Yebiga Rakija Plum Brandy celebrates Serbian craftsmanship and tradition by way of darkish Balkan humor.
Yebiga is a feisty time period, roughly translated (Serbian-English) to “eh, screw it,” but outlined as nice consideration to care, craftsmanship, and tradition, in accordance with founder and importer Invoice Gould.
Yebiga Rakija is a prime conventional Serbian fruit brandy crafted with centuries of Balkan historical past (and humor) at coronary heart. It pays tribute to the passed-down distilling technique of the area’s premium brandy as a loyal supporter of hyper-local substances and typical Balkan satire.
“It’s [one] of these spirits that many have no idea about, although it has formed the [Balkan] tradition for the previous 800 years,” Gould mentions.
Whereas rakija (or rakia) will be distilled from totally different fruits, Yebiga presses ripe, regional plums from Šumadija with native mountain spring water and wild yeast. The primary aged expression, PRVA, arrived stateside in 2019 after an 18-month maceration in second-fill Serbian oak barrels. Seen on choose cabinets, the bottle label retains the Serbian-Croatian identify following a freakish picture of a ingesting elder—a nod to the “famed” funniness. Tasting notes embody vanilla, honey, blackcurrant, and different baking fruits.
“Drink it neat: for breakfast with espresso, within the afternoon with cheese and fatty meals, and at night time over lengthy conversations,” Gould suggests. “I’d say this is able to be the standard strategy.”
Yebiga is a spirit set for storytelling, greeting family members (and lovers), toasting to new achievements, and getting saucy at Sunday supper.
Partnering with acclaimed mixologist Naren Younger to curate signature cocktails that function Yebiga’s two rakijas, showcasing what the product is all about, full with uncommon names and enjoyable crammed cocktail pictures incorporating chickens. A nod to the darkish Balkan humor used all through the model’s complete identification.
Yebiga has introduced the true style of the Balkans to the US with two rakijas available on the market—PRVA and BELA:
PRVA (SRP $38.99) – Yebiga’s first expression to return stateside is a method that favors the Serbian strategies of beginning with contemporary, ripe plums home to the area, hand-plucked and barrel aged for 18 months.
BELA ($29.99) – Yebiga’s youngest expression. This rakija is lighter, freed from shade and completed in chrome steel. BELA is clean, scrumptious, and rustic, excellent for on a regular basis events and cocktail experimentation.
Stormy Vetar
Elements:
- 1 1/2 ozRakija Bela
- 1 1/2 oz. black pepper-infused dry vermouth
- 1 barspoon pickle juice
- Tiny pinch salt
Preparation: Stir and pressure with ice in a Martini glass. Garnish with pickled something!
