"Raki Wars"

As you all know, love it or hate it, Raki - or more correctly here in Crete, Tsigoudia, is a very popular tipple. It has been made since times immemorial from the skins,seeds and general detritus left from the process of wine making. Most villages have their own licensed stills (and a few others as well)

Now the government has announced that it plans to increase the tax on "Raki" from 0.59 cents per litre to 3 Euros a litre. A huge increase! As you can imagine, this will seriously affect the producers, especially the small traditional ones and could lead to the ending of production for some farmers. 

I expect we will here more of this soon, and I await the reaction of the producers - barricades complete with Raki stills on the national highway??

The grape residue goes into the still and is brought to temperature.

The "Lid" goes on and is well sealed

Neat, hot Raki begins to drip out of the still!

Often sausages and pork chops are cooked on the fire under the still and the assembled company eats and drinks while the raki is made. - and of course plenty of tasting of the finished article too!!