Nalewka Babuni : malinowa

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skunkboy

NewBee
Registered Member
May 30, 2005
2,003
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Between Jackson and Detroit
200 ml bottle of 18% raspberry mead?

http://www.henkell-polska.pl/page_nalewka_babuni.html

I assume it is mead because it was in with mead in a beer and wine shop. Although the translation seems to indicate dessert wine, and not a mead??

tastes like sweet alcohol and raw raspberry juice

Either way good thing the bottle was only like $5.00 not the greatest stuff, too sweet/artificial tasting...
 
It is not a mead. Nalewki (plural of nalewka) are traditional Polish infusion liqueurs. The ingredients are typically herbs, spices and/or fruit. They are infused in distilled neutral spirits (vodka), sweetened (in this particular case with honey instead of sugar), and cut to the desired proof with water. This one that you happened on is made with cherries and raspberries.
 
It is not a mead. Nalewki (plural of nalewka) are traditional Polish infusion liqueurs. The ingredients are typically herbs, spices and/or fruit. They are infused in distilled neutral spirits (vodka), sweetened (in this particular case with honey instead of sugar), and cut to the desired proof with water. This one that you happened on is made with cherries and raspberries.

I remember those "neutral spirits" you're talking about. I had a Polish girlfriend back in New York (many trips to Green point to get the best sausages I've ever had) and he used to get this stuff that came in smaller (maybe 500ml?) bottles that was 96% alcohol. He would put some kind of berry in it to steep and then throw it in the freezer. It was amazingly able to get one "pichka" (one of the only words I remember, although that's a phonetic spelling) If I recall...It has a two word name... "Spyritus...something"

I belive it means "You're gonna forget why everyone is mad at you" in Polish.
 
FWIW, the homemade nalewki are usually much higher proof than those things they sell in the store. Poles are fairly adept at figuring out how to minimize the overall costs for producing any commercial item, and anything sold as a "liqueur" is taxed in the US at a much higher rate than a fortified wine. Hence, the imported nalewki available commercially are around 18% ABV, but the stuff we make at home -- easily double that.

If you are skilled at nalewka production, you can make a beverage that is so well balanced with sweet, tart, spice and the like that you'll only figure out you've gotten yourself completely hammered after the third or fourth glass. That's why we serve it in small sipping glasses, and it is usually only brought out for special occasions! ;)
 
FWIW, the homemade nalewki are usually much higher proof than those things they sell in the store. Poles are fairly adept at figuring out how to minimize the overall costs for producing any commercial item, and anything sold as a "liqueur" is taxed in the US at a much higher rate than a fortified wine. Hence, the imported nalewki available commercially are around 18% ABV, but the stuff we make at home -- easily double that.

If you are skilled at nalewka production, you can make a beverage that is so well balanced with sweet, tart, spice and the like that you'll only figure out you've gotten yourself completely hammered after the third or fourth glass. That's why we serve it in small sipping glasses, and it is usually only brought out for special occasions! ;)

Yeah well my girlfriend's father used to call me over to the bar (nicest finished basement in Queens, NY..full wet bar. The guy could have opened for business) for a shot of Wyborowa 100 proof which IMO is the smoothest vodka I've ever had.

Mr. Funny called me over one day and had two shots all set up with the regular vodka bottle on the bar. I take the shot and proceed to make a face that made everyone bust out laughing. He had substituted pure spirit for the Wyborowa. :eek: I figure he must have diluted it a little... but maybe not. My girlfriend had a glass of water at the ready. I would have been mad if it hadn't been stuffed cabbage night. (and that's what we had for dinner too... nudge nudge)
 
Family secret. ;)

Seriously, PM me and we can exchange emails. I can email you the recipe I use for a similar drink. That goes for anyone else who wants it, too. I'd post it here, but it really isn't a mead and I don't want to clutter up the site with non-mead info.