Production of superior quality plum brandy in small domestic distilleries in Serbia

Making of plum brandy in the Balkans dates back to the 7^th century AD. It is considered the national fruit brandy of Serbia and is technologically, along with French cognac and Scotch malt whiskey, among the most perfect spirits in the world. Initially, production was primitive, of a craft type, to evolve for centuries to become modern and based on modern scientific and technological principles. The main stages of the technological process in obtaining top quality plum distillate from smaller individual producers in Serbia are: selection of plum fruits, primary processing and preparation of plum fruits for alcoholic fermentation, proper management of alcoholic fermentation, distillation of fermented plum mash and obtaining raw soft plum brandy, redistillation of raw soft plum brandy and obtaining the final colourless plum distillate, and finally for those distillates that will mature (age) for a certain period of time, placing them in oak vessels (casks or barrels). Primary processing is done exclusively with healthy, technologically ripe and undamaged plum fruits. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out in pure stainless-steel tanks or plastic container vessels, at a temperature of 16-20°C, with lowering of the pH of the mash, addition of suitable enzymes and selected yeast strains. Distillation and rectification are carried out on modern Charente type copper apparatus or column type apparatus. Maturing (ageing) of plum distillates is carried out in oak casks and barrels for a minimum of 4-5 years. After harmonization and final processing of the distillate, they are placed in a glass unit pack of modern design.