Day #1 – 20/09/2026
It was a warm sunny September weekend in the northwest of Bulgaria at the end of a dry summer. The plum trees in our garden had plenty of fruits weighting heavily on their young branches. Nature was kind to us, rewarding our year long efforts with a sizable harvest. The soil in the area is poor and gets dry fast. The plum trees seem to be the only vegetation capable to survive this barren landscape.
On Saturday morning I was ready to pick plums. I had my ladder and a bucket to reach even the most remote parts of a tree. The result came to a staggering 35 kilograms of fruits. Plums are versatile fruits. They can be eaten fresh or dried, used to make marmalade or turn into a brandy.
I choose the latter. A journey I have been before, as a kid, helping my grandparents. Unfortunately, my memories of precise steps and detailed recipe have vanished over the years. I had to do my own research into the matter. I will skip the boring details, but this is where I got to as of today.
I had already a large plastic container about 100 litres in size. The other tools necessary include a large paddle (to mix the mash) and a knife to clean the stones. Removing the stones from the plums is key to ensure the brandy at the end is purified from nasty smells, flavours and most importantly is safe to consume. I cannot lie removing stones from plum manually is the most boring task of all. It is always easier if you can rely on another family member to give you a helping hand.
I diluted 4 kilograms of sugar in 11 litres of water and added it to the plums. Using the paddle to stir and press the fruits. The container must have a lid on while at the same time allowing for a tiny opening at the top. Carbon dioxide is released from the mixture during fermentation. For the more Chemistry savvy this is the exact process: the yeast consumes sugars (like glucose) and converts them into alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide gas.
Day #3 – 22/09/2026
I read the sugar content of the ready mixture and got a high reading of 25. The best results are obtained with sugar levels between 20 and 22 units as indicated on the hydrometer by the green area. To dilute down from my 25 to 22 I added 3 more litres of water. Taking the total to about 14 litres of water.
Storage of the container is also key. I have a basement where the room temperature is a steady 22 degrees Celsius. The 50 litres of fruit mixture will distil into 5 litres of brandy.
This section will be updated and progress will be made available soon!
Troyan Plum Festival
Plums take center stage at the annual Plum festival in Troyan, Bulgaria. The festival traditionally held in the last week of September is connected with the main livelihood of the Troyan region – the cultivation of plums, the production of Troyan plum brandy and other plum products. It provides an opportunity for the expression of amateur creativity and display of arts and crafts.
