What is the difference between grappa and chacha? 9 differences

What is the question

Grappa and chacha are strong alcoholic beverages that are similar in nature, but differ radically in terms of the raw materials used and production technology.

Vzboltai explains why grappa and chacha are not the same thing.

Geography

Grappa comes from Italy, from its northern part.

Chacha is produced in Georgia and Abkhazia, while since 2011 Georgia has a patent for it, like France for cognac.

Raw materials

The most common local grape varieties are used in the production of grappa and chacha.

For grappa: trebiano, moscato, brachetto, arneis, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, nebbiolo, barbera, and others. The pulp is mainly used - spent cake, stems and seeds. For premium varieties, pomace can be used after the production of elite wine varieties, in which up to 30% of the juice remains. Only recently, grappa has been produced from whole berries, but so far there are only rare exceptions.

For chacha - rkatsiteli in Georgia, isabella and kachich in Abkhazia. Whole bunches of unripe grapes can also be used for distillation. It depends on the area - where grapes grow in abundance, chacha is made from them.

Processing of raw materials

In Italy, during the production of grappa, the pulp is treated with hot water steam, which softens it but also kills the remaining yeast cultures. To start the fermentation process, you have to add pre-prepared yeast.

During the production of chacha, the pomace is diluted with cold water, and the fermentation process occurs naturally with the help of wild yeast.

Distillation

During the production of grappa, the procedure of cutting off the head and tail fractions is mandatory, which reduces the amount of harmful impurities in the finished drink.

This is not done for chacha, which makes its aroma and taste richer, but the content of fusel oil and other impurities is higher.

Aging

Both grappa and chacha can be aged in barrels, but this is not a mandatory step - there is no minimum period for these drinks.

Grappa is aged in barrels made of French limousin oak, as well as chestnut and wild cherry, some producers additionally infuse chacha with herbs and fruits.

Chacha is aged in Caucasian oak barrels, and no foreign ingredients are allowed - Georgians will consider such chacha to be fake.

Classification

For grappa, there are several categories of aging, which you can learn more about here (link to grappa). Samples of different categories are very different from each other, so you can roughly understand what the drink will be like by the designation on the label.

Chacha is not always aged, more often it is only allowed to infuse for a few weeks. Some manufacturers use barrels, but there are no specific requirements for the aging period. Therefore, we have to believe the statements on the label.

Blending

Grappa is most often blended - spirits from different batches or different years of aging are mixed. In addition to an additional variety of characteristics, blending allows you to keep the style and quality of grappa at the same level from year to year.

Chacha is not blended, so samples from different batches often differ from each other.

Strength

The strength of grappa varies from 36% to 55%, and it mostly depends on the category of aging.

The strength of chacha depends on the manufacturer. Chacha from the factory has a strength of 40-45%, while small or private and home producers can produce a drink with a strength of up to 70%.

How to drink

Grappa often acts as a digestif, it fills the pause when changing dishes, and is drunk on its own. It is widely used in cooking and cocktails are made on its basis.

Chacha is perfect for hearty Georgian dishes, cheeses, fruits and grilled meat. It is not drunk a lot, because due to its mild taste, alcohol is almost not felt - you can get drunk quickly.

Conclusion

For all their similarities, grappa and chacha are opposites of each other. Grappa is an elegant and sophisticated drink, suitable even for important occasions. Chacha is bright and expressive, appropriate for friendly gatherings and outdoor recreation.

Update: 29.06.2021

Category: Brandy and Cognac