Alright, so today I’m gonna ramble about something kinda cool I dug into recently: African spirits. Not like, ghosts and stuff, but the drinkable kind, you know?
It all started when I was at this little hole-in-the-wall bar downtown. They had a “Global Spirits” night, and I was feeling adventurous. Saw something called “Cape Malay Gin” and figured, “Why not?” Blew my mind! Way different than the usual London Dry stuff. That got me wondering what else was out there.
First thing I did? Hit Google, naturally. Started searching for “traditional African alcohol” and stuff like that. Got a whole lotta hits. Saw a bunch of stuff about sorghum beer, palm wine… sounded interesting, but I wanted something… stronger? More refined, maybe.
So, I started narrowing it down. Looked into spirits that are actually distilled. That’s when I started seeing stuff about gin from South Africa (that Cape Malay Gin was a good start!), and some sugarcane spirits from different regions. It was like a whole new world opened up.
Here’s what I actually did:
- Ordered some stuff online. Found a couple of South African gins with botanicals I’d never even heard of. Think fynbos, rooibos, things like that. Cost me a pretty penny, shipping being what it is, but I figured it was worth it.
- Tried to make some myself. Okay, not distilling (that’s illegal!), but I experimented with infusing vodka with some African ingredients. Found a local shop that sold dried hibiscus flowers, some baobab powder, and even some ethically sourced marula fruit. The hibiscus vodka was surprisingly good!
- Hit up some local African restaurants. Not just for the food (though the food was awesome!), but to see if they had any interesting drinks on the menu. Found a spot that made a mean ginger beer with a kick, and another that had a homemade pineapple wine that was surprisingly dry.
What I learned is that there isn’t just one popular African spirit. It’s a whole bunch of different things, depending on where you are. In South Africa, gin is definitely having a moment. Other places, it’s all about the local brews made from grains, fruits, or even palm sap.
My Conclusion?
It’s all about exploration! Don’t just stick to your usual whisky or vodka. There’s a whole world of flavors out there, and African spirits are a great place to start. Get out there and try something new! You might just surprise yourself.
