I have a friend that is Navajo/Dine and I told them I would try to make them a traditional Native American beer for their birthday. From what I have read I mostly find some kind of corn beer, like chicha for a recipe. I have also seen recipes that recommend brown sugar, orange peel, and cinnamon; tesgüino is also something I have found as well as tiswin/nawai drink, though sauargo are sacred and federally protected and I’m not sure how I would get any of that to make a drink with.
Does anybody have any ideas on how I might be able to create like a pueblonian ale from the past, or a drink that has some historical significance to the southwest?
Corn seems easiest. I could probably pillage some prickly pear pretty easily. I heard use native grass for hops.
I can’t help much but if this is any help… Haus Malts in Cleveland, OH is producing malted corn. They say it doesn’t have a lot of enzymes but some. I remember reading that some Native American beers have used malted corn (so much more appealing than chewed and, you know…) Maybe level of enzymes isn’t a big deal because my impression is that these beers aren’t very fully fermented. Others are probably producing this too, but Haus Malts does sell to homebrewers by the 10lb bag.
Tiswin made from Saguaro cactus would not be traditional, as the Navajo lands are out of the Sonaoran desert. That was something the Tohono O’odham made.
Yea I know. I suppose I’m looking for something within my region. Tbh I’ve never seen seen fruit on a saruaro, just flowers.
Maybe I will just wing it with corn, juniper, and some sage. Who knows.
I recently read a book about creating ancient brews using old world techniques, Ancient Brews, and a few of these brews from antiquity are from Mexico, Peru, and Honduras. You might find a few ideas or approaches useful for your brew-build. Book can be found anywhere, posting the dogfish head link (Sam Calagione wrote the Foreword in the book). Good luck! 8)
From the book Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers. I think I’d go the 6lbs of brown sugar route over the malted barely route. Any thoughts on that? Or what yeast to use?
