Rakı is one of the best-known Turkish drinks. Historically, its first simple form appeared in Anatolia in the 11th century, while sources show that rakı as we know it today dates back to the 15th century. Its three main ingredients are anise, grapes and water. As a relatively strong drink, it is usually served with water.
It would not be wrong to say that rakı has a philosophy of its own. Looking back through history, rakı has connected people from all walks of life, from musicians to poets, from writers to artists, from the working class to the bourgeoisie, and brought them together around a common table. Rakı culture has had a strong influence on some Turkish poets in particular. Orhan Veli, Sait Faik, Melih Cevdet, Edip Cansever and Cemal Süreya are among the poets who wrote about rakı or are known to have enjoyed drinking it with friends. Rakı is not just a drink but also a culture. It even has its own special venues, called meyhane: taverns designed for people to spend enjoyable time together, often with live music.
Whether rakı should be enjoyed only with meze or with a full meal is a topic that rakı lovers often disagree on. Some prefer only meze alongside their rakı, while others choose to have a meal. But there is one thing almost everyone agrees on: fish is the best food to pair with rakı. In Turkish, there is even a saying for it: "rakı balık yapmak" (literally, "doing rakı and fish"). Rakı lovers say they enjoy fish with their rakı and that the pairing creates a very special feeling and pleasure. Which fish to choose depends on the season; the freshest, in-season fish is usually the first choice.
Using the "Monitor" feature of the eBrandValue platform, we analysed which types of fish and seafood have been mentioned together with rakı on social media since January 2020.
On social media, consumers' top fish and seafood pairings with rakı are, in order, calamari, shrimp, sea bass, sea bream and bluefish.
Making sense of what communities think and finding the pairings they will love is one of the key needs of brands. eBrandValue helps brands make better decisions in this direction and helps companies get to know their customers better so they can offer unique services.
To learn more about eBrandValue Platform, and how such metrics influence brand value, contact us using the form below.
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