Friday, March 14, 2014

The history of fermentation beverage boza

Boza is a traditional drink, dating back to even before the Ottoman Empire. It’s a drink of ancient Egypt and Babylon.

This beverage origin goes back to Mesopotamia and it came to Macedonia with the Ottoman Empire.

Aside from coffee, boza enjoyed its golden age during the Ottoman Empire, as the beverage was spread to all the occupied lands. It was most probably brought by the Turks from Central Asia.

In English, the bosa was adopted form Turkic boza. There is not any source for the Old Turkic version of this word, however the known Middle Turkic sauces give: boza or buza.

Boza production was an important component of the Ottoman urban economy.

Boza had a thick consistency and low alcohol content with an acidic sweet flavor. The Ottoman army unit consumed boza because it was rich in carbohydras and vitamins. It was said that Sultan Babur (1483-1530) the founder of the Indian Mughals, the direct descendants of the Timurids, carried on the traditions on consuming boza.

During the reign of Salim II (1566-1574), boza consumption ran into government restriction when a new brand of the drink, laced with opium, was introduced to the market.

The Ottoman government once again imposed restriction on alcoholic beverages, including boza, during the reign Mohammed IV (164-1687), but consumption of the drink continued.

In 1680, the Grand Vizier, Cara Mustapha, permitted boza to be publicly sold and drink in the street of Constantinople.
The history of fermentation beverage boza

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