Ouzo

An ouzo bottle

Ouzo(Greek:ούζο,IPA:[ˈuzo]) is a dryanise-flavoredaperitifthat is widely consumed inGreece.It is made fromrectified spiritsthat have undergone a process ofdistillationand flavoring. Its taste is similar to other anise liquors likepastis,sambuca,mastika,rakı,andarak.

History

Ouzo has its roots intsipouro,which is said to have been the work of a group of 14th-century monks onMount Athos.One version of it was flavored withanise.This version eventually came to be called ouzo.

Modern ouzo distillation largely took off at the beginning of the 19th century followingGreek independence.The first ouzo distillery was founded inTyrnavosin 1856 by Nikolaos Katsaros, giving birth to the famous ouzo Tyrnavou. Whenabsinthefell into disfavor in the early 20th century, ouzo was one of the products whose popularity rose to fill the gap; it was once called "a substitute for absinthe without thewormwood".In 1932, ouzo producers developed a method of distillation usingcopperstillsthat is now the standard method of production. One of the largest producers of ouzo today isVarvayanis(Βαρβαγιάννης),located in the town ofPlomariin the southeast portion of the island ofLesbos,while in the same townPitsiladi(Πιτσιλαδή), a variety of high-quality ouzo, is also distilled.

Ouzo is usually mixed with water,becoming cloudy white,sometimes with a faint blue tinge, and served with ice cubes in a small glass. Ouzo can also be drunk straight from ashot glass.

Ouzo is often served with a small plate of a variety of appetizers calledmezes,usually small fresh fish, fries, olives, andfeta cheese.Ouzo can be described to have a similar taste to absinthe which is licorice-like, but smoother.

On October 25, 2006, Greece won the right to label ouzo as an exclusively Greek product.TheEuropean Unionnow recognizes ouzo, as well as the Greek drinkstsipouroandtsikoudia,as products with aProtected Designation of Origin,which prohibits European makers other than Greece andCyprusfrom using the name.

There is an ouzo museuminPlomari,Lesvos.

Name

The origin of the name "ouzo" is disputed. A popular derivation is from theItalian"uso Marsiglia" —for use in Marseille—stamped on selected silkworm cocoons exported fromTyrnavosin the 19th century. According to anecdote, this designation came to stand for "superior quality", which the spirit distilled as ouzo was thought to possess.

A bottle ofOuzo Plomari

During a visit to Thessaly in 1896, the late professorAlexander Philadelpheusdelivered to us valuable information on the origins of the word "ouzo", which has come to replace the word "tsipouro". According to the professor, tsipouro gradually became ouzo after the following event: Thessaly exported fine cocoons to Marseilles during the 19th century, and in order to distinguish the product, outgoing crates would be stamped with the words "uso Marsiglia" —Italian for "to be used in Marseille". One day, the Ottoman Greek consulate physician, named Anastas (Anastasios) Bey, happened to be visiting the town of Tyrnavos and was asked to sample the localtsipouro.Upon tasting the drink, thephysicianimmediately exclaimed: "This isuso Marsiglia,my friends "—referring to its high quality. The term subsequently spread by word of mouth, untiltsipourogradually became known as ouzo.

—The Times of Thessaly,1959

However, the major Greek dictionaries derive it from the Turkish wordüzüm'grape'.

Preparation

Ouzo brands inLesbos

Ouzo production begins with distillation in copper stills of 96%alcohol by volume(ABV)rectified spirit.Anise is added, sometimes with other flavorings such asstar anise,fennel,mastic,cardamom,coriander,cloves,andcinnamon.The flavoring ingredients are often closely guarded company "recipes", and distinguish one ouzo from another.The result is a flavored alcoholic solution known asflavored ethyl alcohol,or more commonly asouzo yeast—μαγιά ούζουin Greek—the term for "yeast" being used by Greeks metaphorically to denote that it serves as the starting point for ouzo production.

Theouzo yeastis then distilled. After several hours of distillation, a flavored distillate of approximately 80% ABV is produced. The spirit at the beginning of the distillation (heads) and end (tails) is usually removed to avoid light and heavy alcohols and aromatics. The heads and tails are usually mixed and distilled again. The product of this second distillation can be used to produce a different quality ouzo.

This technique of double-distillation is used by some distillers to differentiate their products.

Makers of high-quality "100% from distillation" ouzo proceed at this stage with water dilution, bringing the ouzo to its final ABV. But most producers combine the "ouzo yeast" with less expensive ethyl alcohol flavored with 0.05 percent naturalanethole,before water dilution. Greek law dictates that in this case the ouzo yeast cannot be less than 20 percent of the final product.

Sugar may be added before water dilution, which is done mostly with ouzo from Southern Greece.

The final ABV is usually between 37.5 and 50 percent; the minimum allowed is 37.5 percent.

Ouzo production itself does not involve fermentation.

Aperitif drink

In modern Greece,ouzeries(the suffix -erie is imported fromFrench,like inBoulangerieorPâtisserie) are common throughout Greece.Thesecafé-like establishments serve ouzo withmezedes.It is traditionally slowly sipped (usually mixed with water or ice) together withmezedesshared with others over a period of several hours in the early evening.

In other countries, it is tradition to have ouzo in authentic Greek restaurants as an aperitif, served in a shot glass and deeply chilled before the meal is started. No water or ice is added but the drink is served very cold, enough to make some crystals form in the drink as it is served.

Cocktails

Ouzo is not used in many mainstream cocktail drinks, although in Cyprus it does form the basis of a cocktail called anOuzini.

Appearance

Main article:Ouzo effect

Ouzo is a clear liquid. However, when water or ice is added, ouzo turns a milky-white colour. This is becauseanethole,theessential oilofanise,is completely soluble in alcohol at approximately 38% ABV and above, but not inwater.Diluting the spirit causes it toseparate,creating anemulsionwhose fine dropletsscatterthe light. This process is calledlouchingand is also seen while preparingabsinthe.

Drinks with a similar flavour

See also:List of liqueurs § Anise-flavored liqueurs

Similar aperitifs includesambuca(fromItaly),pastis(fromFrance),oghi(fromArmenia),rakı(fromTurkey), andarak(from theLevant). Itsaniseedflavour is also similar to the anise-flavoured liqueur ofanís(Spain) and the stronger spirits ofabsinthe(fromFranceandSwitzerland).Aguardiente(from Latin America), made from sugar cane, is also similar. The Italian drinkPallini Mistra,named after the Greek city ofMystrasin thePeloponneseis a version of ouzo made inRomethat closely resembles Greek and Cypriot ouzo.

In Bulgaria and North Macedonia, the similar beverage is calledmastika(Macedonian:Мастика/Bulgarian:Мастика), a name that is shared by the distinct Greek liquormastikawhich is flavored withmasticcrystals. Most commonly it is consumed as anaperitif,usually poured over ice to release its aroma and flavors, and enjoyed withmeze.Containing 43–45%alcohol,it has a hot taste, not unlike that of brandy, and is usually made from grapes. In North Macedonia, mastika has traditionally been made in theStrumicaarea.

See also

• Greek food products
• Cuisine of Greece
• Rakı

External links

• OUZO:more than 600 labels of ouzo and 200 distilleries.
• Ouzo Barbayanni| Greek Ouzo Liquor Plomari Lesvos Greece