Rakia
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The drink rakia , rakija or brlja (in Cyrillic alphabet: ракия or ракија) is hard liquor similar to brandy and vodka, made from fruits that are popular throughout the Balkans. Its alcoholic contents is normally 40%, but in home-produced rakia it is higher.
Rakia is considered to be the national drink of Bulgaria where it is produced mainly from grapes. Slivovitz is the national drink of Serbia and is produced from plum.
There are many kinds of rakia, depending on the fruit they are produced from:
| Fruits | Rakija in the former Yugoslav countries | Rakia in Bulgaria |
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Some of the types of rakia/rakija are kept in wooden barrels (oak or mulberry) for an extra aroma and the colour (golden brownish).
Rakia/rakija is supposed to be drunk from the special small glasses (0.3 to 0.5 dl).
In Bulgaria it is generally served with Shopska salad, Milk salad or pickled vegetables. Other type of serving is "Greyana" rakia, where it is heated and sweetened with honey or sugar.
Limited amount of rakia/rakija is also healthy and protects from heart attacks.