Top 7+1 tips before drinking pálinka
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Most of Hungarians are very proud of the nation’s alcoholic drink, pálinka. But let’s be honest: Not everyone likes it, either Hungarian or foreigner. Maybe the taste, or the smell, or the destroying aftermath of pálinka is not for you, or maybe all these together. But if you have these 7+1 pálinka-drinking standards in your mind, then you can avoid the ‘get over with this pálinka shot ASAP’ effect.
Almost two years ago, divany.hu posted an article about a pálinka that was ‘finally good indeed’ – according to the author – and they gathered 8 pieces of advice, before drinking pálinka. Let’s see 7 + 1 tips on how to find the best quality pálinka, or how to prevent finding a low-quality of the drink.
#0: “Pálinka with soda is better than whiskey and soda. Pálinka is better into tea, than rum”.
This one is not really a tip, rather a good-to-know fact about the drink.
The quote was said by Welsh prince Edward in the 1930’s in Kecskemét. At this time pálinka was considered luxury. Since then, a lot of people think that pálinka is something not luxurious, a strong alcoholic drink just ‘to get over with as fast as you can’. The reason is, a lot of pálinkas are irritatingly smelly, unbearably hot for the throat and not too tasty at all, yet, at least it has its strong kick-in in the head effect when drinking. Unfortunately, according to the article, pálinka about 80-90 years ago was tastier than today. But if you know more about pálinka, the more chances there are to prevent you from low-quality ones. There are definately great pálinkas out there! 🙂
#1: You should feel the fruit, not acetone!
‘There are three phases of fermentation – pre-distillate, mid-distillate and late-distillate’ – says pálinka distillerry owner Gábor Czakó.
In people’s belief pálinka is always undrinkably strong and has no taste or scent. If it is so, then most probably the gathered fruits were not kept under a temperature between 15-18° Celsius or the cooking machines were not appropriate. When the pre-pálinka mash is kept above 20° or even 30° Celsius the mash starts to get into the pre-distillate phase, which is not ideal for the pálinka at all – tells expert. Another important factor in the ‘Good Pálinka’ making is to be made of pure and ripe fruits, never make it out of already rotten or moldy fruits, that makes it untasty and too strong. So everytime you drink them make sure to ask the provider what method they used and was the pálinka kept on a cool temperature!
#2: Cheaper isn’t always better! (Try to avoid ‘kerítésszaggató’!)
If you have thought that pálinka must be cheap always, you (and we) have known it wrong. A good-quality pálinka is quite expensive because of the much amount of ripe fruit and the professional fermentation process in the distilleries. A half litre great-quality raspberry pálinka’s cost must start at 13 thousand Forints, but other fruits, like peach, plum, pear can go cheaper, around 5-6 thousand Forints must be assumed to great-quality drinks. Never go too low in price, if you want your stomach to thank you later.
