Bulgaria

wine

Grape growing and wine production have a long history in Bulgaria, dating back to the times of the Thracians. Wine is, together with beer and grape rakia, among the most popular alcoholic beverages in the country.

Some of the well known local wine varieties are Mavrud, Pamid, Gamza red dry, Melnik, Dimyat, Misket, Muskat, Pelin, Kadarka red sweet and Keratsuda white dry.

spirits

Rakia ракия is the Bulgarian national alcoholic drink and is served neat, usually at the beginning of a meal with salads. Its powerful 40% vol, clear brandy that can be made from grape, plum or apricot. In some villages people still distill their rakia at home; it is then usually much stronger >50% vol.

Another quite popular drink is mastika мастика 47% vol, a drink closely related to Greek Ouzo and Turkish Raki. It is usually drunk with ice, with water in a 1:1 mixture.

Menta мента is a peppermint liqueur that can be combined with mastika.

beer

Beer bira: бира is consumed all around the country. Excellent local varieties like Kamenitza, Zagorka, Ariana, Pirinsko and Shumensko, as well as Western European beers produced under license in Bulgaria like Tuborg, Heineken and Amstel, are readily available mostly everywhere.

non-alcoholic

There are more than six hundred mineral water springs around the country, so this is something you'd better taste and drink. In some regions tap water is not safe to drink.

Ayrian yogurt, water and salt and boza millet ale are two traditional Turkish non-alcoholic beverages that you can also find in Bulgaria widely.