Siplore · Vomcore

Rakı (Lion's Milk) Recipe

Rakı (Lion's Milk)

Turkey's national anise spirit served with water that turns it milky white.

Ingredients

How to Make It

  1. Pour rakı into a tall glass.
  2. Add an equal amount of chilled water; watch it turn cloudy.
  3. Add ice if desired.
  4. Serve with meze.

Garnish

Serve with ice on the side

What it tastes like

It hits hard.

The technique

Built in the glass. Ice goes into the serving glass, the ingredients go on top, and you stir once if at all. Anything carbonated goes in LAST and never gets stirred; every turn of the spoon costs you bubbles. Fill the glass to the rim with ice: less ice melts faster, not slower.

Glass and ice

A tall, narrow highball. The narrowness does real work — less surface area means the carbonation lasts longer and the ice melts more slowly.

Ingredient notes and substitutes

Cold water
Seeing it in a recipe is not a mistake: in spirit-forward drinks, measuring the dilution instead of leaving it to the ice is what makes the result repeatable.

The Story

A cornerstone of Turkish dining culture, traditionally sipped slowly with meze.

Frequently asked questions

How is a Rakı (Lion's Milk) mixed?
It is built in the glass and served in a highball glass.
How strong is a Rakı (Lion's Milk)?
Roughly 20% ABV as served — in fortified-wine territory — plan it as a single drink.
Can a Rakı (Lion's Milk) be made without alcohol?
Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
Is a Rakı (Lion's Milk) hard to make?
Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.

759 recipes in your pocket

Cocktails and mocktails from 55 countries — ingredients, steps and the story behind each drink. Works offline too.

Download App Store Download Google Play

Similar recipes

Collections

Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.