Chica de jora is a traditional Peruvian beverage that dates back to ancient Inca times.
While you can buy this alcoholic beverage at the market, chicha de jora is often made at home.
Every region in Peru adds its unique ingredients to the chica de jora recipe, and this drink is even used as an ingredient for cooking.
Chicha de jora is an ancient corn beer popular in Peru, where it’s sold in many towns and cities. For centuries, the beverage has been consumed throughout the Andes and can be served sweet or strong. To make it at home, you will need to germinate and boil jora corn before leaving it to ferment.
Read on to learn more about chicha de jora, the history of how chicha de jora was created, and how it is made.
What Is Chicha de Jora
Chicha de jora is a type of alcoholic beverage and is a Peruvian drink with traditional Inca roots.
The drink is made by:
- Germinating maize.
- Removing malt sugars.
- Boiling the wort.
- Fermenting the wort for several days in large vessels.
Traditionally they are fermented in massive earthenware vats.
Chicha de jora is prepared using a specific type of yellow maize known as jora.
The drink itself is a pale yellow, has a slightly creamy or milky appearance, and the aftertaste can be slightly sour.
The popular Peruvian beverage contains a small amount of alcohol, about 1 to 3% abv.
The procedure is the same as that used to make European-style beer.
Some people add quinoa or other additives before it’s cooked down to give it further consistency and flavor.
Every region in Peru contributes its different ingredients to the chicha de jora.
You’ll find carob in the north, quinoa, pink peppercorns, potato starch in the Andes, and yucca in the Amazon jungle.
The drink is very popular in southern Peru, and it is sold for public consumption in many towns and neighborhoods in larger cities.
Sold in chicherias, these generally unlicensed businesses that sell chicha de jora often advertise it with a bamboo pole decorated with red flags, ribbons, roses, or even plastic bags.
History of Chicha de Jora
According to folklore, during the reign of Inca Tupac Yupanqui, this traditional corn beverage was accidentally created due to heavy rainfall that destroyed the silos where the corn was processed.
This allowed the grains to ferment and created malt that was discarded.
A hungry person soon discovered the discarded malt in the garbage and drank it all, becoming drunk on the ferments.
Chicha de jora soon became the Inca nobility’s favorite beverage.
So much so the drink was used in important religious rituals honoring wacas (known as sacred places) and apus (Inca gods).
Archaeologists believe the alcoholic brew was created or found about 5000 B.C., and this assumption is based on the discovery of early pottery and vessels used to mill corn and store chicha in the Andes and near Machu Picchu.
The word chicha’s roots are as hazy as the intoxicated person who first came up with it, and the origins are largely unknown.
Some historians note the word chicha was created by conquistadors that conquered the Andes, while others claim the word comes from chichal- to spit.
As brewers traditionally used enzymes in saliva to start the germination process, it is very well suited if that is the case.
Today, chicha de jora is also consumed as a ritual beverage in the Peruvian highlands at celebrations honoring Incas such as the Inti Raymi.
This delectable corn liquor is also used to improve the flavor of popular Arequipeño dishes like Seco de Cordero and Adobo Arequipeno.
How To Make Chicha de Jora
This authentic recipe makes artisanal chicha de jora. You will need:
- 1 kg of jora corn (also known as malted corn)
- ½ kg of brown sugar
- ½ cake of chancaca, an unrefined brown sugar
- 3 liters of water
Instructions to make authentic artisanal chicha de jora:
- Soak the jora corn for half an hour in warm water before adjusting the water and boiling it for another half-hour.
- Strain the jora corn and cook it for eight hours, stirring continuously in three liters of water over low heat.
- When boiling, the jora corn should not decrease in thickness, so slowly add warm water to keep the amount stable.
- Stir in the sugar and chancaca until they dissolve, then set aside to cool.
- Fill clay pots with chicha and cover with tamis or a cheesecloth towel to allow air to pass in.
- Leave the chicha for eight days, then trim the foam, strain the sediments, and sweeten to taste.
- Serve this delectable and real Peruvian liqueur, and enjoy!
Final Chicha de Jora Thoughts
Chicha de jora is a traditional Peruvian drink made from corn.
With ancient roots dating back to the Incas, the drink is still very popular throughout southern Peru.
You can find these beverages everywhere in the region, but you can also make this alcoholic drink easily at home!
Or you can buy chicha de jora ready made on Amazon.
Sources
- Peru Delights: Chica de Jora
- Peru Rail: Chica de Jora
- Enigma Blog: Chicha de jora
- Wikipedia: Chica de jora
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.