Walking along the streets of Istanbul one can easily be overcome with the hordes of restauraunteers attempting to convince you that not only is their restaurant the best, but also the cheapest. Over the last week and a half I’ve discovered that you are just as likely to find a kebap for $2.50 YTL as you are to find one for $15 YTL, and anywhere in between (also depending on the place, and how daring you’re feeling you can sometimes negotiate a certain percentage off a meal, 5-10%, if you play your cards right). However, you always need something to wash down that delicious meal, and often times few things will sound better on a hot day, than a cold beer. Ephes Pilsen is the answer (or as the we’ve seen on any number of t-shirts “Raki is the answer, I don’t remember the question”). Raki, has earned its status at the nations unofficial national drink, and can be found in literally every establishment that serves liquor. For those of you who don’t know what this drink is, let me attempt to explain it. Raki’s (rah·kuh) nickname is lion’s milk (and there are those of us on the trip who would probably rather attempt to catch, and milk a lion than drink this stuff), and it’s made of with anise extract / flavoring and ethyl alcohol (about 45% / 90 proof). It’s actually very similar to Ouzo, or Sambuca, and there is a great debate around the Mediterranean as to who the actual inventor of the drink was, as all of them are so similar. The drink is best served ice cold, and mixed 50% raki, and 50% water, and although the liquor itself is clear, when its mixed with water it turns cloudy white (which led to the name lion’s milk).
So you’re probably starting to wonder why I’m babbling on about this alcoholic drink, well the Qur’an forbids the consumption of any intoxicating substance, and there for no alcohol. Ironically, it was Muslims who discovered coffee, and it was actually the Turks who brought coffee to Vienna, which from there, spread throughout the rest of the western world. As we know, Turkey is an explicitly secular country, so actually looking at the drinking habits of the country is a great way of examining the dichotomy between religiosity and secularity. Within Turkey there is a great amount of tension over religious identity and what constitutes being a “good Muslim”. This debate encapsulates many parts of Turkish life, and its effects can be seen / felt in many part of Turkish life (dress code, gender relations, entertainment, and drinking).
Additionally, alcohol is a great indicator of Turkeys economic past. Throughout much of the mid 20th century much of Turkeys industry was regulated heavily by the state through a process called import substitution economics. For decades the state government dictated who was allowed to produce what and how much, while attempting to prevent the import of foreign goods, in an attempt to boost the domestic economy. As a result, when on a night out, there are really only three affordable options for liquor; beer, raki, and more recently wine (as the Turkish wine industry is only beginning to grow). However, when looking at beer there is really only one current option, the aforementioned Ephes Pilsen (Ephes for short). Currently, the company, which brews Ephes, has cornered nearly 90% of the market, as a result of them having been the only company allowed to produce beer for such and extended period of time. Only recently have companies like Tuborg, and other major international competitors (Carlsberg, Guinness, and major U.S. brands) broken into the market, at heavily inflated prices. Similarly, “hard liquors” and mixed drinks (unless made with domestic liquor) are also often served at even more heavily inflated prices (e.g. $18 YTL for a Baily’s) for the same reasons. This is gradually shifting, but as a result of Turkey’s long history of import regulation, many foreign products are often available now, but at greatly exaggerated prices.
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