Arto’s Traditional Turkish Raki

[artooks]

Well this is the one that is used in Raki but I really wondered do you have a pic of that anise that you can show.

[Oldvine Zin]

Arto,
I have great memories of the Raki and the spice bazaar from my last visit to Istanbul. You are fortunate to to live in such a great country.

OVZ

OK some of the post Raki drinking memories have vanished

[NZChris]

Well this is the one that is used in Raki but I really wondered do you have a pic of that anise that you can show.

This one; https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=star+ ... 44&bih=707

[Oldvine Zin]

Well this is the one that is used in Raki but I really wondered do you have a pic of that anise that you can show.

This one; https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=star+ ... 44&bih=707

From my experience in cooking both have the same flavor profile, the star anise is a bit more potent so less is needed

OVZ

[Kareltje]

As far as I know anise seed is indigenous in the Mediterranean and star anise is not, so I was surprised to read the recipe with its emphasize on star anise. Seeing the picture posted by artooks I was reassured: correct seed, mistake/mistranslation in name.

By the way artook: I did not want to offend you, I was just surprised to see happy drinking of alcohol in an islamic country. Although the making of raki seems to be widespread in the Middle East.

[artooks]

Kareltje I was not offended by any means, unfortunately many people has the same reaction but the reality is completely different, I was just trying to tell you this that is all.

[artooks]

Hi guys I cannot edit my recipe, I searched it and found that I can only edit a couple of times, but I do not know the reason for that, is there a way that I can do it ?

[Oldvine Zin]

Hi guys I cannot edit my recipe, I searched it and found that I can only edit a couple of times, but I do not know the reason for that, is there a way that I can do it ?

Arto,
Maybe it would be better for those of us following this thread if You made a new post every time you changed your recipe, that way we could follow your changes. I for one rarely go back to the first post of a thread that I'm following, hell I didn't know that you had changed anything in your recipe until I read your last post.

Keep posting
OVZ

[artooks]

Thank you Oldvine Zin, you are right I just thought it would be easier for people to go to the first post and read it but I will do it like that

[NZChris]

Once several people have tried it, you might be able to get it included in the T&T section.

I'm sure I can create a very good version of Raki from what you have told us. If I manage to grow sufficient anise next summer I'll try making some based on your method.

[artooks]

Hi Guys,

I am thinking to use this in the boiler for herbs, do you think this will be a good choice ?

[just sayin]

Arto, I see the star anise you had been referring to is not the star shaped spice named "star anise" from China and Vietnam. It is harvested from a tree- Illicium verum, a whole different spice with a similar flavor profile, both species get much of their aroma and flavor from the same compound: anethole.

[artooks]

Hi Just Saying yes that is true it is not the star shaped anise, the latin name for the anise seed that has been used in Raki is " Pimpinella anisum "
I will update the recipe.

[artooks]

Arto’s Traditional Turkish Rakı (Recipe for 6 Gallons – 25 Litre) Updated - 20.06.2017

Ingredients

For 25 Lt Mash

• 10 Kg Dried Seedless Sultana Raisins
• 13lt Water ( After adding the raisind top up to 25 lt)
• 1.5-2 Lemon Juice
• 15 Gram Wine Yeast
• Anise Seed ( 100 Grams for every 1 lt of %50 ABV alcohol
• Raw Sugar ( 5-10 Grams for every 1 lt of %50 ABV alcohol


1) Bring 13 lt of drinking water to boil and pour it over 10kg of seedless dried Sultana raisins in a basket, this will soften the raisins and also will sterilize them,
keep them in this water for 2 days, at the end they will get swell and soft.
2) Take the raisins out and put them into a food processor or meat mincer and run it add a little bit of the grape mash liquid to make them even softer and easier to be
processed. Then add the processed raisins and the 13 lt of water which has been kept for 2 days, to the fermentation vessel
3) Take a 1 lt jar and fill with a glass of water that has been kept for 2 days and add the 15 Gr Wine yeast (Check yeast specs for adding the right amount), and stir the yeast
with a spoon to dissolve it, leave it for 18 hrs for the yeast to get active, multiply and to adjust to the environment.
4) Top up the fermentation vessel to 25 litres, add 2 lemon juice and pour the yeast on top.
5) During fermentation, the daily maintenance of the grapes should be done day and night, there will be grapes which will float on the top, open the lid of the fermenter
push them down and stir a little bit, otherwise, they will get dry and mold will for on the parts that exposed to air. Do this for 4-5 days.
6) Fermentation Temperature should be between 25-30 Degrees Celcius, the fermentation will be over in 7-10 days check the air bubbles, if you see no bubbles, the
fermentation is over.
7) Once the fermentation is over filter out all the marc and add the filtered liquid back into the mash and do a cold crash at 4-5 degrees Celcius, for the sediment to settle
down.
8 ) FG should be at 0.990
9 ) Syphon the wash to the boiler, without disturbing the yeast cake and start distillation.


1st Distillation ( Separating the Alcohol )

• Distillation must be done in a Pot-Still.
• Pour in the grape wash in the boiler.
• Add some copper mesh in the column.
• Distillation must be done slowly.
• No cuts in 1st Distillation
• Charge the boiler and once you see a few drops dial it back and distil the alcohol.
• Taste it from time to time once you see the alcohol content has gotten less, stop the distillation.


2nd Distillation – Maceration with Anise Seed

• Calculate the ABV of the Alcohol if it is above %50 ABV dilute it to %50 ABV.
• Calculate how much %50 ABV you have lets say we have 2 lt of %50 ABV
• For every 1 lt of %50 ABV Raki add 100 gram Anise Seed (Star Anise originally) for example if you have 4lt of alcohol at 90 ABV
that means 7.2 lt fnished product at %50 ABV
• Let it Macerate at room temperature for 2 days in the boiler
• Add the anise seed, in beer hop sacks or put the seeds in a porcelain bowl inside the boiler to avoid scorching.
• Dilute the alcohol to %45 ABV before starting the run.
• Add some copper mesh in the column.
• Start distillation very slowly
• Calculate the alcohol content if we have 2 lt of %50 ABV it means we have 1 litre of Pure Alcohol, so from there take 3% as foreshots, 17% Heads, %60 Hearts ( This is the
part which will be used) and %20 tails, but the cut is done best at smelling and tasting the spirit, collecting it in small jars and aerate for 1 day.
but the above will give a rough indication in percentages.
• The hearts will be collected around 80% ABV dilute it to 50% ABV But also some pre tails also needed to increase the anise taste so at 38% ABV the distilate will be coming cloudy, collect this part
in small jars and add adjust the anise taste according to your liking.
• Before dilution, add 5-10 grams of granulated sugar for every 1 lt of %50 ABV by melting the sugar in the water, which will be used later for dilution.
• Let it sit for 5 weeks.
• Enjoy – Raki tends to go cloudy if it is below 38% ABV – Rakı is enjoyed with 1 part raki and 1 part water – and plain water in another glass, take one sip from raki then
drink a little bit of water.

Arto

[artooks]

Just doing a new batch wanted to share some photos

[artooks]

The fermentation stage and FG:1.000

[artooks]

Its time to strain the was the bit that I do not enjoy most

[artooks]

Tomorrow I will be doing my first distillation lets see how it will go

[raketemensch]

Great stuff, man. That’s some really dark wash, I bet the flavor will be very intense.

[jonnys_spirit]

Thanks for this one Arto!

I read through both this and your “Easy Raki” and made up a nice small batch of this using a grape brandy as the base spirit. The only thing I did outside of the recipe was to macerate a few cinnamon sticks and a big chunk of oak in with the brandy and I used ground anise seed plus star anise. Anise came over early in the spirit run and cinnamon later. Made a bottle if 120 proof + 6g sugar and just add water when I sip it. Anise and Cinnamon are both quite strong and yes it louches in the glass with water. I’ll definitely do similar again maybe stronger on the anise.

Cheers!
-j

[WaWalky]

[media][/media]

What Arto posted is anise-seed. Star-anise is from a complete different plant.

[Saltbush Bill]

What Arto posted is anise-seed. Star-anise is from a complete different plant.

If you go back to the very beginning of this thread and read you will find this written by Artooks.
Quote: "For every 1 lt of %50 ABV Raki add 100 gram Anise Seed (Star Anise originally)"

[Photoguy-70]

Am a little late but better than never. Thanks Artois for the recipe. Made a small amount while ago and liked it very much.

Now I'm working on a larger batch . Hope to make couple of liters as the first was just a teaser. Lol.

[savadrava]

Arto--love the rakı recipe. I've done a couple runs recently where in addition to the anise, I also macerated sultanas, 250g/l of neutral. It added a nice and subtle flavor that makes a nod to original recipes!