Palm wine

Palm wine, also called palm toddy or simply toddy, is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree. The drink is particularly common in parts of Africa, South India (particularly Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where it is known by the name of kallu (కల్లు in Telugu) கள்ளு (കളള)) and in the Philippines, where it is known as tuba.

Tapping

The sap is collected by a tapper, who cuts between the kernels of the tree. Some sort of container, such as a gourd or plastic bottle, is left to collect the draining sap for a day or two. The initial white liquid that is collected tends to be very sweet and is not alcoholic. The sweet white liquid before fermentation is called "neera" and is refrigerated, stored and distributed by semi government agencies in Maharashtra. Neera has a lot of nutrients including potash. However, the sap begins fermenting immediately after collection due to natural microorganisms in the air (this is often spurred by residual yeast left in the collecting container). Within two hours, fermentation yields an aromatic wine of up to 4% alcohol content, mildly intoxicating 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.

State / Territory / Region	Name used
	mimbo
	ra, panam culloo
	toutou
	doka, nsafufuo, palm wine, yabra
	kallu (Telugu), tadi (Marathi), toddy
	niva, tuak
	emu, ogogoro, palm wine, tombo liquor
	segero, tuak
	tuba
	ubusulu

In Africa, the sap used to create palm wine is most often taken from wild date palms such as the Phoenix sylvestrix, the palmyra, and the Caryota urens; from oil palm such as Elaeis guineense; or from Raphia palms, Kithul palms, or Nipa palms. In India and South Asia, coconut palms and taller palms, such as the Arecaceae and Borassus, are preferred. One common name of Jubaea chilensis is "Chilean wine palm", although this species is now endangered in the wild and is rarely used to make wine today. In South Africa palm wine (Ubusulu) is produced in Maputaland, the area to the south of Mocambique between the Lobombo mountains and the Indian Ocean. It is mainly produced from the lala palm (Hyphaene coriacea) by cutting the stem and collecting the sap. Sap is collected once or twice a day and combined in plastic drums. The Ubusulu is ready to drink after a day and quickly spoils thereafter. To keep the fermentation going so that it can be transported out of the area sugar is sometimes added producing what is called

Palm wine may be distilled to create a stronger drink, which goes by different names depending on the region (examples are arrack, village gin, and village whiskey). It may also be evaporated to leave an unrefined sugar called jaggery.

Social role

Palm wine is generally drunk fairly soon after creation, since it has a short shelf life. However, it may be refrigerated to extend its life.

In Kerala, India, palm wine is usually available at toddy shops, known as "Kallu Shap" in Malayalam, the regional language (it translates in English to "Liquor Shop"). In Tamil Nadu, India, the beverage is currently banned, though the legality fluctuates with politics. Without legal toddy, there arises the problem of methanol (lethal when consumed) being illicitly sold as arrack. To discourage this practice, authorities have pushed for inexpensive Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), much to the dismay of toddy tappers.

External links

The Chilean wine palm

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Tapping

Social role

External links

See also