Pálinka
Sunrise in the Szekszárd vineyards. Photo: Hungary Today
A commercial pálinka distillery. Photo: Hungary Today
“Brandy street”. Making sure German-speaking brandy lovers are directed safely to the right location. Photo: Hungary Today
Szekszárd, Sunrise. Photo: Hungary Today
The government argued its case for protecting the tradition dating back centuries saying that “based on historical traditions, distilling pálinka is part of our cultural heritage, hence Hungary, like other EU countries, is committed to preserving its own traditions… In rural areas, one of the most important functions of distilling pálinka was to preserve value: so that the fruit would not go to waste, they made jam or pálinka from what they could not consume or use fresh,” the statement reads.
Photo: Hungary Today
Autumn is the usual season for distilling one’s own brandy. By november all the fruit has fallen from the trees, has been collected, mixed with sugar in large barrels, and left to ferment for a few weeks.
Photo: Hungary Today
2025 was considered a bad harvest for vine by some locals, much of it will end up in slurry barrels for pálinka. Brandy made from vines is not as popular though as it is in southern countries, such as Greece, Bulgaria or Italy.
Traditional wine press house. Photo: Hungary Today.
Distilling takes place in all types of buildings, from garages to industrial structures. Only the lucky ones get to cook their own drink in picturesque traditional farmhouses and dedicated wine press buildings surrounded by vineyards and nature.
Photo: Hungary Today
Some of the old press houses have recently been renovated by new owners, many of them from cities or even foreign buyers.
Photo: Hungary Today
There is a good number of old, 19th century farmhouses still standing that have escaped the cultural barbarism of the communist era. These are treasured by their heirs while slowly increasing in prestige and commercial value.
Photo: Hungary Today
Few of these serve its original purpose though, they are often used as weekend houses or rental properties by the owners.
A serious farmhouse requires a proper door opening with a massive key. Photo: Hungary Today
The entire process starts with fruit slurry, traditionally made from pears, plum or apricots. This is mixed with sugar and left to ferment for a few weeks. Albeit not very appetizing at first, this is what fruit brandy is made of.
With a few mandatory wasps floating in the slurry, this is where pálinka starts its journey. Photo: Hungary Today
The fermented fruit is then poured into buckets and transferred into the heart of the operations, the distiller. One can buy commercial types, but serious Hungarian bootleggers will have their own custom made ones.
A custom distillery running on propane gas. Photo: Hungary Today
Propane gas tanks are readily available at most petrol stations, where one drops off the empty ones and picks up a fresh one for about 8500 forints, or 22 euros. Distilled water, necessary for the final quality product, can be purchased at larger pharmacies.
Measuring alcohol content. Photo: Hungary Today
Alcohol content is measured throughout the entire process, but the final product is set to around 52 degrees. This is quite a potent drink, but the usual commercial grade alcohol, that has around 40 percent alcohol content, is considered by home distillers an insult to our tradition.
Clear brandy distilled from the slurry. Photo: Hungary Today
The slurry is heated to over 60 °C, and distilled into a clear substance that flows slowly through the cooling pipes. The first, rather rough tasting spirit is then re-distilled once again into a quality product with its unmistakable aroma and taste. It is ready to drink as soon as it cools.
Centuries old objects passed down through generations decorate the farmhouses. Photo: Hungary Today
Objects from long gone ancestors who once owned the press houses are still preserved as decoration. Photo: Hungary Today
Many of the vineyards own their own wells with plenty of clean and fresh water. Although the present owners swear that it is good for drinking, our immune system is not as resilient as those who lived closer to nature, hence we have opted for bottled water. For irrigation or personal hygiene he well water is fine, as long as you do not mind the cold.
Local wells on the hills can be as deep as 30 meters. Photo: Hungary Today
Distilling your pálinka is a social event, with usually older people coming together to share stories and jokes. This is very much a men’s hobby, and the strong stuff is also mostly consumed by those who cooked it. However, camp fire and cooking in traditional pots is an organic part of the process. Traditional Hungarian delicacies, such a goulash (gulyás) or pork stew (pörkölt, pictured) are often on the menu.
The traditional Hungarian glazed cooking pot, bogrács, over open fire, hanging from three steel support legs. Photo: Hungary Today
Many of old friendships have ended over arguments regarding the recipe to goulash or traditional stew, because having one’s own personal recipe, passed down in their family, is a matter of pride. Yet even more friendships have been formed and reinforced over a plate of good farmhouse food, made with a generous doze of Hungarian ground paprika, best coming from the world-famous Kalocsa region.
The colors of the stew have not been enhanced in any way, this is the inimitable color of Hungarian red gold, the Kalocsa paprika. Photo: Hungary Today
The “pörkölt” can be eaten with bread of potatoes, but a glass of great Hungarian wine is a must. Bull’s Blood (Egri Bikavér), is a traditional red cuvée produced not only near Szekszárd, but in a number of other wine producing regions of the country.
Bull’s Blood wine. Photo: Hungary Today
And so the tradition goes on. Distilling pálinka is a social event, part of our history and traditions that must be protected from cold commercial interests, interference from the state or supranational institutions. It is a symbol and expression of the little freedoms that people connected with nature, the the soil and agriculture still enjoy.
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The post Hungarian Bootleggers: “Pálinka”, the Spirit of Defiance appeared first on Hungary Today.
