9 - Molle Beer Production in the Ayacucho Valley, Peru

Abstract

Fermented beverages constitute one of the widely accepted drugs all over the world. Archaeological evidence indicates that fermented beverages are at least as old as the earliest civilizations and are legally consumed in most cultures. The Peruvian Central Andes is one of the regions where a variety of fermented beverages are produced and consumed. One such beverage is molle beer produced from the berries of the molle tree (Schinus molle). In contrast to maize beer, molle beer is relatively known, especially in comparison to maize beer. Molle beer is easy to prepare and its fermentation process is faster than maize beer. This is one of the reasons that this beverage is readily available in most Peruvian central highland households.