Once cooled, ground glutinous rice and fruit bark are added to the juice. Basiīasi refers to a type of sugarcane wine produced in the Ilocos region of the Philippines.īasi is made by crushing sugarcane stalks to extract the juice, which is then boiled in vats and left to cool in earthen jars called tapayan. Shubert Ciencia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Cropped 15. Today, a non-alcoholic version of tuba made from fresh coconut sap remains popular in some parts of Mexico, like Puerto Vallarta. Tuba became hugely popular and the same fermentation techniques were applied to the maguey plant, which helped create tequila and mezcal. Filipino sailors brought coconuts and tuba to Mexico. If you’re familiar with Mexican tuba, then you may be surprised to learn that tuba arrived in Mexico by way of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. Compared to lambanog, it has a relatively low alcohol content, about 2-4% abv. Tuba refers to a family of Filipino alcoholic drinks made from fermented palm tree sap. Lambanog may be more well-known but it wouldn’t be possible without tuba. In recent years, colorful lambanog flavored with ingredients like mango, pineapple, orange, or strawberry has become increasingly popular, in an effort to appeal to younger generations. It’s typically served pure though it can be flavored with raisins as well. Popular in the Luzon and Visayas regions of the Philippines, lambanog is made from tuba (#12) that’s been aged for at least 48 hours. Also known as “coconut vodka” or “coconut wine”, it’s a potent type of alcoholic drink that contains about 40-45% abv.

LambanogĪs previously described, coconuts can be made into a variety of alcoholic Filipino drinks, one of the most popular being lambanog. Gleb from St.Petersburg, Russia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons ALCOHOLIC DRINKS 11. If you have a spoon, then you can scoop out the soft coconut flesh and eat it as a snack.įor me, nothing screams “tropical vacation” more than drinking buko juice from a coconut with a straw. Just cut the buko open and you’ve got an instant beverage that you can enjoy straight from the shell with a straw. It requires no processing or preparation. It’s a life-giving plant that can be processed into a number of different things, including alcoholic drinks (lambanog, #11).Īs versatile as it is, the most prized part of the coconut is its juice. We went on a mezcal tour in Oaxaca and I told my guide that the coconut tree to Filipino culture is like the maguey plant to Mexican culture. Aside from being used for food and drinks, different parts of the tree and fruit can be used to make a variety of products like oil, rope, scrubbers, brooms, thatching, and furniture. The coconut tree is an extremely useful and versatile plant in the Philippines. No list of the most popular Filipino drinks can ever be complete without buko juice.

Buko pandan drink