On Tap
It was inevitable that I would eventually be compelled to write a detailed description of the village beers. I imagine some of you are curious what we drink in the village for a bit of relaxation. Surprisingly enough, we have a choice of 3 different adult beverages to drink when getting together in a social setting. The available drink just depends on which one the host or home owner wanted to have that particular Sunday.
The most popular is called katata. It has the consistency and color of a gritty type of egg nog. It took a bit of getting used to, but now I enjoy it thoroughly. This is made by taking corn flour with ground millet, yeast, and sugar. It takes 7 days to brew and is dispersed in 2.5 or 5 liter containers, some having once housed motor oil. Delicious!
The second most widely found beverage is called katubi. This takes a week as well to brew and is made from millet. The finished product is a kind of mash or wort like the remains from beer brewing in the states. To this thick, grainy product you add near boiling water. I don't understand how it works exactly, but upon the addition of the water, the alcohol gathers around the wet grain remnants in little pockets of liquid goodness. To enjoy katubi properly, you use a straw to probe around until you get lucky enough to find a delightful pocket of the alcohol. It is like a drunkards scavenger hunt. The liquid itself tastes a lot like hot saki.
The third alcohol around my area is has about 50 names, but goes mostly by lituku and kanchina. This is actually a proper booze. They brew it and distill it in the village to the point that it is actually a clear liquid. It is basically like African moonshine. This particular beverage is made from cassava and only takes 3 days to prepare.
In addition to these three, there are some others that I've heard of, but never tried. Some Zambians also brew wine, a kind of tea wine, and a honey beer that is rumored to be quite delicious. Most of these drinks are consumed on Sundays, and I have developed a small group of friends in the village that I enjoy getting together with when I'm in the village to share a few drinks with. It's helping my language skills and integration into the community by joining them in these activities.
The most popular is called katata. It has the consistency and color of a gritty type of egg nog. It took a bit of getting used to, but now I enjoy it thoroughly. This is made by taking corn flour with ground millet, yeast, and sugar. It takes 7 days to brew and is dispersed in 2.5 or 5 liter containers, some having once housed motor oil. Delicious!
The second most widely found beverage is called katubi. This takes a week as well to brew and is made from millet. The finished product is a kind of mash or wort like the remains from beer brewing in the states. To this thick, grainy product you add near boiling water. I don't understand how it works exactly, but upon the addition of the water, the alcohol gathers around the wet grain remnants in little pockets of liquid goodness. To enjoy katubi properly, you use a straw to probe around until you get lucky enough to find a delightful pocket of the alcohol. It is like a drunkards scavenger hunt. The liquid itself tastes a lot like hot saki.
The third alcohol around my area is has about 50 names, but goes mostly by lituku and kanchina. This is actually a proper booze. They brew it and distill it in the village to the point that it is actually a clear liquid. It is basically like African moonshine. This particular beverage is made from cassava and only takes 3 days to prepare.
In addition to these three, there are some others that I've heard of, but never tried. Some Zambians also brew wine, a kind of tea wine, and a honey beer that is rumored to be quite delicious. Most of these drinks are consumed on Sundays, and I have developed a small group of friends in the village that I enjoy getting together with when I'm in the village to share a few drinks with. It's helping my language skills and integration into the community by joining them in these activities.
posted by Brett @ 8:11 AM
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