Albanians seem to thrive on raki, so much so that one can find some older gentlemen sipping some of that anise-based alcoholic beverage alongside a cup of coffee in the morning. Sounds a bit too much for breakfast to me as I only opt for beer in the morning if I so desire to, but each to their own, I guess. However, if you are not into raki (I am not) and want to have something else, then you too are in luck. In this short article, we will go over the booze situation in Albania, and see if it is any good or not!
Raki
No matter what your ideas about raki may be, though I know from experience that most “foreigners” that have never had it often dislike its unique flavour, give it a try. It is more of an acquired taste, and anise itself may put some people off if they are not into it. However, it tastes just fine especially when one couples it with some appetizers, such as tzatziki or hummus though I am sure that there will be many raki purists out there that will find these options “meaningless,” “disgusting,” or even “heretical.” That is likely one of the funniest things about the raki culture, the fact that its adherents think too highly of it and often try and place it on a mantle that sits above other alcoholic beverages on a menu.
Some say it must be coupled with fish, some cannot drink it without any appetizers, some find it ridiculous to drink it alone, some would argue that it must be watered down, some is against any watering down, some find the Turkish version better, some prefer Greek ouzo instead, and the list goes on. At the end of the day, it is your choice, and it is your stomach. I for one do not even enjoy eating fish unless it is in the form of fish and chips or sushi, such a “gourmet,” I know… Salmon is an exception to this, but most types of fish out there are just meh for me, at best. Most appetizers out there are also mediocre, as I can often make them better at home. As such, over the years, drinking raki alone at home, and enjoying it as is kind of grew on me, as in Turkey that was the only alternative to drinking it in taverns for exorbitant prices and with tables full of mediocre sides.
Regardless of my own journey with raki, try to have one of your own if you visit Albania, as the thing is everywhere, and it is ridiculously cheap with some places giving you a small glass of it for as low as 50 leks! That is like less than 50 cents, so there really is not any reason for you not to try it. Though if you like it, there are bottles of it in markets for as cheap as 300 leks, so you can binge drink it like a pro without thinking about your bank account for a second. However, if you are into the “good stuff” then you would be happy to hear that there are even entire pubs and cafes dedicated to raki as well, producing it locally, and in many different flavours, experimenting with it to its fullest extent, acting like raki vanguards! I did not have the time nor the will to try such venues this time, but I have only heard good things about places like Komiteti from both locals and foreigners alike.
An example to what I mean when I say “appetizers” that goes well with raki. They are usually called meze in Turkish, and somewhat similar words are used in nearby states to often refer to similar appetizers that goes well with strong alcoholic drinks. In this specific photo, we have three different yoghurt-based appetizers, one being spicy, the other peppery, and lastly the one on the right being garlicky. They were okay, not the best, not the worst. The garlicky one wins easily, though then again, it is cheating by having both garlic and yoghurt in it. It must be hard to mix these two divine items poorly, so you can hardly fail to do it justice.
Wine and Cognac
Though raki seems to be the national drink of Albania, one can find wine on the menu of pretty much any venue that they venture into. I am not entirely certain if this too is due to some “Italian impact” on modern Albania or not, but according to my mother they often tasted “just fine.” Nothing comparable to the likes of wine we had in Georgia, but certainly not bad at all. I myself am not a huge fan of wine, especially in summer, and certainly not with a meal and as such I did not try much of it in Albania. It was, however, nice to see that most establishments we have been to would sell their own house wines, often for 150 or 200 leks. There was also a brand of cognac named Skënderbeu (Skanderbeg in English, İskender Bey in Turkish). It seemed quite famous, and it was easy to find it all around. I was motivated by its name and its bottle design (though not all came in such pretty bottles) to buy one, but I am not into cognac neither. Besides, I opted to get some absinthe, raki, vodka, and martini to bring back to Turkey instead, and simply ran out of room for anything extra. More “cocktail-friendly” types of booze are what I always go after, so just accept my apologies for skipping this perfectly named Albanian cognac! I will try it if I can go back to Albania in winter in the future.
Beer
Raki, wine, cognac etc. aside, what I really cannot say no to during a summer holiday is beer, ice-cold beer. I am no beer connoisseur, not at all, but I do love my beer. I prefer lighter ones to go with my meals, and bolder ones to drink as is, though I realize that such statements can lead to a backlash from the more purist beer aficionados. Local beers started from around 50 leks in markets and one can find them for around 150 leks to 250 leks in most cafés, pubs, and restaurants. None of them were so good that I feel compelled to write about it in length. That being said, Kaon was one of the better ones that kept me satisfied more than a couple of times, and Birra Tirana’s Kuqalashe was what I would call a “dessert” beer, being quite enjoyable to drink on its own after a nice meal thanks to its more pronounced flavour profile. If I write anything more about these beers (as if I know what I am talking about) I will start feeling quite snobby, so just let me leave you with a bunch of photos of some of them instead as I bail to the next paragraph.
I could not help but mention Birra Elbar as well. By pure chance, I asked for their Weissbier when I ordered a pizza by the gate of the Krujë Castle, and boy oh boy, was not that the right choice! Not only was the beer itself tasted amazing, but its producer also happened to be at the same spot with me that same day and took a photo of that occasion after being amused by a foreigner picking it among all the other options available at the restaurant. It was superb to meet such a friendly gentleman, who seemed so much devoted to the work that he was doing. Kudos for that attitude, and kudos for a good Weissbier. Pictured here is a “normal” bottle of Birra Elbar that I ordered in a local café as I waited for my furgon (minibus) to take me back to Tirana, making it easier to process what was happening in my mind at the moment, which was full of great memories from the town of Krujë and my “pilgrim” to its illustrious mountain. You can read more about that “pilgrimage” right HERE!
Albania may be a somewhat predominantly Muslim country, according to the statistics that is, but that hardly means that it lacks a decent drinking culture. There is a lot to drink in Albania, and its beers are not half bad, with its raki being quite decent. The few cocktails I had there were made properly, and the people had no issues or whatsoever with others that drank all around, even on the streets and in public buses, which is not a common scene that I have ever seen even in some more “Western” countries. In short, if you like drinking, you will not have any issues having a good time in Albania or finding drinking buddies to keep you accompany there.