Serasin

Serasin is an alcoholic drink that originates from Darnia. The beverage is made with the roots of Trexasi Plants, specificaly, the variety known as purple Trexasi, native to the darnian desert and dry coast of northern Samaria.

Manufacturing process

Cacti farming

Purple Trexasi are farmed extensively in Darnia, as Serasin is, along with wine, a popular drink in the country. The cacti are farmed in large fields and planted in long rows every seven years, which is the time it takes for the cactus to reach maturity. During this time, the skin of the plant changes colour, going from a light green colour to a deep purple. The main body of the plant, which is composed of a series of a large and round spheres, grows in size, sometimes reaching nearly 1 metre across, until it reaches maturity and stops growing. Once it does, it begins to bear large round and prikly red fruits. these are not edible but can be used to make a hallucinegic poison as well as some potions.

Root harvesting

After the fruits are picked or left to fall on their own, the plant's roots, which act as a reserve of water for the plant, fill up and store water for use in the next fruit bearing or to keep the plant alive. When fruits begin to grow on the plant again, the harvesting of the roots can begin. The plant is uprooted, revealing large juice-filled tubular roots, which are then cut off. The rest of the plant is used to feed animals, like camels.

Crushing and Cooking

The bulbus root's bitter skin is pealed off before they are lightly cooked inside a stone oven to soften them up. They are then crushed under a stone wheel to extract its juice, which is then placed inside a wooden barrel along with yeast for up to 2 weeks.

Fermentation and distilation

After the juice is proprely fermented, it is then distilled in a dedicated distilery building or one that is inside a Still room that is part of a larger building, such as a castle or palace. Some traxesi farm also have smaller distileries on site. After many rounds of distilation, the juice, which was previously cloudy with a slight purple tinge, becomes transparent like water.

Aging

While Serasin has many different varieties that are produced, each requirering a different aging time, all of them must be aged a least for 2 months to be considered true Serasin. A barrel of Serasin is aged proprely when the now transparent liquid begins to regain its purple tinge.

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Creation Date

Sometime during the early years of the First Age

Rarity

Serasin is popular and available in most regions near the Mahadorian sea, as well as in the surounding regions, such as southern Arros and Continent of Samaria. Its rarety comes in the form of its price, as most varieties are too expensive for ordinary people to buy, especialy in places outside Darnia. In most cases, Darnian wine is a suitable, slightly less expansive replacement.
Trade
Like wine, trade of Serasin brings a lot of revenue for Darnian producers as well as merchants of the Triarchy of the Free Cities, Kingdom of Gysia and especialy the Merchant Republic of Arba.

Significance
In Solianism, Serasin is viewed as a pure and holy substance, and its used in religious ceremonies. In Darnia and northern Samaria, the liquid  isn't drunk, but instead used with water to clean one's hand and feet In Gysia, the liquid is consumed in very small quantities before they enter the temple.