Palm ‘wine’ is an important alcoholic beverage in West Africa where it is consumed by more than 10 million people. Palm wine can be consumed in a variety of flavours varying from sweet unfermented to sour fermented and vinegary alcoholic drinks. There are many variations and names including emu and ogogoro in Nigeria and nsafufuo in Ghana. It is produced from sugary palm saps. The most frequently tapped palms are raphia palms (Raphia hookeri or R. vinifera) and the oil palm (Elaeis guineense). Palm wine has been found to be nutritious.
Pito is a type of beer made from fermented millet or sorghum in northern Ghana, parts of Nigeria, and other parts of West AFrica. It is made by small household-level producers, and typically served in calabash outside the producer’s home where benches are sometimes provided.
It can be served warm or cold. Warm pito gets its heat from the fermented process. Pito brewing can provide an important source of income for otherwise cash-poor households in rural areas. It is never found bottled or canned, and, as a rule, is purchased directly from the household in which it is brewed.
Akpetes
hie is a home-made alcoholic spirit produced in Ghana and other West African nations by distilling palm wine or sugar cane juice. Other names for this drink are: apio and hot or ‘hot drink’. Use and abuse are on the increase and may pose a social and public health problem.
Akpeteshie is between 40 and 50% alcohol by volume.
We also have other refreshing non alcoholic drinks such as
- Asaana (Maize Wine) No Alcohol
- Lamujii (Ginger Wine) No Alcohol
Beer is very popular in Ghana, some of the best domestic beers include: Star, Club, and Stone
