Does Medronho fruit get you drunk?
Eating Medronhos doesn't get you drunk , drinking brandy does! The Medronho fruit on the tree does not have alcohol, so eating the Medronho fruit will not make you drunk.
A big myth surrounding Medronho is that it can make eating the fresh fruit alcoholic.
Explanation: Like any other fruit with sugar, after fermenting, the sugars are transformed into ethanol (alcohol). However, when harvested from the tree and for fresh consumption this process has not yet started and as such, without alcohol, no one gets "drunk".
These fruits are Lychees!
You are not the only one, some confusion arises with the medronho and litchi fruit. The medronho is not liticha, they are different fruits.
Litchi or lychee belongs to the Sapindaceae family and its scientific name is Litchi chinensis.
Despite being also a fruit, the similarities with Medronho stop here... 3 easy ways to see the difference:
1) The lychee has a hard skin, the arbutus is soft
2) The lychee has seeds, the medronho has very small seeds
3) The lychee has shades of white inside, with orange and yellow arbutus
Where does the name Medronho come from?
The scientific name “ Arbutus unedo ” combines the name of the genus “ Arbutus ”, for shrub or small tree, and the specific restrictive “ unedo ”, derived from the Latin “ unus ” - one and “ edo ” - to eat, which come together in the expression “unum tantum edo” or “ eat only one ”, attributed to the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder.
The name is due to the supposed alcoholic effect that excessive consumption of very ripe fruits can cause. Although this effect has not been scientifically proven, arbutus should be consumed in moderation, like any other fruit.
Is Medronho only Portuguese?
No! And Spain, Italy and Greece have a historical connection with the Medronheiro, just like Portugal. These, in addition to their traditional alcoholic drinks, have other curiosities:
In Italy , the strawberry tree is the national tree because it simultaneously presents the three colors of its flag: red fruits, white flowers and green leaves.
In Spain , the symbol of the city of Madrid shows a bear and a strawberry tree. It is said that both species were present around the city and that the symbol is associated with a land dispute, in the 13th century, between the administration and representatives of the clergy, which was resolved with the separation and allocation of pastures to the clergy and from the wooded territory to the city.
In Madrid, at the Prado Museum , the work “The Garden of Earthly Delights” is on display, a triptych by the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch, where the strawberry tree symbolizes the fleeting nature of pleasure, which was known in the Spanish court as “La pinta del madroño ”.
What is the correct name: Ervedeiro, Morangueiro or is it Medronheiro?
Despite being known by multiple names in Portugal , Medronheiro is the most common !
The various names that this tree has are : ervedeiro, strawberry tree, ervedo, êrvodo, ervodo, herbado, meródio and arbutus tree .
In English , the common name for strawberry tree is strawberry tree (the red, round fruits are reminiscent of strawberries), while in Spanish it is madroño and in French arbouisier.
Why does Aguardente Medronho have a different price than other spirits and even other distillates? What is the price of medronho brandy? How much does a liter of medronho cost?
The higher price of Medronho brandy compared to other brandies, gins or vodkas is related to 3 important factors that mean that Medronho Brandy has higher production costs .
1) use of 100% ripe Medronho fruit , unlike other drinks that use fruit by-products or fruit remains that were harvested for other uses. Different from other drinks made from cereals or potatoes, for example.
2) Manual harvesting of the fruit and labor associated with this process. The non-mechanization of this activity and the careful choice of the final product with several passes through the same tree in order to harvest the fruit at the correct stage of maturation.
3) Slow and traditional distillation. To guarantee the aromas and quality of the distillate there is a distillation process, lasting around 6 to 8 hours , manually controlled to produce just 15 to 20 liters of Medronho Brandy.
How much does 1 Medronho (1 fruit) weigh?
There is a wide variety in the size of the fruit, when ripe for picking, it can be between 0.5 and 3cm in diameter and weigh between 2 and 15 grams.
Depending on the use, size may or may not be important. For distillation or cooking, which are the most common uses, the most important thing is always the sugar level the fruit has and the flavor!
How many kilos of medronho are needed to make a liter of brandy?
A common question among people who work with this fruit to produce the famous distillate. Although there is no exact answer, the values are between 6 and 10 kg of fruit for 1 liter of Aguardente de Medronho .
This value depends on 4 important factors:
1) State of fruit maturation (ripe fruit will have more sugar and more potential to generate ethanol\alcohol)
2) Terroir , region where the fruit comes from ( lower Alentejo and Algarve, higher sugar level and more flavor)
3) The desired alcohol content in the final distillate
4) The quality of distillation equipment affects the use
How much alcohol does Medronho have?
The traditional Medronho from lower Alentejo has between 48% and 52% Vol.
The alcohol content of Medronho brandy is usually measured using two scales, the Cartier Scale and the Gay-Lussac Scale. The most common in Portugal is the Gay-Lussac in which the relationship is direct: the 50-degree mark Gay - Lussac means that there is 50% alcohol in the drink.
Legally in Portugal, to have the designation "Medronho" it must have at least 42% Vol .
What does Medronho taste like?
What arbutus tastes like is a common question as many people do not have access to the fresh product.
The medronho fruit has a characteristic and unique flavor, generally described as bittersweet, slightly acidic and astringent . It has a combination of sweetness and acidity, with an astringent touch that can vary depending on the ripeness of the fruit.
Some people compare the flavor of arbutus to a mix between apple, fig and raspberry , but with a more pronounced astringent note.
What is the best Medronho brandy?
It would be surprising that all distillers choose their brandy as the best . When tasting an medronho spirit you should evaluate the following factors :
Appearance : clear
Color : colorless; topaz (except if it is aged. If it is, its color and tone will depend on the wood in which it was aged and how long it was aged)
Aroma : arbutus and ethereal fruit
Flavor : arbutus fruit, acidity and alcoholic
Be suspicious of the quality of the spirit if it smells like glue, thinner, varnish, freshly cut grass, scratches in your throat or has a bluish color.
Then decide for yourself which is best!
What are the health benefits of Medronho?
Among the health benefits of the medronho fruit, the antioxidant activity stands out, which is “higher than that of fruits from other sources”, says the University of Aveiro : “The antioxidant activity reflects the ability to prevent the formation of free radicals , substances that, when produced in excess in the body, are responsible for oxidative stress, known for causing damage to the human body, which is associated with aging and increased susceptibility to various diseases, particularly emerging civilizational diseases”.
The same research project identified the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, including omega 3 and 6, with a role in controlling cholesterol levels and skin and bone health. The presence of beta-carotene (another natural antioxidant) and vitamins E and C had previously been documented. Furthermore, the presence of sugars in the composition of medronho is high, meaning its energy value is relatively high, increasing with maturation.
Want to know more about arbutus and arbutus trees?
If you want to know about the plants, the tree, the fruit, the brandy or other curiosities, do not hesitate to contact us at the link below or claramedronho@gmail.com