Why are coffee beans added to sambuca? How to drink sambuca at home: tips

Each alcoholic drink has its own culture of drinking. So, dry drink during lunch or dinner, as it improves the digestion process. open on holidays, and the glass is not drunk immediately, but absorbed gradually, in small sips. And how to drink sambuca - strong, with a pronounced anise flavor?

Before we get acquainted with the customs that make it clear how to drink sambuca, let's study the composition of the drink. The secret of the production of this alcohol has not been fully disclosed: the Italians, who invented the sambuca liquor, are trying to keep the full list of its ingredients secret.

In general, the composition is as follows:

• sugar;
• anise;
• wheat alcohol;
• herbs.

What herbs are put into the drink so that it acquires a unique taste? It depends on the type of strong liquor. Regarding the composition, there is a legend that assures that an indispensable component of the drink is elderberry extract.

Elder black.

The name of the liquor is partly due to the presence of this berry in it. How true this is is hard to say. But now it is clear what sambuca is - it is a liquor containing, along with alcohol, useful herbal ingredients. Many lovers of the drink assure that it is able to improve health if it is used correctly. These qualities of sambuca are called:

• ability to relieve cough;
• "ability" to deal with inflammatory diseases;
• increasing the immune forces of the body.

So, how to drink sambuca? It's time to find out.

A thousand and one ways

1. An easy way that won't surprise anyone is to pour 50 ml into a sambuca glass and drink "in one sitting". Do this before a meal, because liquor (by the way, do you know how many degrees in it? About 40) perfectly whets the appetite. If you are depressed and do not want to eat - take a glass, the appetite will appear.
2. When it's hot outside, sambuca is drunk with ice.
3. If you freeze the sambuca liquor in the freezer and serve it to guests with orange slices and lemon slices, they will appreciate such a delicious treat.
4. "Italian" way: put three coffee beans in a glass. Pour 50 or 70 g of liquor on top. Drink: The drink is easy to drink. After that, chew the grains. Italians call grains three symbols of a prosperous life: happiness, health, wealth.
5. A burning glass of sambuca. Out of habit, it may seem scary, but unusual. Connoisseurs assure that the taste of hot sambuca is magnificent and unique. The sensations of the taster are filled with novelty. How to make a "fire cocktail"? We take 2 glasses. We throw 3 coffee beans into one, pour in the liquor, set it on fire. The bluish flame lasts for seconds. When it goes out, pour the liquor into a rock (wide glass), drink in one gulp. We quickly cover the second glass with a pre-prepared napkin, in which a hole is made and a tube is inserted. Vapors of anise gather in the glass. They need to be inhaled, and then chewed coffee beans.

Why does sambuca burn? The liquor is dense, contains fusel oils (albeit in small quantities). Hence the beautiful blue flame.

What to drink with?

Since the world began to make sambuca, drink lovers have been worried about the question: what to drink liquor with?

What to eat sambuca is a matter of taste, but it is especially suitable for it:

• coffee beans;
• bitter chocolate;
• marmalade;
• fish meals;

Snacks should not drown out, but set off the taste. What else do they drink sambuca with? You will be surprised, but some people prefer to make milkshakes. Try it, maybe you will like it too: liquor is poured into a glass, and then sambuca is poured slowly, spoon by spoon. So the liquids do not mix, but lay down beautifully in layers.

Sometimes they do this: they drink liquor, and then half a glass of cold milk.

In the heat, sambuca and mineral water cocktails are good in a ratio of 1 to 2. An unusual drink is obtained by mixing liquor with barely warm black coffee.

Subspecies of sambuca

Invented in 1851 in Italy and having begun its victorious march around the world after 1945, the liquor today has many varieties. The most popular brand is "Monticelli". Many like:

• "Antika"(has a sour-sweet aftertaste, notes of orange, coriander are noticeable);
• "Molinari"(sweet liquor, especially rich in herbs);
• "Borgetti"(has a mild anise flavor).

This is not a complete list - there are other options in the world.

If you have ever tried sambuca, which method did you prefer? Safe - with ice or mineral water, or "club", when, fading from unusual sensations, you knock over a glass of sambuca, over which flames have just danced?

Tell us about your ways and share your feelings. How would you recommend trying sambuca to a person who has not yet had the opportunity to do so? Or maybe you have your own secret that allows you to fully reveal the taste and aroma of the drink? Share with us! We are also ready to experiment.

Sambuca is an Italian anise liqueur. It is quite strong - 38-42% alcohol, but almost does not cause a hangover. And it has so many uses. Listing everything is unrealistic, so we will focus only on the 14 main ones.

1. "With flies"

This is the classic Italian way of drinking sambuca. "Flies" are three coffee beans (symbolize health, happiness and wealth).

Throw the coffee beans into the sambuca glass. Now drink the sambuca in one gulp, catching the “flies”, and then chew the coffee beans. It is desirable that the grains are lightly roasted. Otherwise they will be too bitter.

2. Digestif

In general, sambuca belongs to the category of digestifs (an alcoholic drink that promotes digestion). Therefore, we strongly recommend drinking sambuca after a heavy meal.

After a hearty lunch or dinner, simply sip some pure sambuca as an accompaniment to dessert. Don't forget to chill your drink before doing so. Half an hour in the sambuca freezer is enough.

3. Burning stack

A very simple way for those who do not want to bother. Just set fire to a stack of sambuca. After 5-8 seconds you can drink.

Remember how you exhale before draining a glass of vodka (“X-hoo!”). Here you need to do about the same thing, but you need to exhale directly onto the pile, extinguishing the flame. The flame went out - drink in one gulp.

4. Two glasses

You need to prepare the “equipment” in advance: pierce the paper napkin with the short part of the straw approximately in the center. Insert the straw into this hole until it bends.

Pour 50-70 grams of sambuca into the snifter (what it is, read in ours). Then set fire to the sambuca. Rotate the sniffer so that it warms up evenly and does not burst. Sambuca should burn for 8-10 seconds.

Then pour the burning sambuca into a glass and cover with a snifter on top. Sambuca vapors will be collected in the snifter. You carefully remove it, without turning it over, put it on a napkin. So that the short part of the straw is covered with the snifter, and the long part sticks out.

Drink warm sambuca in one gulp, and then inhale the vapors through a straw.

The method is definitely not easy. Especially out of habit it will be difficult to inhale the fumes. But somewhere you will get used to the third portion.

5. Combined method

This is the most popular way in modern bars outside of Italy. Everything must be done as described in the "Two glasses" method. Just before setting fire to the sambuca, you need to put coffee beans (“flies”) in it.

When drinking warm sambuca, catch grains in your mouth. Then inhale the vapors through the straw. And only after that chew the grains.

By mistake, this method is often called the classic, but the Italians consider it blasphemous to set fire to sambuca.

6. Sniff

Flip the glass. Put a couple of drops of sambuca on the bottom (top). Set it on fire (may not be set on fire). Sniff the drops into your nose through a straw. Often this is done as the final chord in the Two Glasses method.

7. Refreshing

Just dilute sambuca with ice-cold drinking water or mineral water. Water and sambuca should be in a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1, respectively. Makes a great refreshing drink for hot weather.

Please note that the drink will be cloudy. This is because of the oils in sambuca, which don't dissolve well in water. Don't worry, it's normal. This does not affect the taste and properties of sambuca.

8. With champagne

The proportions of champagne and sambuca should be 5:1, respectively. Set fire to the sambuca and pour it burning into the champagne. Have time to inhale the vapors and drink a mixture of sambuca and champagne.

9. With milk

Sambuca goes very well with milk. True, it is better to use them separately, that is, without mixing. Drink sambuca and drink milk

10. Caffe corretto

Add sambuca to coffee instead of sugar in a ratio of 1:4. Sometimes sambuca is poured more so that the proportion is 1: 2. Sometimes sambuca is drunk in its pure form, and washed down with coffee. It is desirable that the coffee be a strong roast. Its taste will be better combined with sambuca.

11. Flame in the mouth

Tilt your head back and open your mouth. Pour sambuca into your mouth and do not swallow. Keep your mouth open. Make sure the liquor doesn't get on your lips. Ignite the sambuca right in your mouth. When you feel the heat, close your mouth (the flame will go out immediately) and swallow the sambuca.

The most important thing is not to be afraid. The risk here is minimal, but if you panic, then everything can end very badly.

12. Burning jet

Ignite the sambuca in a glass. While it burns, pour it into your mouth. Pre-moisten the skin around the mouth with water. Here, too, the main thing is not to be afraid so that the hand does not tremble. But this method is much more dangerous than the “Flame in the Mouth”, so it’s better if an experienced bartender suits you, and not a drunken friend.

13. Inhalation

Take a ceramic teapot. Fill it with boiling water. When the teapot heats up, drain the water and immediately, before the teapot has cooled down, pour 50 grams of sambuca into it. Exhale to empty your lungs and inhale the vapors of the liquor through the spout. And then drink sambuca through the spout.

Sambuca is very sweet and dense. Therefore, it is most often used in shots (a cocktail in small dishes that is drunk in one gulp). Sambuca cocktails are a topic for a separate article. Now we will tell only about the most popular - "Hiroshima".

Any of our people who consume traditional alcoholic beverages on the go will give out many ways to drink "little white", beer, or both together. But if you ask what sambuca is and how to use it, it is unlikely that many people will be found who will answer these questions with confidence.

Recently, this Italian drink has become more and more famous among connoisseurs of elite alcohol. There are transparent, dark, and even red varieties of sambuca. The taste of anise and sweetness are also its hallmarks. The foremother of this liquor was a medicine in the form of a tincture based on star anise.

How to drink sambuca?

There are several ways, some of which involve burning this alcohol. Therefore, drinking a drink can be turned into an interesting ceremony that will also entertain you.

1 way - Sambuca con mosca.

It can be found under several names - "Italian", "under the fly", "two glasses".

To use sambuca in this way, you will need two glasses, cocktail tubes, a napkin, three coffee beans (like "flies", the name associated with them came from them), matches, a saucer. Usually this method is used in bars, but it is not so difficult to do everything at home. So, fifty grams of sambuca are poured into one glass, coffee beans are thrown there, which, as it were, personify health, prosperity and happiness, a napkin with a tube passed through it is placed next to it on a saucer. Preparation completed.

After that, the liquor is set on fire, it is necessary to let it burn for about half a minute so that the liquid warms up. Then the drink is quickly poured into the second glass, and the first is tipped onto a napkin with a tube. Heated fragrant vapors are inhaled through a tube, alcohol is drunk in one gulp. For a "snack" - three grains of coffee, which must be chewed. They will further emphasize the taste of the drink. This is the most popular way among young people who like to spend time in clubs.

There is a simpler option "under the fly." It is necessary to light the liquor, after 30 seconds blow it out and drink in one gulp.

• Glasses should have thick walls so that they do not burst from the heat.
• It is better not to drink burning liquor, otherwise there is a risk of being left without hair, eyebrows and burning the mucous membrane. There are, of course, experts in the burning drink, but it is hardly worth repeating.

2 way - "in its pure form."

More in line with our attitude towards alcohol. Sambuca is served in its pure form as a dessert or after dinner. There is only one condition - the drink must be well chilled. Keep the bottle in the freezer for at least half an hour. It is recommended to have a snack with a lemon or an orange slice. Do not forget that liquor is sweet, and if this can spoil the impression of everything previously eaten, it is better not to use this method. A way for a big fan, after all, a serious strength of the drink in combination with anise and aromas is not to everyone's taste in its pure form.

3 way - "fire glass".

Reminds me of a simple "under the fly" option. 50 grams of sambuca is poured into a thick-walled glass, set on fire for 5 seconds, extinguished and drunk. A very good way to treat cold symptoms, while you should not have a snack. Again, you should beware of drinking a burning liquid.

4 way - "with ice".

Italians love to drink sambuca with ice. Sambuca is poured into a glass full of chopped ice, and the drink is sipped through a straw all evening. Instead of ice, you can use any mineral water, and there are no wishes for the number of ingredients. Naturally. That the more mineral water, the weaker the drink and the taste is not so pronounced. At the same time, you should not worry that the transparent sambuca has become cloudy. So it should be, it is the esters contained in the liquor that do not dissolve in water.

5 way - "with coffee".

A very simple recipe, for this it is enough to pour a couple of teaspoons of liquor into a cup of coffee instead of sugar. Espresso is considered the most suitable for such a recipe, it is with it that sambuca is best combined to taste.

6 way - "with milk".

The cocktail in this case does not mix. Just cold liquor is washed down with no less cold milk, which should also be fresh.

7 way - extreme.

Lips are wiped dry, the bartender sets fire to the drink right in the mouth. Feeling warm, close your mouth and swallow the drink. The danger, though not high, but still exists. Is it worth it to drink sambuca, everyone will decide for himself.

What else to drink sambuca with?

This liqueur is perfect for making various cocktails. It is combined with sweets, especially chocolate, with cakes that contain various types of nuts. You can drink liquor with snacks in the form of salty cheeses and similar snacks, which well emphasize the sweetness and spice of the drink.

There are also several variations on these methods, how to drink sambuca. For example, some lovers drink sambuca with strong tea instead of coffee, or first heat a glass with a lighter, and only then set fire to the drink. By the way, fusel oils burn with a bright blue flame, of which there are a large number in the drink.

Sambuca anise liquor is a frequent "guest" of youth parties and an indispensable attribute of any bar. This drink goes well in its pure form, improves digestion and can be used as an aperitif or digestif (before or after a meal). However, for those who are not too fond of strong alcohol, it will be useful to know how to eat and dilute sambuca, especially since there are plenty of options.

Non-alcoholic drinks that go well with sambuca:

1. Plain or sparkling water (or ice). The spicy herbal taste of "anise" is not lost, but only becomes more refined and thinner. The result is a refreshing low-alcohol drink that quenches thirst well and keeps your head clear. The proportions depend on individual taste.

Attention! Due to the high concentration of essential oils, sambuca diluted with water becomes cloudy (turns white), this is normal and does not affect the taste.

2. Coffee. You can drink sambuca or add liquor to a cup of espresso (proportions 1:4).

3. Tea. If you don't like caffeine, try pouring a shot of liquor into a cup of Earl Grey, or a plain black long leaf. It will turn out a warming drink that gives strength and increases vitality.

4. Milk. Do not be surprised - the combination is very interesting. Just do not mix drinks, but rather drink sambuca with fresh milk of minimal fat content.

5. Heavy cream. Also, do not mix, but drink. Cream can be mixed with sugar.

6. Citrus (orange, grapefruit or lemon) or any berry juice.

Cocktails. Despite the fact that we are talking about alcoholic cocktails, to reduce the strength, alcohol-containing ingredients can be replaced with the closest non-alcoholic counterparts.

• Black Widow - Mix equal parts black sambuca and citrus vodka (or regular vodka, but squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lemon into the composition).
• Licorice martini - 1 part sambuca, 4 parts coffee liqueur, ice.
• Buca-Cinco - Mix 75 ml of sambuca and 50 ml of gin in 200 ml of full-fat milk or low-fat cream.

What to eat sambuca

Like most sweet liqueurs, Italian anise goes well with salty cheeses, fish appetizers, a variety of marinades: olives, pickles.

There are a lot of ways to use the currently fashionable sambuca liquor. Most often, preference is given to the following of them.

The way to drink as is. Despite the fact that this liqueur from sunny Italy is quite sweet, many people prefer to drink it undiluted in its natural state. In such cases, it plays the role of a kind of digestif. So knowledgeable people call drinks that are usually served at the end of a meal.

A little trick for this method. Refrigerate the sambuca well before drinking so that its cloying sweetness does not spoil the flavor bouquet. Before serving, the liquor should spend at least half an hour in the freezer.

Method "c" (Italian) - "flies" in a glass will be three grains of coffee. Initially, they represented happiness, wealth and health, but some people forget about this and perceive them as the "zest" of the drink to create a contrast.

In order to please yourself with sambuca in the Italian version, take a liquor, a couple of glasses, a saucer, 3 coffee beans, cocktail tubes, napkins and a lighter (matches).

Throw coffee beans into the first glass, pour 50 to 70 milliliters of sambuca. Put a napkin on the saucer, make a hole for the tube in its center (and insert it with the short end).

The culmination of the preparation process is to set fire to the sambuca. The high strength of the liquor makes this process simple and very effective. Watch for 5 seconds of blue flame dancing over the glass, then abruptly pour the liquor into the second glass, and cover it with the freed one. The flame will go out after a few seconds, and vapors will collect in the top glass. They should be inhaled through a tube. Carefully set this glass aside and place on a saucer with a straw.

But do not forget about safety precautions, be careful and do not raise your glass too high.

Use the liquor in the following order:

Drink liquid from a glass;
- keep coffee beans in your mouth;
- inhale the vapors several times;
- chew grains.

The "burning stack" method. It is this option that Russians are especially fond of. Ignite the liquor and after 3-5 seconds extinguish the flame with a sharp exhalation. Then drink a warm drink in one gulp, like vodka or alcohol.

Diluted sambuca is great for drinking in the heat of summer. For cooking, cold mineral water is enough. Certain proportions in this case are not established. It all depends on how strong liquors you like.

The extreme way suits the most daring alcohol lovers. Type the liquor in your mouth, but do not rush to swallow the drink. Then carefully wipe your lips, tilt your head back and open your mouth. Ask someone or bring a burning match yourself, and when you feel heat in your mouth, close your lips and swallow the warm liquid.