 Bottles and a glass of palm wine | |
| Type | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Worldwide |
Palm wine, known by severallocal names, is an alcoholic beverage created from thesap of various species ofpalm trees such as thepalmyra,date palms, andcoconut palms.[1][2] It is known by various names in different regions and is common in various parts ofAfrica, theCaribbean,South America,South Asia,Southeast Asia, andMicronesia. The word "toddy" traces back to theProto-Dravidian root "tāẓ- (DED number: 3180)," which means palmyra/toddy palm and gave rise to forms like "tāḍi" or "tāṭi" inTelugu,Gondi, andKolami-Gadba; "tāri" or "tāḷi" inKannada andTulu.[3] The Sanskrit word "tāḍi," which refers to an extract from palm trees, is a loanword from Dravidian.
Palm wine production by smallholders and individual farmers may promote conservation as palm trees become a source of regular household income that may economically be worth more than the value of timber sold.[4][5][better source needed]
The sap is extracted and collected by a tapper. Typically the sap is collected from the cut flower of the palm tree. A container is fastened to the flower stump to collect the sap. The white liquid that initially collects tends to be very sweet and non-alcoholic before it isfermented. An alternative method is the felling of the entire tree. Where this is practised, a fire is sometimes lit at the cut end to facilitate the collection of sap.
Palm sap begins fermenting immediately after collection, due to naturalyeasts in the air (often spurred by residual yeast left in the collecting container). Within two hours, fermentation yields an aromatic wine of up to 4% alcohol content, mildlyintoxicating and sweet. The wine may be allowed to ferment longer, up to a day, to yield a stronger, more sour, and acidic taste, which some people prefer. Longer fermentation produces vinegar instead of stronger wine.[6]
Palm wine may bedistilled to create a stronger drink, which goes by different names depending on the region (e.g.,arrack,palmfeni,sopi,village gin,charayam, andcountry whiskey).
In Nigeria, this is commonly called palm wine. In southwestern Nigeria and some parts of Cameroon, it is also known asEmu orMatango. In both Congos, it is callednsámbá. In parts of southernGhana, distilled palm wine is calledakpeteshi orburukutu. In Togo and Benin, it is calledsodabe, while in Tunisia it is calledlagmi. In coastal parts of Kenya, it is known asmnazi. In India, it is calledtoddy. In Ivory Coast, it is calledkoutoukou.
In the Philippines, the most common distilled palm liquor islambanog which is made from agedtubâ. It has very highalcohol by volume, at 40 to 45%abv (80 to 90proof).[7]
In Africa, the sap used to create palm wine is most often taken from wilddate palms such as thesilver date palm (Phoenix sylvestris), thepalmyra, and thejaggery palm (Caryota urens), oroil palm such as theAfrican Oil Palm (Elaeis guineense) or fromRaffia palms,kithul palms, ornipa palms. In part of the central and westernDemocratic Republic of the Congo, palm wine is calledmalafu.
Palm wine plays an important role in many ceremonies in many tribes and nations of Nigeria such as among theIgbo andYoruba peoples, and elsewhere inCentral andWestern Africa.[8] Guests at weddings, birth celebrations, funerals, and gatherings to observe important festivals and holidays are served in generous quantities. Palm wine is often infused with medicinal herbs to remedy a wide variety of physical complaints. As a token of respect to deceased ancestors, many drinking sessions begin with a small amount of palm wine spilled on the ground (Kulosa malafu inKikongo ya Leta). Palm wine is enjoyed by men and women, although women usually drink it in less public venues.
In parts of southeastern Nigeria, namely Igboland, palm wine is locally referred to as "mmanya ocha" (literally, "white drink"), with "ngwo" and "nkwu" variants. It plays a very important role in traditional Igbo settings. In Urualla, for instance, and other "ideato" towns, it is the drink of choice for traditional weddings. A young man who is going for the first introduction at his in-laws' house is required to bring palm wine with him. There are varying gallons of palm wine required, depending on the customs of the different regions in Igboland. This culture can be observed similarly in the neighboring north-western regions of Cameroon. (North West Region).[9]
Poyo is a fermented drink made in Sierra Leone from various species of palm trees. In Sierra Leone, poyo plays an important role among the local people. According to the Limbas people, one of the oldest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone, he who brings poyo brings life. It is served at weddings, birth celebrations and funeral wakes.[10]
There are four types of palm wine in the central and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. From the oil palm comesngasi,dibondo comes from theraffia palm,cocoti from the coconut palm, andmahusu from a short palm that grows in the savannah areas of westernBandundu andKasai provinces.
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InSouth Asian countries such asBangladesh,India, andSri Lanka,coconut palms andPalmyra palms such as theArecaceae andBorassus are preferred. It is mainly produced from the lala palm (Hyphaene coriacea) by cutting the stem and collecting the sap. In some areas of India, palm wine isevaporated to produce the unrefined sugar calledjaggery.
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In parts of India, the unfermented sap is calledneera (patanīr inTamil Nadu) and is refrigerated, stored, and distributed by semi-government agencies. A small amount oflime (calcium hydroxide) is added to the sap to prevent it from fermenting.Neera, similar to fruit juice products, is relatively rich in potassium.
In India, palm wine or toddy is served as eitherneera orpatanīr (a sweet, non-alcoholic beverage derived from fresh sap) orkallu (a sour beverage made from fermented sap, but not as strong as wine).[11] Palm sap contains natural yeasts, which perform the fermentation of glucose to alcohol, as well asacetobacter, which subsequently converts the alcohol to acetic acid (vinegar). The optimal consumption time is one day after tapping when the vinegar content is minimal; beyond this time, it becomes increasingly sour. Some palm wine drinkers prefer their beverage more sour than usual, but fermenting for too long will result in vinegar rather than wine. Refrigeration extends beverage life, as do a variety of spices, which also contribute to flavor.
In India, palm wine is usually available attoddy shops (known askallu śāp inMalayalam,kallu kaḍai inTamil,kalita gaḍaṅg inTulu,kallu dukānaṁ inTelugu,kallu aṅgaḍi inKannada). InTamil Nadu, this beverage is currently banned, though the legality fluctuates with politics. In the absence of legal toddy,moonshine distillers of arrack often sellmethanol-contaminated alcohol, which can have lethal consequences. To discourage this practice, authorities have pushed for inexpensive "Indian Made Foreign Liquor" (IMFL).
In the states ofTelangana, and Andhra Pradesh (India), toddy is a popular drink in rural parts that is frequently consumed at the end of the day after work.
There are two main types of toddy (kallu) in the states ofTelangana and Andhra Pradesh, namelytāḍi kallu (Telugu: తాటికల్లు) (fromToddy Palmyra trees) andīta kallu (Telugu: ఈతకల్లు) (fromsilver date palms).Īta kallu is very sweet and less intoxicating, whereastāḍi kallu is stronger (sweet in the morning, becoming sour to bitter-sour in the evening) and is highly intoxicating. People enjoykallu right at the trees where it is brought down. They drink out of leaves by holding them to their mouths while the Goud pours thekallu from thebiṅki (kallu pot). There are different types of toddy according to the season:poḍḍataḍu,parpuḍtaḍu,paṇḍuḍtaḍu.[citation needed].
In the Indian state ofKerala, toddy is used in leavening (as a substitute for yeast) a local form ofhopper called thevellayappam. Toddy is mixed with rice dough and left overnight to aid in fermentation and expansion of the dough causing the dough to rise overnight, making the bread soft when prepared.
In Kerala, toddy is sold under a license issued by the excise department and it is an industry having more than 50,000 employees with a welfare board under the labor department. It is also used in the preparation of a soft variety ofSanna, which is famous in the parts ofKarnataka andGoa in India.
Tuak, which can refer to both palm wine andrice wine,[12] is imbibed inSumatra,Sulawesi,Kalimantan, andBali of Indonesia and parts of Malaysia such asSabah andSarawak inEast Malaysia. The beverage is a popular drink among theKadazan-Dusun,Ibans, andDayaks during theGawai andKaamatan festivals, weddings, hosting of guests, and other special occasions. TheBatak people ofNorth Sumatra also consume palm wine,[13] with palm sap mixed with raru bark to make Tuak. The brew is served at stalls along with snacks.[1] The same word is used for other drinks inIndonesia, for example, those made using fermented rice.
Palm toddy was historically a popular working-class drink, particularly for the Indian community, since it was cheaper than beer. Sales were restricted to drinking on premises at government-run toddy shops, the last of which closed in 1979.[14] Legal sales resumed in 2022 when a first batch was imported from Malaysia.[14]
Mexicantuba made from coconut sap is common in westernMexico, especially in the states ofColima,Jalisco,Michoacán, andGuerrero.Coconuts are not native to the Americas. They were introduced to Mexico from thePhilippines via theManila Galleons toAcapulco, along withtuba manufacturing.[15][16][17] Mexicantuba is made in the same way as Filipinotubâ. The traditional sap collectors are known astuberos (which also means "plumber" in both Mexico and the Philippines). It became so popular that in 1619, Captain Sebastian de Piñeda wrote to KingPhilip III of Spain complaining about the Filipino "Indio" settlers inNueva España who were causing significant loss of profits toIberian alcohol exporters due totuba.[18][19]
Mexicantuba is also commonly sold astuba fresca, a non-alcoholic version made from fresh coconut sap. It is traditionally sold by street vendors in largebottle gourds mixed withcoconut milk, ice, and sugar. It is usually topped with peanuts and diced fruit.[20][21]
Palm wines are widely consumed in thePhilippines and are part of the traditional palm vinegar industry. They are gathered mostly fromcoconuts,nipa palms, orkaong palms. Palm wines fermented for a few days to a few weeks are generally referred to astubâ. There are two notable traditional derivations of tubâ with higher alcohol contents. The first isdistilledliquor, generally known aslambanog (coconut) andlaksoy (nipa palm). They are milky white to clear in colour. The second is thebahalina which is typically deep brown-orange due to the use of bark extracts from the mangroveCeriops tagal.[7]
Other types of palm wines indigenous to the islands include subtypes of tubâ liketuhak ortubâ sa hidikup which is made fromkaong palm sap, andtunggang which is made fromfishtail palm sap.[7]
On the island ofLeyte in the central Philippines, the redtubâ is aged with thetanbark for up to six months to two years, until it gets dark red, and tapping its glass container gives off a deep hollow sound. This type oftubâ is calledbahal (fortubâ aged this way for up to six months) andbahalina (fortubâ aged thus for up to a year or more).
Production of palm wine may have contributed to the endangered status of theChilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis).[22]
InTuvalu, the process of making toddy can be seen with tapped palm trees that lineFunafuti International Airport.In Kiribati, it is called Karewe and freshly tapped sap from coconut spathe is used as a refreshing drink and the fermented sap is used as an alcoholic beverage. Karewe is boiled to reduce into a thick light brown liquid, calledkamwaimwai, used as a sweetener and spread.
Some smallpollinating mammals consume large amounts of fermented palm nectar as part of their diet, especially the Southeast Asianpen-tailed treeshrew. Theinflorescences of the bertam palm contain populations ofyeast that ferment the nectar in the flowers to up to 3.8% alcohol (average: 0.6%). The treeshrews metabolise the alcohol very efficiently and do not appear to become drunk from the fermented nectar.[23]
Megabats have been known to drink from containers of harvested palm sap and then urinate into the containers, leading to the transmission of theNipah virus.
 | This section shouldspecify the language of its non-English content, using{{langx}},{{transliteration}} for transliterated languages, and{{IPA}} for phonetic transcriptions, with an appropriateISO 639 code. Wikipedia'smultilingual support templates may also be used.See why.(January 2025) |
There are a variety of regional names for palm wine:
| State / Territory / Region | Name used |
|---|---|
| Algeria | لاقميlāgmi |
| Bangladesh | তাড়িtaṛi, তাড়ুtaṛu, tuak[24] |
| Benin | sodavi (distilled),sodabe,atan |
| Cambodia | tek tnaot chu[25] (ទឹកត្នោតជូរ) |
| Cameroon | mimbo,[26]matango,mbuh,palm wine,tumbu liquor,vin de palme, miluh |
| Central America | vino de coyol |
| People's Republic of China | 棕榈酒zōng lǘ jiǔ[27] |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | malafu ya ngasi (Kikongo),masanga ya mbila (Lingala),vin de palme (French) |
| East Timor | tuaka,tua mutin, brandy is calledtua sabu |
| Equatorial Guinea | topé (most widespread name), also calledbahú in the north andmahú in the south[28] |
| Gabon | toutou |
| Gambia | singer |
| Ghana | doka,nsafufuo,palm wine,yabra,dεha,tér daññ,Akpeteshi (when it is further distilled) |
| Guam | tuba (originated from the Philippines) |
| India | Toddy inEnglish |
| Indonesia | arak[24] ortuak. InBatak region,North Sumatra:lapo tuak. In South Sulawesi (especially in Tana Toraja):ballo. In North Sulawesi:saguer |
| Ivory Coast | bandji,koutoukou (when it is further distilled) |
| Kenya | mnazi (which means coconut palm inMijikenda) |
| Kiribati | karewe |
| Libya | لاقبيlāgbi[ˈlaːɡbi] |
| Madagascar | soura |
| Malaysia | nira (Malay for fresh juice obtained from the blossom of the coconut, palm or sugar-palm, which can be made into sugar or the said palm wine, which is also known astuak[24]),toddy (English),bahar (Kadazan/Dusun),goribon (Rungus),tuba (Borneo) |
| Maldives | ދޯރާ،ރުކުރާ،މީރާ (dōrā,rukurā,mīrā) |
| Mali | bandji,sibiji,chimichama |
| Marianas | tuba (originated from the Philippines) |
| Mexico | tuba (garnished with peanuts, originated from the Philippines) |
| Myanmar | ထန်းရည်htan yay |
| Namibia | omulunga,palm-wine |
| Nauru | demangi[29] |
| Nepal | tāriतारि |
| Nigeria | palm-wine,palmy,ukọt nsuñ,mmin efik,emu,oguro,tombo liquor,mmanya ngwo,nkwu enu,nkwu ocha |
| Papua New Guinea | segero,tuak |
| Philippines | tubâ (general term for fermented and unfermented palm sap),lambanóg (distilled coconut sap, alsovino de coco,dalisay de coco),laksoy (distillednipa palm sap, alsodalisay de nipa,barik),bahalina orbahal (agedtubâ with mangrove bark extracts),tuhak ortubâ sa hidikup (sugar palm wine),tunggang (fishtail palm wine),dalisay (general term for distilled palm liquor) |
| Seychelles | kalou |
| Sierra Leone | poyo,mampama |
| South Africa | ubusulu,injemane |
| Sri Lanka | රාrā (Sinhala), கள்ளுkaḷḷu (Tamil),panam culloo[24] |
| Tanzania | pómbe (which means alcohol) ortembo[30] |
| Thailand | kache (กะแช่),namtanmao (น้ำตาลเมา) |
| Tunisia | لاقميlāgmi |
| Tuvalu | kaleve (unfermented),kao (fermented), or in English,toddy (unfermented),sour toddy (fermented) |
| Vietnam | rượu dừa;[24] |
aTelugu,Tamil andMalayalam.
bMarathi.
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The tapping and consumption of palm wine are recurrent motifs in theChinua Achebe novelThings Fall Apart,[31] and in theAmos Tutuola novelThe Palm-Wine Drinkard.[32] It is also mentioned in the 2006 movieBlood Diamond.
Notes
Media related toPalm wine at Wikimedia Commons
