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Georgians are proud of chacha no less than the French are proud of cognac, and the Spaniards are proud of sherry. For them, this is the national spirit, which is associated with many local traditions. We will consider the features of chacha and the rules for its use, so that on occasion you can fully enjoy this kind of drink, which is considered a part of Georgia.
Chacha – a strong Caucasian alcoholic drink with a delicate grape aroma, obtained by fermentation and distillation of grape pomace. In some cases, the finished distillate is aged in oak barrels from six months to three years, improving its quality. Real Georgian chacha is made from Rkatsiteli grapes, Abkhazian and Adjarian – from Isabella and Kachich varieties.
In Russia, chacha is usually called Georgian vodka, but this is wrong. According to the production technology, it is almost identical to moonshine, the only difference is that yeast and sugar are not added to chacha, natural wine yeast and fructose, which are in pomace, are enough for fermentation.
In some villages of Georgia, any fruit moonshine made from tangerines, peaches, cherries, figs, cherry plums or mulberries is given out as chacha. It is clear that these distillates have nothing to do with the original drink. World analogues of chacha are Italian grappa and Balkan brandy.
Chacha fortress and its production
Mostly peasants are engaged in the preparation of chacha, the technology is not regulated at the legislative level, therefore there is no single standard for the fortress. Each manufacturer decides for himself how many degrees his drink will contain.
After distillation (sometimes double), the drink contains 65-90 degrees of alcohol, then it is diluted with water and bottled. Fortress of bottled chacha – 45-70%, it is in this form that it goes on sale.
For the distillation of chacha, a variety of equipment is used – from the simplest moonshine stills in villages to distillation columns in industry. There are very few large export-oriented manufacturers. Therefore, chacha is more related to local alcoholic beverages that you need to try directly in the region of production.
But even in Georgia it is better to buy bottled chacha or order a drink in a cafe. Fake draft chacha, made from alcohol of unknown origin, is very common. Especially this “sin” sellers selling in crowded places of tourists.
The quality of chacha can be checked in the following way: moisten your finger and bring it to the fire. If the flame burns out and does not burn your finger, this is a real drink, not a fake. The safety and humanity of this method is doubtful, but Georgians test chacha in this way.
During distillation, small producers do not separate chacha distillate into fractions (“heads”, “body” and “tails”), because of this, all fusel oils remain. In terms of harmfulness, such chacha is ahead of even unrefined moonshine; you can drink it only in limited quantities.
How to drink chacha
1. Glasses.Unlike grappa, which is drunk from special (grappaglas) or cognac glasses, chacha is poured into ordinary vodka glasses.
2. Supply temperature. Depends on the quality of the drink. Well-purified and aged chacha can be drunk at room temperature, then it reveals all the richness of its grape flavor. Medium quality drinks are cooled down to 5-10°C.
3. Dose. In Georgia, chacha is drunk in small portions (30-50 ml) in cold weather to keep warm. The locals consider this drink a symbol of longevity. Every self-respecting owner keeps at least one of his bottles in the house. It is also customary to treat guests with chacha, especially those who came from Russia.
4. Breakfast. There is no consensus here. For example, in Western Georgia, chacha is eaten with sweet dishes, and in the Eastern part of the country – salty. Abkhazians, together with chacha, put everything that is in the house on the table.
Chacha is good to eat with Georgian dishes (satsivi, khachapuri, chakhokhbili), barbecue, salads, sauerkraut, other vegetables and fruits. Many tasters really like the combination of chacha with hard cheeses.
5. Combination with other drinks. In the traditional version, chacha is drunk in its pure form without mixing with other alcoholic beverages. But in Abkhazia it is washed down with dry wines. After two glasses of chacha, a glass of wine is drunk. This combination is not suitable for everyone, as it leads to rapid intoxication and severe hangovers in the morning.
Fans of diluting strong alcohol can make cocktails with chacha created by Georgian bartenders. For example, here are two of the most popular recipes.
Cocktails with chacha
Tbilisi Fix Composition:
- hair – 50 ml;
- cherry liqueur – 45 ml;
- lemon juice – 30 ml;
- sugar – 5
Preparation: fill a glass with ice cubes, add sugar, add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Georgian peach 
Composition:
- hair – 60 ml;
- peach liqueur – 20 ml;
- lemon juice – 10 ml.
Preparation: mix all the ingredients in a shaker with ice, pour the cocktail into a glass.
Chacha can also be diluted with citrus juices (tangerine, orange and lemon) in a ratio of 1:1. Delicious simple cocktails are obtained, suitable for people who do not like hard alcohol.