Bulgaria Cracks Down on Home-Made Spirits: Rakia Limit Slashed to 30 Liters

The Bulgarian government is proposing significant restrictions on home production of wine and rakia, with amendments to the Wine and Spirits Act now open for public discussion. If approved, the allowed quantities of traditional Bulgarian spirits for personal use would be drastically reduced. Currently, households can produce up to 1,000 kilograms of grapes for wine or rakia, or about 700 liters combined. Under the new rules, production would be limited to 500 liters of wine and just 30 liters of rakia, provided the fruit used comes from one’s own garden.

The changes are framed as measures to curb illegal alcohol production and to comply with obligations to the European Commission. Small-scale distilleries, locally referred to as cauldrons, would continue to operate under strict regulation. While an excise tax is applied on the quantities produced, a reduced rate applies if production remains within the 700-liter threshold, with the full rate levied for any excess.

The draft legislation also imposes strict limits on sales. Homemade rakia cannot be sold online, in restaurants, or at markets. Registered producers may only sell to licensed traders, and the product must undergo laboratory testing by the Executive Agency for Vine and Wine to verify its physical, chemical, and microbiological properties.

Labeling rules for rakia would also be tightened. Drinks aged in oak barrels for at least six months could be labeled as “aged,” while those matured for three years in wooden barrels would be considered “old.” A “reserve” designation would require a minimum of five years in wooden barrels, and “special reserve” would require at least ten years. Violations of labeling regulations would carry substantial fines of 30,000 to 50,000 leva (15,000 to 25,000 euros).