Cauim is a traditional alcoholic beverage or beer of the indigenous peoples in Brazil since pre-Columbian times. It is still made today in remote areas throughout Panama and South America. Cauim is made by fermenting manioc (a large starchy root), or maize, sometimes flavored with fruit juices. The Kuna Indians of Panama use plantains.
In Spanish it is called chicha de yuca or in some places (like Peru) masato. The best term in English may be "Manioc beer". In Kichwa, Lumu Asua. In Shuar, Nijiamanch. In Paicoca, Co'n.
A characteristic feature of the beverage is that the starting material is cooked, chewed, and fermented, so that enzymes (including amylase) present in human saliva can break down the starch into fermentable sugars. (This principle was originally used also for Japanese sake.)[1]
^Naomichi Ishige, The History and Culture of Japanese Food (London: Kegan Paul, 2001) pp. 33-34
Cauim is a traditional alcoholic beverage or beer of the indigenous peoples in Brazil since pre-Columbian times. It is still made today in remote areas...
("White Beer", made with herbs or fruit instead of or in addition to hops) Cauim (made from cassava or maize) Cheongju (Korean, made from rice) Chicha (made...
categories of beer styles. A number of ethnic beers, such as chhaang and cauim, are generally not included on beer style groupings. An alternative approach...
from germinated maize (corn); while the indigenous peoples in Brazil have Cauim, a traditional drink made since pre-Columbian times by chewing manioc so...
to turn the starch into sugar (beverages of this kind are known today as cauim or chicha). This chewing technique was also used in ancient Japan to make...
severe environmental impact. Alcoholic beverages made from cassava include cauim and tiquira (Brazil), kasiri (Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname), impala (Mozambique)...
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