Krambambula (drink)

Belarusian krambambula.

Krambambula is an alcoholic drink or cocktail that is typically made in the home. It may be with various kinds of liquor, including rum, vodka, and gin. Red wine is also included in some recipes. There are many different recipes.^[1][2][3] Commercially produced versions may also be available in some areas.

In recent years, krambambula has been commercially popularized as the national drink of Belarus. The name was adopted by Krambambula, a Belarusian folk rock band.

A red-colored liqueur called Krambambuli was formerly produced by Der Lachs zu Danzig, a distillery in Danzig (Gdańsk). It was established in 1598 by Mennonite immigrants from De Lier in the County of Holland. The distillery was destroyed during World War II, and its site is now occupied by a restaurant.

Krambambuli is also the title of a story by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach about a dog who is named after a brand of cherry brandy.

A strong krambambulya made with vodka and beer is mentioned in the play Wolves and Sheep by Alexander Ostrovsky.

Etymology

The name is probably derived from the Old High German word Kranawitu or chranawita ("croaker timber," another name for juniper) and from the Rotwelsch word Blamp (alcoholic drink).

In the jargon of European student fraternities, the word Krambambuli was used to identify various drinks such as mulled wine and Feuerzangenbowle. The popularity of the word was associated to a large degree with Der Krambambuli, a commercium song that was written in 1745 by Christoph Friedrich Wedekind (under the pseudonym Crescentius Coromandel) and translated into Russian by Nikolay Yazykov in the 19th century.

See also

• Medovukha

References

External links

• Krambambula marketed by BELPI - Belarusian Beverages.