Tesgüino: Mexico's Indigineous Corn Beer

"For them, beer is an elixir for healing, a barter item and a divine beverage." - John Burnett

I love beer.  But reading statements like the above make me wonder if the real potential effects of bubbly brews are lost on me. 

Then again, I'm just a spunky chump from Southern California.  Therefore, I squint towards the ancients for inspiration, while I to sip my way into oblivion.

The Tarahumara, or as they call themselves, Rarámuri ("those who run fast"), are an indigenous people of northwest Mexico.  Originally from what is now known as the state of Chihuahua, Spanish conquests of the 1600's forced them to retreat into the high plains of the Sierra Madre.  

Tarahumara men

I would love to go into the injustices that they have and do face to this day, but let me sum it up in a few words: people do shitty things to other people. 

Regardless of the trials and tribulations of these natives, they still know how to throw a party. And the star of this party?

Tesgüino.

Tesgüino is a fermented beverage made from North America's great crop, maize (corn).   According to anthropologists, over a third of the year is spent by the average Tarahumara member planning, preparing, and enjoying Tesgüino and it's after effects.  Not only is it used for payment, as in "Hey buddy, wanna help mow my lawn?  I got beer....", but Tesgüino is a crucial part of their religious and celebratory rituals.  Most of these rituals are accompanied with a Tesgüinadas,which,as the the name suggest, time spent getting getting blasted.  

I would definitely drink with these guys.

Tesgüino is seen as a "social lubricant", where the people can be freed of their "large souls" (adulthood) so that all that is left are "little souls" (childhood); this is their reasoning for why adults behave like children when drunk.  

I find this to be a more than satisfying explanation as to why I always end up pants-less after only a few drinks.

But I digress.

The Tarahumara see drunkenness as a spiritual state of healing and happiness.  Alcohol to them is both a means and a reason to get together with friends, socialize, and to celebrate being alive.  

I couldn't agree more.

So, exactly how is Tesgüino made?  Gather round, my fellow seekers of all things shit-faced, for I shall tell you.  

Thee.  

Thou.  

Whatever.

The traditional way to make this drink is to sprout maize kernels (check you local natural foods store or Mexican market.  Remember, its not just sweet corn kernels you can buy in a can.  This shit is hard, small, and dry) up to about an inch in length, which is really the most lengthy and laborious part of the process.  I got this procedure from Sandor Katz amazingly informative fermentation bible The Art of Fermentation.

Kernels be sproutin'

To be authentic, dig a hole in the earth where it will be exposed to sunlight, and line the bottom with grass, leaves, etc...The kernels are then laid down and covered with pine needles and allowed to sprout until about an inch in length.

Alternatively, you could sprout the kernels by soaking them in water for a day, then rinsing and draining a few times a day for about a week.

Once sprouted, grind the kernels into a paste and boil for anywhere from 8 hours to 24, adding water as needed.   This long cook time servers to caramelize the kernels and create a malty, sweet flavor.  So the longer cook time, the better.

Making brew the old fashioned way.

When it smells like where you would want it to be, strain out the chunks and cool the liquid, and transfer into a big ol' pot or bucket with an open top.

Now comes time for the yeast to shine.

The Tarahumara use wild-yeast in the air to ferment, and all in special fermenting pots they call ollas.  They never wash out these pots, so yeasty residues reside like cranky old folks within the pot walls and serve to pester each new batch with fermetation-y goodness.

You can try to capture wild yeast as well, or you can just use a packet of yeast or some other kind of stater culture.

Fermentation, the modern way

Either way, after this fermentation process, you can save some of the brew to kick-start your next batch.

The fermentation process is monitored and gauged through bubble activity.  From slow to fast they go, and once the bubble activity starts to slow again, its time to drank.

You can bottle while it is still fermenting, but this takes skill and care that I am not qualified to comment on, as it can lead to explosions (remember, fermentation = carbon dioxide).

Or, you can just dip in a glass and drink away.  If you don't mind piss warm beer that is.








As I've said before, fermentation gives you the opportunity to get creative.

I'm sure you'll do just fine...

So, as the Tarahumara say, Bosasa!  

Meaning, "Fill up, be satisfied, be contended".