (Because whiskey is essentially distilled unhopped beer). I’ll have to keep an eye out for it next time I’m in the area. I do love my slivovica, too. Most of my American friends think it’s the vilest stuff on earth, but, hey, more for me! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/25 "2005-07-26T12:38:09Z")
**Arak** (basically the same as ouzo) is popular throughout the Arab world, at least as far as any hard liquor can be popular in the Arab world. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/26 "2005-07-26T14:17:35Z")
I just wanted to mention Wodka, since it’s the coolest word ever. (Backstory: German exchange student is taken caving. We approach the mouth of a cave. “We can’t go in there. There are waampires.”) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/27 "2005-07-26T15:51:01Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > In Brazil there is a native liquor called “[Cachaca](http://www.cookbrazil.com/cachaca.htm)” (I’m not sure if I spelled that right) that is made from sugar cane. It is usually around 80 proof, and made from a different process than Rum. It’s used to make a traditional drink called “caipirinha” which is mashed lime, sugar and liquor. > > Speaking of Rum, that’s a “biggie” that is native to the Carribbean, I believe. Yes Cachaca is awesome. There is a cedilla on the last ‘c’. I believe it is pronounced ka-CHA-sa. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/28 "2005-07-26T16:02:30Z")
Hungarian Unicum is as near to medicinal as I like my alcohol to get. Aqvavit (I had the caraway one) is yummy. It was imbibed in scary quantities by my Norwegian former housemates. The big drink in large parts of Africa is corn beer, which, although not a distilled hard liquor, can be lethally intoxicating in its own right. Although I’ve had Goldschlager often (the cinnamon flavour schnapps with flakes of gold in it), it’s harder to find the much nicer Gold Wasser, which is a Polish vodka, and is sort of orange flavoured. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/29 "2005-07-26T16:51:42Z")
Didn’t notice _pisco_ as the Peruvian liquor mentioned yet. And there are a lot of liquers from different countries that haven’t come up. ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/30 "2005-07-26T17:50:34Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > In Brazil there is a native liquor called “[Cachaca](http://www.cookbrazil.com/cachaca.htm)” (I’m not sure if I spelled that right) that is made from sugar cane. It is usually around 80 proof, and made from a different process than Rum. It’s used to make a traditional drink called “caipirinha” which is mashed lime, sugar and liquor. And if made properly, are about the best alcholic drink I’ve ever had, and I’m typically a martini drinker. Our local Brazilian steakhouse has a server that goes around with a cart making these. Very, somewhat dangerously tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/31 "2005-07-26T18:23:19Z")
> [@Tomcat](#): > > **Absinthe** is a mixture of **Pernod** (French anise liquor) steeped with wormwood so the flavour and tujone (a pychotropic similar to marijuana in chemical form) give it an extra kick. The old recipes had over 200 p.p.m. of tujone, the ones these days have about 10 to 20 p.p.m. The reason why it has such a kick is that the alcohol content of the modern stuff is 70% (140 proof). Close. A pernod that has had wormwood steeped is not really considered an old school Absinthe, so much it would be an expensive way to do a maceration. Absinthe, done properly, has wormwood, white oak, anise, and a host of other herms all distilled togehter. Basically it is an herbal liquor, but with the thujone to give it a kick and the mystique of the forbiden, at least here in the states. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/32 "2005-07-26T18:25:41Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Didn’t notice _pisco_ as the Peruvian liquor mentioned yet. I did mention it above since I’ve an opened bottle currently sitting on the bar (plus the powdered stuff used to make fake “sour pisco”. I wondered if someone else knew it. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/33 "2005-07-26T18:59:39Z")
Manzana, wild apple liquor from the Basque region. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/34 "2005-07-26T19:21:18Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Am I the only person who doesn’t particularly like distilled liquor? No, you have plenty of soulmates. Not me, though. I love it. Gorolka is a Ukrainian hard liquor. It is kind of like honey-flavoured vodka. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/35 "2005-07-26T21:59:59Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > I don’t think it’s native because I don’t think the natives knew how to distill alcohol, but I can tell you that I enjoy Pisco a lot. It’s a spirit produced in Peru and Chile. This is what I opened the thread to mention. I had it for the first time a couple of years ago, at a house party hosted by a Peruvian student of my wife’s. He was very particular about explaining the difference between the Peruvian and Chilean varieties; he said Peru’s pisco was the “true” stuff, but he also allowed that someone would Chile would say the same about their own. Chile’s pisco is somewhat lighter and sweeter than the Peruvian version, he said, and then he poured me a shot of Peruvian pisco. Fuckin’ _rocket_ fuel, man. Damn. I went out and bought some a couple of months later. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/36 "2005-07-26T22:31:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Kummeling, and it’s charming drinking game that is designed to destroy your liver in order to complete the circle, is not. Dunno about Kummeling, but _kümmel_, the German (although I believe it was first made by the Dutch and then the Russians) liqueur flavored largely with caraway, cumin and sometimes fennel is widely available in the U.S. Gotta bottle in the freezer at home. If it ain’t ice cold, it’s simply not palatable. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/37 "2005-07-26T22:34:19Z")
I also remember buying a bottle of xtabentun in Mexico when I was last there. Another of the family of almost sickly-sweet anise liqueurs. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/38 "2005-07-26T23:06:48Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > He was very particular about explaining the difference between the Peruvian and Chilean varieties; he said Peru’s pisco was the “true” stuff, Yes, I got the same speech from the Peruvian shop-owner who sold me he bottle I currently have 😃 . Shame on me, I always had Chilean Pisco ( a friend of mine lives in Chile) and didn’t even know it was also produced in Peru. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/39 "2005-07-26T23:38:03Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > I just wanted to mention Wodka, since it’s the coolest word ever. Second. Second coolest. Coolest is “wodky”. 😃 Anyway, no native spirit styles in my part of the world. Traditionally Australian whisky was the cheapest slop you could get, but now you can get rotgut Scotch even cheaper, so that kinda died out. There is a niche market for high end single malts from Tasmania and elsewhere, but that’s pretty small. The main spirit distilled here is red rum. Some of it is very good apparently, but I wouldn’t know because I don’t like the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/40 "2005-07-27T09:41:23Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > Close. A pernod that has had wormwood steeped is not really considered an old school Absinthe, so much it would be an expensive way to do a maceration. > > Absinthe, done properly, has wormwood, white oak, anise, and a host of other herms all distilled togehter. Basically it is an herbal liquor, but with the thujone to give it a kick and the mystique of the forbiden, at least here in the states. [Interesting.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernod_Fils) I got my knowledge from an article written years ago…This explains it so much more. Neat, thanks! **pulykamell** , pivovice is not quite like whiskey…there is only one brewery in town that I’ve had it at- Pivovarsky Dum. They do a bunch of non-traditional beers there (banana beer, cherry) and other experiments- they also have a beer ‘champagne’ they call ‘S(h)amp’. I’d say pivovice is closer to an Aqvavit than to a whiskey. Definitely not a normal thing around here, but interesting. -Tcat [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028.md?page=3)