DISTILLING IN TRANSCARPATHIA (AN ATTEMPT AT HISTORICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS)

Abstract

This paper analyzed the history of local palyncharstvo (production of distillates) in Transcarpathia. Palynka (moonshine) is an important element of the everyday and festive life of Transcarpathians, and private palyncharstvo promotes tourism, although the region is generally better known for wine. In general, we can identify several significant periods of its development. It has passed the stages of «korchazhny», «manufactory,» and «industrial commodity» production. During the latter, the Soviet government established a state monopoly on producing alcoholic beverages and, at the same time, stimulated the growth of its consumption by the population. As a result, domestic palyncharstvo was born and flourished in the region, even though this activity was banned. However, the economic benefits of illegal home distilling were too important a factor for Transcarpathians, as alcoholic beverages became an essential means of profit, natural exchange, and payment for certain types of work, services, or goods. As a result of the factors mentioned above, homemade palyncharstvo became a traditional occupation of the local population for a short period, which used to be exclusively consumers and not producers of palynka. Modern Transcarpathian palyncharstvo has a strong potential as an object of anthropology studying and in the domestic market, which in the conditions of saturation of the alcohol market with low-quality alcoholic beverages can only be pleasant news. However, to realize this opportunity, it is necessary to finally solve the problem of this activity legalization and create such tax conditions that will allow most private farmers to come out of the «shadow.»