Millet beer

Short description: African alcoholic beverage

Millet beer in Rhumsiki, Far North Province, Cameroon A man drinking pombe on the porch of Bonno Thoden van Velzen (Ibala village, 1967).

Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, malwa, pombe "Tchouk" or opaque beer, is an alcoholic beverage made from malted millet that is common throughout Africa.[1] Its production process varies across regions and in the southern parts of Africa is more commonly known as umqombothi. Millet beer varies in taste and alcoholic content between ethnic groups. It is served in calabash gourds.

## Contents

* 1 Production
* 2 Production process
* 3 Cultural significance
* 4 Linguistics
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 Further reading
* 8 External links

## Production

This type of beer is common throughout Africa. Related African drinks include maize beer and sorghum beer.

In the Balkans and Turkey a form of millet beer named boza is produced.[2]

In the U.S., Sprecher Brewery produces a type of beer that contains a mix of millet and sorghum known as Shakparo.[3]

A form of millet beer is also produced by the Ainu.[4]

## Production process

Millet kernels are soaked in warm water until they sprout, with the goal to increase the content of maltose in the grain. The millet is then dried out to arrest the germination process.[5] The malted grain is then pulverized and mixed with water. This mixture is commonly known as wort. The wort is later boiled in order to remove any potential bacterial threat. Once the boiling process is complete and the wort cools down yeast is added. The mixture is then allowed to ferment. The entire process takes five days.[6]

## Cultural significance

In many cultures of West Africa, millet beer is involved in every aspect of daily life, such as:

* Sacrifices;
* Rites of passage;
* Dances;
* Births, marriages, burials, and funeral celebrations;
* Welcoming a guest;
* Sealing a contract;
* Agricultural cooperatives;
* Thatching a roof;
* Pounding a courtyard;
* Domestic construction projects (barn raising);
* Discussions between village elders;
* Social gatherings at home and the market.[7]

In some West African cultures, village women open their homes as 'pubs' one day a week, to sell millet beer.[8] This gathering point provides social cohesion in the village. The millet beer is served in a calabash. Drinkers hold the calabash with the right hand, pouring a few drops on the ground in honor of ancestors before drinking. After drinking, drinkers pour the dregs on the ground in a straight line.

## Linguistics

* Ajon - Ateso (Uganda)
* Malwa - Luganda (Uganda)
* BilBil- Guiziga (Cameroon)
* Pombe- Kiswahili (Uganda)
* Tchouk ("chook") (Togo)
* Chibuku (Southern and Central Africa)
* Dolo - Djioula (West Africa, Burkina Faso)
* Mbege or wari o mbeke - Chagga (Tanzania)
* Mariisa - Sudanese Arabic (Sudan)

## See also

* Pito (beer)
* Tella
* Ikupasuy
* Millet wine

## References

1. ↑ "Brewing with Millet" (in en-US). 2016-11-07. http://scottjanish.com/brewing-with-millet/.
2. ↑ Omda (2007-01-17). "Boza /Millet-Ale/". Omda.bg. http://www.omda.bg/public/engl/cook/boza.htm. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
3. ↑ "Shakparo (Fire-Brewed African Style-Ale) | Sprecher Brewing Company". BeerAdvocate. 2009-11-25. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/144/34780/. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
4. ↑ "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People". Mnh.si.edu. 2013-11-03. http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/ainu/html/room05.html. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
5. ↑ Taylor, John RN.; Duodu, Kwaku G. (2019). "Traditional Sorghum and Millet Food and Beverage Products and Their Technologies". Sorghum and Millets. pp. 259–292. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-811527-5.00009-5. ISBN 978-0-12-811527-5.
6. ↑ "Michael and Doria's Travel Tales: Homebrew, Bobo Style". Thembsterstravels.blogspot.gr. 2007-01-21. http://thembsterstravels.blogspot.gr/2007/01/homebrew-bobo-style.html. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
7. ↑ Roberts, David (2013). Parlons kabiyè. Paris: Harmattan. pp 249-252Template:Isbn missing
8. ↑ Hlangwani, Edwin; Adebiyi, Janet Adeyinka; Doorsamy, Wesley; Adebo, Oluwafemi Ayodeji (13 November 2020). "Processing, Characteristics and Composition of Umqombothi (a South African Traditional Beer)". Processes 8 (11): 1451. doi:10.3390/pr8111451.

## Further reading

* Haggblade, Steven; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H. (2004). "Industrialization of Africa's Indigenous Beer Brewing". in Steinkraus, Keith. Industrialization of Indigenous Fermented Foods. pp. 298–389. doi:10.1201/9780203022047-12. ISBN 978-0-429-21562-9.
* Adebiyi, J. A.; Obadina, A. O.; Adebo, O. A.; Kayitesi, E. (31 May 2016). "Fermented and malted millet products in Africa: Expedition from traditional/ethnic foods to industrial value-added products". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 58 (3): 463–474. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1188056. PMID 27246820.

## External links

* Millet beer production in Africa

Template:Beer Styles Template:African cuisine

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