Experiencing another culture is one of the greatest rewards of tourism! You will never get bored. In our nation we have a lot to offer in many areas. This article tells about Peru’s beverages, one of our prides which is becoming quite prestiged abroad.
National Beverages
The next are those you will find wherever you are in Peru! See our travel packages for Peru…
- Pisco sour, our national drink: Pisco is a medium-grade alcohol, which is mixed with lemon, egg whites and a touch of cinnamon. A must if visiting this country!
- Peruvian beers: we have a very good variety of them, based on local barley (Cusquena, Pilsen Callao, Cristal) which are really worth a try
- Chicha morada: really typical non-alcoholic brew in Peru, it is made of purple corn with sugar and some apple bits for flavor.
Now Peru is traditionally divided in three geographical-social areas: desert Pacific coast, the Andean chain and the Amazonian jungle. Our tourism and gastronomy follow the same pattern.
Pisco sour, Chicha morada, Peruvian beers.
Peru’s Beverages on the Coast
The Peruvian desert coast extends from north of Chile until Ecuador’s south border, has many cities and villages. Its weather is warm-hot from mid-September to mid-April and mainly cold from mid-April to mid September, depending on the latitude. Thus there are hot and fresh beverages.
- Ica’s wines: south of Lima is this region which produces a delicious variety of wines (white, red, rosé) that are gradually gaining international reputation. The typical Ica wine is called cachina, you will only find it there and it’s quite worthy of a try.
- In Lima you can find everything: national and foreign wines, whiskies and so on. In particular, we recommend trying our natural juices, so tasty and refreshing combinations of the usual fruits (papaya, banana, etc) but also many new options like guanabana, camu-camu, the delicious Peruvian lime, lucuma, pepino dulce, cocona, tuna, noni and more. You will have a real perfect time enjoying these unique Peruvian flavors, moreover, fruits like camu-camu and noni have important health benefits.
Ica’s wines, juice varieties in Lima.
Peru’s Beverages on the Andes
The Andes chain (also known as sierra) too, offers a wonderful drinks tour. You will find several varieties of a brew called chicha which comes from Inca times and before; the flavors can be corn, quinua and more. Another delicious brew is the frutillada, served in big glasses, very tasty and nutritious, fruit-flavored. And of course, the millenary coca leaves tea, perfect for solving altitude symptoms, great physical and mental enhancer. Maca is another typical Andean beverage which is sold all over Peru now; it’s a powerful natural multi-nutrient which really increases resistance. The mate de cebada (barley tea) is also very typical, usually to accompany meals.
Chicha de maiz, typical drink of the sierra.
Peru’s Beverages of the Amazonian Jungle
Now Amazonian brews are quite varied, tropical and include several powerful aphrodisiacs too. You will find all kinds of mixes.
- The Uvachado: it is a mix of red grapes with the dragonian Peruvian cañazo (high grade alcohol or firewater), which becomes a wine-like drink, sweetened with jungle honey. Very tasty and spirited.
- Medicinal drinks: they are deemed so by local population however this is not really scientifically proven, but we mention because you will find them in the jungle: chuchuhuasi, witochado, indanochado.
- Aphrodisiac brews: these are mostly for men, made of Amazonian flora (plants, roots, etc) and honey bee for sweetening. The most famous are siete raíces (seven roots), veintiún raíces (twenty-one roots, which is an enhanced siete raíces by the addition of more plants), para para (to get it up) and some other more. They are said to be of great help against impotence, premature ejaculation, giving longer staying power, etc.
Typical drinks of the jungle, known to be aphrodisiac.
So here you have a list of Peru’s beverages! One more delicious reason to visit our beautiful country! Contact us for booking our packages which include great gastronomy new experiences and flavors!
