Orujo

[bobotron801]

So after 2 Camino's and having watched the movie "The Way" for the 12 thousandth time. A fellow pilgrim at a meet-up asked if I liked Orujo, and ridiculous to me I had never heard of it. I didn't understand Joost from Amsterdam when he introduced it in the movie.

Furthermore, This pilgrim told me that the best Orujo is the homemade kind you buy from the locals.

SO...

I'm curious how many of of you have that experience with Orujo, and if you know a good place or two that I can try it on my upcoming walk-a-bout.

Many thanks, Cheers!

 

[RJM]

Three times I have had a shot of a brandy which I assume to be orujo while I was walking the Camino Frances. These occurred at communal meals. Twice I believe it was homemade/local provided by the hospitalero, the third time was from a bottle a local Spaniard walking had with him and shared after a communal meal. Again, I am assuming it was orujo. Glasses were filled, passed around, some pilgrims looked scared to drink it, others downed it in one shot. It did not look to me like something you sip, so I downed it.
To me it tasted like other brandies I have had in Europe and South America. Was good, though. Knocked the edge off. Bit like Soju did in Korea and Sang Som in Thailand.
I don't think I can recommend anywhere to get in on the Camino. It is everywhere I suppose.
If you look up orujo on the internet some describe it as a brandy, some just say spirit. Brandy, spirit. My liquor palate doesn't differentiate the complicated . The only complications I have ever encountered when drinking is who's going to buy the next round.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

You're not allowed to serve homemade liquor to paying customers, but when you're not an official restaurateur or hotel, and the white lightning is way cheaper... well! What's not to like, pilgrim?
My neighbors make their own orujo in their barn. A hospitalero I work closely with is noted for his excellent orujo. It is always transparent when first made, strong enough to strip the paint off the walls, so lots of people bottle it with massive doses of sugar as well as other flavorings, like "hierbas," (herbs), yellow supposedly from saffron; coffee beans (to make a sort of Kahlua thing); cream (for a Bailey's Irish Cream experience); or sloe berries or red currants, or rosemary or whatever strikes their fancy. It has never reminded me of brandy, which is really a complicated drink. This stuff is straight-up hooch, tastes like lighter fluid, no matter what you add to it to disguise its elemental wickedness.

 

[oursonpolaire]

A Californian friend and I walked the Primitivo on an orujo-tasting tour (with the few spare hours left after revering the relics of saints in churches along the way). We ended up buying some in a sandwich shop where it was dispensed from a large plastic pepsi-cola bottle. I keep it in the freezer. I find that, after a sip or two, I do not need to floss for several days.

 

[musicman]

Yes,always a pleasant surprise when your host pops up with this st the dnd of a meal.Bellota and Pacharan are equally agreeable. Salud!

 

[IngridF]

You're not allowed to serve homemade liquor to paying customers, but when you're not an official restaurateur or hotel, and the white lightning is way cheaper... well! What's not to like, pilgrim?
My neighbors make their own orujo in their barn. A hospitalero I work closely with is noted for his excellent orujo. It is always transparent when first made, strong enough to strip the paint off the walls, so lots of people bottle it with massive doses of sugar as well as other flavorings, like "hierbas," (herbs), yellow supposedly from saffron; coffee beans (to make a sort of Kahlua thing); cream (for a Bailey's Irish Cream experience); or sloe berries or red currants, or rosemary or whatever strikes their fancy. It has never reminded me of brandy, which is really a complicated drink. This stuff is straight-up hooch, tastes like lighter fluid, no matter what you add to it to disguise its elemental wickedness.

You either like it or you don't. ..I love it!

 

[gloria lowe]

Our hostess pouring for us. You could acquire a taste for it.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

The one with honey (Orujo con miel) mixed with hot water and a squeeze of lemon is good for a chesty cough/sore throat (or so I'm lead to believe ).

Pierce a Tarta de Santiago with a fork and drizzle orujo over it and it becomes palatable

You sometimes see it labelled as Aguadiente. Saludos!

 

[Pelegrin]

Brandy is made destilling white wine. Orujo is made destilling grape skin.
White orujo is popular in NW Spain, orujo the hierbas is popular in all Spain.
Best orujos are made from grapes grown in less sunny places. Grapes from England would give great orujos I think.

 

[tomnorth]

So after 2 Camino's and having watched the movie "The Way" for the 12 thousandth time. A fellow pilgrim at a meet-up asked if I liked Orujo, and ridiculous to me I had never heard of it. I didn't understand Joost from Amsterdam when he introduced it in the movie.

Furthermore, This pilgrim told me that the best Orujo is the homemade kind you buy from the locals.

SO...

I'm curious how many of of you have that experience with Orujo, and if you know a good place or two that I can try it on my upcoming walk-a-bout.

Many thanks, Cheers!

I had two types of Orujo in San Xulian at Albergue O Abrigadoiro. By the way, the glasses in the photo are for the table. I’d have been under the table if they were all mine!

 

[Holly Mitchem]

You're not allowed to serve homemade liquor to paying customers, but when you're not an official restaurateur or hotel, and the white lightning is way cheaper... well! What's not to like, pilgrim?
My neighbors make their own orujo in their barn. A hospitalero I work closely with is noted for his excellent orujo. It is always transparent when first made, strong enough to strip the paint off the walls, so lots of people bottle it with massive doses of sugar as well as other flavorings, like "hierbas," (herbs), yellow supposedly from saffron; coffee beans (to make a sort of Kahlua thing); cream (for a Bailey's Irish Cream experience); or sloe berries or red currants, or rosemary or whatever strikes their fancy. It has never reminded me of brandy, which is really a complicated drink. This stuff is straight-up hooch, tastes like lighter fluid, no matter what you add to it to disguise its elemental wickedness.

Hi Rebecca we had our first Orujo in Moratinos in the first cafe on the right as you are walking on the Camino. We ordered breakfast and the owner, seeing that we were admiring the beautiful bottles of Orion on the shelf, gave us each a shot on the houseto go with our eggs and toast!

 

[LesR]

So after 2 Camino's and having watched the movie "The Way" for the 12 thousandth time. A fellow pilgrim at a meet-up asked if I liked Orujo, and ridiculous to me I had never heard of it. I didn't understand Joost from Amsterdam when he introduced it in the movie.

Furthermore, This pilgrim told me that the best Orujo is the homemade kind you buy from the locals.

SO...

I'm curious how many of of you have that experience with Orujo, and if you know a good place or two that I can try it on my upcoming walk-a-bout.

Many thanks, Cheers!

Love the stuff - drinking, or stripping paint!

Wikipedia says that is pomace brandy, made from fermenting skins and seeds left over from the wine making process.

Gather that the pomace brandy can be made into a number of products in the orujo family - saw a range in a window in Estella (CF Sept 2018).

Came to know licor de heirbos in Melide CF 2017, was introduced to orujo blanco in Ronccesvalle CF 2018, and then found licor de cafe .... Gather crema de licor is similar to Baileys Irish Cream, licor de cafe is similar to Kahluha.

licor de cafe became my favourite tipple...

Did see licor de heirbos for sale in Villafranca shop in a 3 litre plastic bottle for less than 20 euro!






And for the really dedicated orujo drinkers/sippers/skullers:

Orujo Festival

The Orujo Festival is one of the most traditional festivals celebrated in Cantabria; it has been running now for more than twenty years. It was first celebrated in 1984 and since then, thousands of people travel every year to this village in the north of Spain to participate in the celebrations.

Orujo originates from the region of Liébana and is mentioned in Middle Age documents found in the monasteries of the region. This festival celebrates not only the liquor, but the importance of this spiritual drink, which was once used as currency.

During the Orujo Festival visitors can enjoy watching Orujo being distilled before sampling it on the streets of the town. Visitors have the oppourtunity to taste the different varieties from the local cellars and discover other well-known dishes, such as “cocido lebaniego”, a special chickpea stew from the Liébana region; traditional gastronomic products, such as Picón Cheese; and desserts, such as “borono”, which is similar to black pudding. Musical shows and folkloric performances complete the activities program of this festival.

(refer https://visiteurope.com/en/experience/orujo-festival/)

 

[Via2010]

Orujo comes in various varieties. The latest variety is with "pimientos de Padrón"-flavour. I bought a Little bottle on my last trip to Santiago, but have not tried it yet. When I was waiting at Santiago Airport there was a merchandising counter, where you could try samples of different orujo.

On the camino I have met home-made or "moonshine"-orujo on various occasions.

I can remember a blue glass bottle passed around in a bar for lunchtime and the local workers pouring the liquid in their coffee, laughing. That was just before reaching Puebla de Sanabría on the Sanabrés.
I was given a sample of 3 kinds of orujo (blanco, hierbas and limoncello) for digestivo in Restaurante "Los Emigrantes" in Galisteo. Of those I most liked the "limoncello".
And an excellent "hierbas" as digestivo in Restaurante "A Picota" in Laza.
Last summer, on the Camino Primitivo, in Grandas de Salime a fellow pilgrim from Bilbao disappeared for a while and bought "moonshine" orujo from a local. He had seen the distillery-equipment in the backyard. That orujo came in a green unlabelled glass-bottle and I suppose it had at about 70° of alcohol. Very strong stuff indeed.

BC
Alexandra

 

[RENSHAW]

On setting out on what was yet another October day of soaking rain in Galacia , I came across a Bar that boasted '100km to Santiago'. It was 9am and I had had enough!
Inside next to a snug log fire were two jovial Swiss-Italians that had walked from Geneva. They were eating a hearty breakfast bolstered with large beers. I did the same ..............and then one of these chaps pointed to a bottle containing a yellow substance standing desperately lonesome on a small shelf ... almost out of reach.
I don't remember much after that?

 

[bobotron801]

On setting out on what was yet another October day of soaking rain in Galacia , I came across a Bar that boasted '100km to Santiago'. It was 9am and I had had enough!
Inside next to a snug log fire were two jovial Swiss-Italians that had walked from Geneva. They were eating a hearty breakfast bolstered with large beers. I did the same ..............and then one of these chaps pointed to a bottle containing a yellow substance standing desperately lonesome on a small shelf ... almost out of reach.
I don't remember much after that?

I remember that bar so vividly, when I got there it was raining so hard.

 

[Pelegrin]

In Galicia most people call CAÑA to white orujo.
That is, if someone at bar says just caña will be served with a shot of orujo but if says unha/una caña then will have a beer.

 

[Zen Librarian]

Orujo.... good memories.... bon carallo!

 

[wisepilgrim]

Galicia is the best part of Spain to get a carajillo in, thanks to orujo.

 

[Pelegrin]

Orujo.... good memories.... bon carallo!

Hahaha 'bon carallo' has different meanings.
In this case I think you mean that the orujo was good 'de carallo'. So, very very good.

 

[Delphinoula]

Orujo.... good memories.... bon carallo!

Hm I guess you wrote it down as you heard it? I can’t think you meant what you said. It can be so confusing.

 

[Gillean]

Our hostess pouring for us. You could acquire a taste for it. View attachment 52303

Looks like Mercedes at Molina Golochas near Villavente. Lovely lady and a great hostess.

 

[Gillean]

I remember that bar so vividly, when I got there it was raining so hard.

I think that would be the bar at Morgade

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

The one with honey (Orujo con miel) mixed with hot water and a squeeze of lemon is good for a chesty cough/sore throat (or so I'm lead to believe ).

Pierce a Tarta de Santiago with a fork and drizzle orujo over it and it becomes palatable

You sometimes see it labelled as Aguadiente. Saludos!

Not bad, on Amazon.es, Orujo Trampero Miel is only 13.15 euro.

 

[brian560]

So after 2 Camino's and having watched the movie "The Way" for the 12 thousandth time. A fellow pilgrim at a meet-up asked if I liked Orujo, and ridiculous to me I had never heard of it. I didn't understand Joost from Amsterdam when he introduced it in the movie.

Furthermore, This pilgrim told me that the best Orujo is the homemade kind you buy from the locals.

SO...

I'm curious how many of of you have that experience with Orujo, and if you know a good place or two that I can try it on my upcoming walk-a-bout.

Many thanks, Cheers!

It's basically grappa and it's a very good anaesthetic if you have sore feet.

 

[KiwiBee]

I bought a witch shaped bottle of orujo to take home to New Zealand. Four years that nasty stuff has been sitting in my cupboard. I just can't bring myself to drink it

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Not bad, on Amazon.es, Orujo Trampero Miel is only 13.15 euro.

About twice the price you'll pay for an "ordinary" one in a Spanish supermercado and about four times the price of unlabeled orujo from the "corner store" - just don't spill it on your boots!

 

[FrankWall]

You're not allowed to serve homemade liquor to paying customers, but when you're not an official restaurateur or hotel, and the white lightning is way cheaper... well! What's not to like, pilgrim?
My neighbors make their own orujo in their barn. A hospitalero I work closely with is noted for his excellent orujo. It is always transparent when first made, strong enough to strip the paint off the walls, so lots of people bottle it with massive doses of sugar as well as other flavorings, like "hierbas," (herbs), yellow supposedly from saffron; coffee beans (to make a sort of Kahlua thing); cream (for a Bailey's Irish Cream experience); or sloe berries or red currants, or rosemary or whatever strikes their fancy. It has never reminded me of brandy, which is really a complicated drink. This stuff is straight-up hooch, tastes like lighter fluid, no matter what you add to it to disguise its elemental wickedness.

Hilarious! Can’t wait to have a sip.

 

[Former member 2537]

And then there's the queimada: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queimada_(drink)

Owls, barn owls, toads and witches.
Demons, goblins and devils,
spirits of the misty vales.

Etc, etc, etc……

 

[Stephen]

Tis the Devil's buttermilk.

 

[Pelegrin]

And then there's the queimada: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queimada_(drink)

Owls, barn owls, toads and witches.
Demons, goblins and devils,
spirits of the misty vales.

Etc, etc, etc……

Yes queimada is a good destination for those who don't know what to do with their orujo bottle.. Here the recipe:

How to Make Queimada (Galicia Fire Drink)

Queimada, the fire drink of Galicia, is made from traditional liquor that's burned until the flames are blue and then consumed in a special ceremony.

www.thespruceeats.com

 

[oursonpolaire]

I bought a witch shaped bottle of orujo to take home to New Zealand. Four years that nasty stuff has been sitting in my cupboard. I just can't bring myself to drink it

I don't think that it's gone bad, so you should feel free to have a dram.

 

[Mugatu]

Hahaha, I’ve been wondering what I drank, from what I’m reading it may be what you all have been describing...

I had a hospitaliero, bring out a 2L plastic jug, pour all of it’s contents into a ceramic dish, set it on fire, add lemon and a bit of sugar... it was completely clear and smelled like bad decisions; oh good times and great memories!

 

[Vacajoe]

Had the full Queimada treatment at a bar in a roadside village somewhere past Sarria. The owner simply asked if we wanted a “secret surprise” (waaay better than just a surprise of course...) and we had to shake on the 3€ cost prior to even knowing what we were in for. Suddenly he locked the doors, drew the shades, shouted at his wife, and then tables were pushed together in a flurry of activity. Lots of fire and Gallegos chanting later, we enjoyed the hot oroju cocktail in what turned out to be a very solemn ceremony for this family. Definitely a night to remember!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I had two types of Orujo in San Xulian at Albergue O Abrigadoiro. By the way, the glasses in the photo are for the table. I’d have been under the table if they were all mine!

View attachment 52307

My family were given the yellow one by the owner of the restaurant we had dinner at on our way out at the bar. He'd felt bad that we had to gulp down the various courses quickly as he had a big tour group coming in next. I loved the dinner and the orujo was excellent as long as you sipped it v e r y slowly!

 

[JennyH94]

Oh Orujo ... a choir of angels singing on your tongue!

I have a few very happy Camino memories of enjoying the odd orujo or two, one of which was at a hotel at Valdesfresno, just before Leon, in June 2017.

IngridF, who's posted above, who I've been Forum friends with (thank you Ivar and also David who introduced me to the Forum in the first place) since 2013, found our caminos in 2017 were going to be in sync on the Meseta so we arranged to meet up at Rebekah Scott's home in Moratinos and we walked for around five days together, to Leon. The night before Leon we decided to treat ourselves to a hotel and a fantastic evening at the hotel's restaurant ensued. We had a superb meal, delicious wine and after the meal, Juan, our very kind and friendly waiter, brought out two bottles of orujo which he said were "on the house". One was the white orujo and one was the chartreuse-coloured orujo - both were completely wonderful! The photo below was taken before we hit the dance floor!



Cheers from Oz -
Jenny