Top 3 Albanian Non-alcoholic Beverages

People from the Gorani community living in the mountainous Gora region situated between Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia have had a long-standing tradition of producing a type of millet beer known locally as boza. With an acidic flavor and a light alcohol content, this beverage is made by fermenting millet (Panicum miliaceum, called prosok in the local language) in water with no added malt. Renowned for their production of this fermented beverage, the Gorani people have commonly been called the bozadzij, meaning people who prepare boza.Expand

Wild lily (Lilium martagon), Turk’s cap lily, or Martagon lily, known locally as bar tamthi, has traditionally been gathered in early to mid-summer from the alpine meadows by the Kelmendi community in Lëpushë, a mountainous village situated in the Northern Albanian Alps. Distinguished by beautiful, turban-like flowers, this wild plant has been harvested for its bulbs and leaves, which are dried and used to prepare traditional teas, infusions, and decoctions. Regarded as "herb of the liver" in traditional medicine, the plant’s bulbs are believed to help with various liver diseases and digestion problems.Expand

Produced traditionally by people from the Gorani community in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia, sok is a fermented, gassy beverage that's either non-alcoholic or has a very low alcohol content. To produce the drink, the fruits are allowed to ferment inside sealed bottles or jars under anaerobic conditions. A wide range of wild or cultivated fruits and berries gathered from the mountainsides by the local population can be used in the production of this beverage, including bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, rosehips, juniper berries, wild pears, plums, damsons, raspberries, sour cherries, hawthorn, crab apples, cherry plums, and sloe. Sugar and lemon juice can alternatively be added to the drink to promote fermentation and gas production. Aside from being enjoyed as refreshing drinks, these fruit beverages are also appreciated for their healing properties and are often used in traditional medicine as remedies for various health problems. For instance, the beverage made with juniper berries is believed to be beneficial for kidney issues, thirst, and cystitis.Expand