Chicha - Beer made with spit
October 19, 2009 by Chris
Filed under Beer Culture, Craft Beers, Featured Articles, Microbreweries, Video
Dogfish Head is known for making some off-the-wall, but ultimately tasty, brews. This one, however, has to be the strangest. It is called “chicha” and uses the enzymes in saliva to help with the fermentation process. They chew up some corn, spit it out and then put it in the mash with other ingredients, including strawberries. Lead Brewer Bryan Selders explains the process in the video below.
Has anyone tried this?
From the Dogfish Head site:
Throughout the last 15 years we have brewed over 200 different off-centered ales here at Dogfish Head. A number of our beers have been based on archeological evidence or researching ancient brewing traditions. We have now made what we believe is one our most exotic and unique beer yet. Chicha is the quintessential native corn beer throughout Central and South American. Indigenous versions with local variations exist in Chile, Bolivia, Colombia and many other countries.
Having lived in Bolivia for a year, I’ve had my share of chicha. It is one of the most disgusting liquids known to mankind. Why anyone would think making it into a beer is a good idea is beyond me. FWIW, it pretty much tastes like fermented spit. It really shares nothing taste-wise with beer.