AKPETESHIE

 

Ghana's traditional liquor Akpeteshie tastes like fire to the non -conversant, burning all the way down the throat to a nervous stomach. Akpeteshie is a homebrewed alcoholic beverage produced in Ghana by distilling palmwine or sugar cane juice. Other names for this drink include apio, ogogoro (in Nigeria), and "kutukù" (in Nzema). In the rural areas, it is common to make a blend of herbs and roots and pour Akpeteshie over it. After one day, the bitters are ready. People claim that this drink is not only tasty, but medic No one drinks 'akpeteshie' and smiles. At best, the reaction is  a frown on the face. Some drinkers acknowledge receipt by blowing out air or pounding the chest.  ‘akpeteshie’ is so bad  that given the chance, it would outmaneuver the heavily advertised liquors on TV and Radios.
The alcohol content is so high that it is almost disgraceful. It rocks the body for the first timer and there is a kind of feeling which is hard to describe, probably a knockout punch in boxing will do. It is almost produced in all the regions in Ghana.

Despite its high content, it is the most preferred drink by some who take hard liquor. Due to its price which is relatively cheaper than other foreign drinks, it is associated with the poor but some say even the well-to-do patronize it but in secret.

HOW AKPETESHIE IS PREPARED

‘Apio’ or ‘akpeteshie’ is distilled mainly from palm wine and sugarcane. Typically the juice is allowed to ferment over a couple of days. Distilling involves applying intense heat to the fermented juice until it turns into vapor before finally passing through a pipe usually made of copper and then into sieved jars. The setup includes two barrels, one with the boiling fermented juice and the other, a barrel filled with cooling water. Without doubt, the defining feature of the drink is the rather high alcohol content.

Packaging is poor as the drink, is not bottled nor sealed and not labeled. 'Apketeshie' is always poured in used and borrowed bottles. If there is one particular alcoholic beverage that does not need advertising, then it is 'AKPETESHIE'.