We all got super thirsty when Tee and Minnie hauled out a sizeable pot of traditional beer (umqombothi) to welcome Table One to their Instant Restaurant festivities this past Sunday. Instead of serving up “normal” traditional beer, the pair jazzed up their brew with a touch of amarula cream. And as their guests got to swigging on the creative concoction, we got to thinking. Sure umqombothi is all sorghum, corn and other nice things, but what about all the other umqombothi’s of the world? How are they made? Turns out, there are lots of interesting ways to add kick to your traditional (or not) souse sauce.
Saliva
South Americans in the Andes get the party started via a traditional beer fave, Chicha. The fermentation process for this libation is relatively straightforward. Chew your corn, spit out the kernels, boil and then ferment in a clay pot for a few days. Bottoms up!
Mice
Anyone care for a glass of wine infused with baby mice? If you visit China, home of interesting cuisine culture, you may score a glass. Although not common, wine mixed with mini rodents is a real thing in some of the remotest parts of the land.
Bull testicles
Beer lovers in some parts of the world are having a ball chugging down a curious blend of booze made with sliced and roasted bovine testicles. Although initially an April Fool’s joke, Oyster Stout, oft described as a “viscous stout with a luscious mouthfeel” is massively popular with a section of America’s craft faithful.
Beard yeast
Would you drink beer fermented with yeast isolated and propagated from beard hair? For plenty of people, the answer is a resounding “yes”. Beard Beer was happened upon when someone snipped off a lock of their brewmasters beard as a joke, while they were searching for a new yeast strain in their hop yard. The rest, as they say, is history.
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