 Arak with water and ice | |
| Type | Spirit |
|---|---|
| Origin | Levant |
| Colour | Transparent to translucent |
| Ingredients | Anise |
| Related products | Rakı,absinthe,ouzo,pastis,sambuca,aragh sagi,Arkhi,soju |
Arak oraraq (Arabic:عرق,Hebrew:ערק), is a distilledLevantinespirit of theanise drinks family.
Arak is traditionally made ofgrapes andaniseed (the seeds of the anise plant); when crushed, their oil provides arak with a slightlicorice taste.[1]Dates,figs, and other fruits are sometimes added.[2]
Typically, arak is a minimum of 50%alcohol by volume (ABV), and can be up to 70% ABV (140proof).[2] A 53% ABV is considered typical.[3][4]
The wordarak comes fromArabicʿaraq (عرق, meaning 'perspiration').[5] Its pronunciation varies depending on the regionalvarieties of Arabic, e.g.:[ˈʕæræʔ] or[ˈʕæræɡ].[citation needed]
Arak is a traditional alcoholic beverage ofthe Levant andEastern Mediterranean.[2][6] It is distilled and consumed across a wide area in the Middle East,[2][7] including inLebanon,[8][9][10]Syria,[11]Jordan,[12]Egypt,Iraq,Palestine andIsrael.
Arak is a strongerflavored liquor and is usually mixed in proportions of approximately one part arak to two parts water in a traditional Eastern Mediterranean water vessel called anibrik (Arabic:إبريقibrīq), fromMiddle Persian orParthian*ābrēz.[13] The mixture is then poured into ice-filled cups, usually small, but can also be consumed in regular sized cups. This dilution causes the clear liquor to turn a translucent milky-white color; this is becauseanethole, the essential oil of anise, is soluble in alcohol but not in water. This results in an emulsion whose fine droplets scatter the light and turn the liquid translucent, a phenomenon known as theouzo effect.
Arak is often served withmeze, which may include dozens of small traditional dishes, as well as with grilled meat.[4][14][15] It is also commonly served as anapéritif.[6]
Arak is often called thenational drink of Lebanon.[16] Largely made from theMarawi and Obaidehgrape varieties, a center of production is theBekaa Valley, particularly theKefraya,Ksara, Domaine des Tourelles, andMassaya vineyards.[16]Zahlé, where Arak Zahlawi is produced, is considered a capital of arak.[12] The water used in the production of Arak Zahlawi is traditionally drawn from the Berdawni River.[12]
In Syria arak is common. Before the outbreak of theSyrian Civil War in 2011, production was dominated by two state-run firms, Al-Rayan (based in the city ofSweida) and Al-Mimas (based in a Christian settlement nearHoms). Together, the two companies held about 85% of Syria'smarket share in arak. Since the civil war, however, the companies' profits and the price of arak have declined, with their combined market share falling to under half.[11] Low-quality counterfeits also proliferated, using pure alcohol (rather than fermented grapes) and an aniseed substitute (rather than real aniseed).[11]
Iraq formerly manufactured arak, including inBashiqa in northern Iraq, but most arak production facilities shut down in the 2010s.[17] Arak is distilled and consumed by Iraq'sYazidi andChristian minorities, although many members of these groups fled afterISIL seized control of large portions of northern Iraq in 2014.[18] Amid a rise inIslamic conservatism, theIraqi parliament passed a ban on the importing, manufacturing, and sale ofalcoholic beverages in 2016, prompting protests from Iraqi non-Muslims and rights activists.[17][19] The ban wasnot enforced until it wasofficially gazetted in 2023, triggering border crackdowns.[19] The ban is not enforced in Iraq's autonomousKurdistan Region.[19]
During theage of austerity in the early years of theState of Israel, arak (in Hebrew, ערק) was locally made, with few imports. The core market for arak was among older, working-class Israelis, and the drink was not favored among younger and modern Israelis. In the first two decades of the 21st century, however, arak had a resurgence in popularity.[12] Arak also continues to be popular amongMoroccan Jews in Israel, some of whom regard arak as havingfolk medicine properties.[12]
Israeli tax reforms in 2013 substantially increased thealcohol tax, and this led to consolidation of the arak market.[12] The most popular producer is Joseph Gold & Sons, a winery established in 1824 inHaifa by the Gold family, which formerly made vodkain Ukraine before establishing an arak distillery inIsrael. The winery, having moved later toTirat Carmel outside Haifa, produces different arak brands, including Elite Arak, Alouf Arak, and Amir Arak.[12] Other major arak producers includeBarkan Wine Cellars (which produces Arak Ashkelon) and Kawar Distillery (which produces Arak Kawar, Arak Yuda, and Arak Noah).[12] After theIsraeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, some formerSouth Lebanon Army members who settled in Israel began to produce arak using Lebanese (Zahlé) methods.[12][20]
Arak is locally produced byPalestinian Christians.[21] TheWest Bank city ofRamallah is a center of arak distillation.[22][23] Imports of arak from Palestinian Territories within Israel to the U.S. increased after imports of Syrian arak were disrupted by theSyrian civil war.[3]
Several arak brands are produced outside of theEastern Mediterranean. TheSudanesearaqi is a similar drink.[2] Arak is also produced innorth Africa.[2] The Arak Carmel brand is produced in Spain, while the Arak Julenar brand is produced by anIraqi in Greece.[12]
Arak was once produced inIran, until it was banned following the 1979Iranian Revolution.[24]Iranian Armenians locally manufacture black-market arak in Iran,[24][25] and some foreign brands are also smuggled in the country.[24] A locally made Iranian arakmoonshine,aragh sagi, is made from fermented raisins; in 2020 it sold on the black market for about US$10 for 1.5 liters.[26]
The Persian Empire Distillery, established in 2006 by aShiraz-bornPersian Canadian entrepreneur, distills an arak brand, Arak Saggi, at its distillery inPeterborough,Ontario.[24]
Arak has achieved popularity among consumers in theNorth Caucasus area of Russia.[27]
Arak is very similar to other anise-based spirits, including the Turkishrakı, the Greekouzo and[2][6]tsikoudia,[3] the Italiansambuca andanisette, the Bulgarian and Macedonianmastika, and the Spanishanís.[6] However, it is unrelated to the similarly namedarrack, asugarcane-based Indonesian liquor.[2]
Manufacturing begins with the vineyards, and quality grapevines are the key to making good arak.[28] The vines should be very mature and usually of a golden color. Instead of being irrigated, the vineyards are left to the care of the Mediterranean climate and make use of the natural rain and sun. The grapes, which are harvested in late September and early October, are crushed and put in barrels together with the juice (in Arabicel romeli) and left to ferment for three weeks. Occasionally the whole mix is stirred to release the CO2.
Bothpot stills andcolumn stills are used.[2] Stills are usually made of stainless steel or copper. Copper stills with a Moorish shape are the most sought after.[14]
The alcohol collected in the first distillation undergoes a second distillation, but this time it is mixed with aniseed. The ratio of alcohol to aniseed may vary and it is one of the major factors in the quality of the final product. The finished product is produced during a final distillation which takes place at the lowest possible temperature. For a quality arak, the finished spirit is then aged in clay amphoras to allow theangels' share to evaporate. The liquid remaining after this step is the most suitable for consumption.[8]
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