5 thoughts on “Brinjevec, the worst ever!

  1. Brinjevec is ment for “folk” medicinal use, not for regular drinking, but some bars and inns sell it for drinking. Also brinjevec in most bars is cheap variant of traditional karst region Brinjevec, becouse only purpuse of Brinjevec sold in bars is to get drunk faster.

  2. Aha, medicine, that would explain the taste…

    In which cases do you find that Brinjevec has a curative effect? Or is it something you drink once there is no cure?

  3. Brinjevec is used as a traditional medicine mostly for cold and stomach problems (helped me many times) but also to quickly warm a body up in winters 🙂 … And in Carst and Brkini region it is also used as an appetizer. Italians around Trieste are buying it from locals for this reason (and Italians are known for enjoying good beverages and food).

    You should visit some locals who are brewing it for their own consumption next time. It is very good once you get used to it :). But most of the Brinjevec sold is just plum brandy or even brandy made of grapes (after grapes are used for wine making) with juniper flower. The taste is milder and it has no medical effects. And most of the Brinjevec brandy sold in bars and stores tastes awful to me as well. Beware that real Brinjevec is made by fermenting only juniper berries and nothing else and fermentation differs from that of Gin, Klokovača (Serbian juniper brandy), Borovička (Slovak juniper brandy) …!

    It is like with whiskey or cigars. They taste awful when you try them for the first time. But with time you appreciate the taste and it becomes a pleasure! And only with the millage you can feel the difference between mass production and the top quality brands.

    It is interesting that a side product of brewing Brinjevec you get juniper (ethereal) oil which locals sell to pharmacies in Trieste (Italy)! And it is very expensive. It is also used to add flavors to most Gins.

    As for the price. 100kg of juniper for few liters of brandy. And go pick junipers if you don’t mind scratched hands :). In reality different techniques are used to speed up the process but nonetheless it is PITA to pick them up. I tried it once and we spent several hours for around 20 kilos.

    So your description of a brandy is not making it any good. It is not made to get drunk and it is hard to make a good Brinjevec.

    lp mkljun

  4. Btw … just asked and 1 liter of oil costs 160 Euros. One liter of real Brinjevec (no plums, potatoes, spirit, grapes) costs 30 Euros sold by local farmers. But if it is cheaper (from 15 to 20 Euros) it is probably just some other brandy with juniper taste.

    It is also used for intestines problems and pain caused by PMS.

    lp mkljun

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