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Buza (“boza” or “bosa”) is a fermented low-alcohol drink popular in Kazakhstan, Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Romania and Serbia. Depending on the country, buza can be made from flour or malted (sprouted) grains of corn, wheat, barley, buckwheat, rice, millet and other cereals. The finished product has a thick texture, milkshake color and a sweetish-sour taste. The alcohol content usually does not exceed 1%, but there are varieties of 4-6% alcohol.
Etymology
The term “buza” comes from the Turkish language. Probably formed from two words: the verb bozmak (“spoil”, “ferment”) and the adjective boz (“grayish”, “whitish”, “beige”). It is quite possible that the English word booze is associated with the same name – “drink, booze”.
Historical information
Fermented drinks made from grain and flour appeared in ancient Mesopotamia in the XNUMXth millennium BC. In the IV century. BC. the Greek historian and writer Xenophon described the technology for making similar alcohol in clay jugs dug into the ground. References to drinks like buza are also found in Sumerian and Akkadian texts. In the X century. n. e. buza spread throughout all the countries of Central Asia, especially in the lands under Turkish rule.
The golden age of buza came during the Ottoman Empire, during the same period the drink was highly appreciated in the Caucasus and the Balkans. Among the Turks, buza was more popular than tea and coffee.
Until the 1566th century, any kind of grain brew could be drunk without restrictions, but over time, opium began to be added to the drink (the so-called “Buza Tartar”). This caused dissatisfaction with the authorities and under Sultan Selim II (1574-XNUMX) the buza was banned. Instead, it was proposed to drink a non-alcoholic variation of Albanian origin.
In the 5th century, restrictions were tightened: any alcohol was banned, and shops selling booze were closed. However, over time, the situation changed: the famous Turkish traveler Evliya Celebi noted that by the end of the 6th century in Istanbul there were at least a thousand sellers of buza, and the alcohol content could reach up to XNUMX-XNUMX% (this was achieved by prolonged fermentation).
The drink was especially popular among the soldiers: due to the extremely low alcohol content, it did not intoxicate, but warmed and satiated. At the moment, buza is still quite widespread in Turkey and neighboring countries.
In the XNUMXth century, two immigrants from Albania, the Hatsi brothers, founded a buza shop in Istanbul. Their drink, which had a thicker consistency than its folk counterparts, has become a brand and a hallmark of Turkey. The production continues to this day.
Buza production technology
Bouza is made from different cereals, so the taste and shade may vary. The selected grain is germinated and dried (not a mandatory step), chopped malt or flour is boiled to a mushy consistency, rubbed, poured with boiling water, cooled to a warm state, yeast and sugar are added. Then the mixture is sent to ferment in a warm place, the whole process takes no more than 2 days. The finished drink is bottled and left to “reach” for a few more days in the cold.
The fortress depends on the duration of fermentation: the more the must ferments, the higher the degree.
Sometimes honey, spices, milk and other ingredients are added to the buza to taste. Bouza contains about 12% sugar and 1% protein. The product quickly deteriorates in the heat (turns sour), so it should only be stored in the refrigerator.
Useful Properties
Buza has all the same beneficial properties as brewed cereals or oatmeal: it removes toxins, relieves a hangover, and normalizes bowel function. The drink contains protein, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus and other useful elements.
How to drink booze
The Albanian version of the drink – non-alcoholic, the only one allowed for consumption in Muslim countries – has a sweet taste, served with roasted chickpeas, cinnamon. In Bulgaria, buza is eaten with a hot banitsa – a puff pastry with cheese.
Some like a completely fresh drink – no older than two days after production, which is famous for the most “soft” taste, others like to keep the buza in a warm place for several hours so that it starts to ferment again and becomes a little carbonated.
In principle, buza is so high in calories that it is not necessary to eat it. Fermented grain “milk” is rarely brewed in the summer, mostly as a winter drink.