Why is Greek Ouzo Potent?!
i heard it was extremely potent but only has 38% alcohol?
Answers: is it ? and if so why is Greek Ouzo so potent?
i heard it was extremely potent but only has 38% alcohol?
It's potent because it's like Greek moonshine. It's made from the anaise vegetable and some various other herbs and they are mashed and put in a moonshine still, and distilled the same as any moonshine is. American moonshine is usually made from cracked corn mash that's put in a still.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE "BOTH" STRONG STUFF
.....both made much the same way........just different ingredients
Hope this simplifies it for ya'
How ouzo is made
Ouzo starts by distilling 96 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) pure ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin (or 96 percent pure ethyl alcohol in which 0.05 percent natural anethole has been added) in copper stills together with anise and optionally other flavorings, such as star anise, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon. The product is a flavored alcoholic solution known as flavored ethyl alcohol or, more commonly as ouzo yeast—μαγι? ο?ζου in Greek—a misnomer, as no fermentation has taken or will take place. Ouzo yeast is then usually mixed with 96 percent pure ethyl alcohol (the Greek law dictates that at least 20 percent of total final alcohol must originate from ouzo yeast), and finally sugar may be added and the mix is diluted with water (final ABV must be at least 37.5 percent), usually around 40 percent ABV. Some producers such as Varvayiannis, Babatzim (ouzo classic) and Pitsiladis do not add any further ethyl alcohol—they simply dilute ouzo yeast with water (and add sugar if needed). This type of ouzo is the highest quality and often of the highest price as well.
Ouzo production does not include any fermentation or multiple distillations, which is the case for tsipouro, another well known Greek alcoholic drink which is more related to Italian grappa than ouzo.
I hope this answers the question some.