Philippines' Traditional Liquor And

International Liquor
By: PJ B.
Booze, spirit, liquor or hard alcohol are drinks that contains alcohol which causes euphoria in which
reduces anxiety, and sociability and in higher doses causes intoxication, daze and unconsciousness. Long-
Term frequent use can lead to alcoholism, physical dependence for alcohol, and alcohol abuse. Alcohol is
one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world.
Similarly to many cultures, Philippines also have a variety of local customs and practices associated with
the consumption of alcoholic beverages such as brewing beer, fermenting wine, and distilling spirits.
Lambanog is a wine made from coconut and is famous for its potency that normally carries about 40% to
50%. Mostly produced in the Quezon Province, Philippines. It has been passed down throughout
generations of coconut plantation farmers. It is a clear, colorless spirit, with a neutral taste, potent kick,
and a finish with a hint of sweetness. In the Quezon Province, drinking lambanog is usually a communal
thing, during festivities men sit around in a circle while a person is singing with a guitar and "tagayan" will
ensue. The men take turns drinking shots from a cup placed in the middle of the group. The procedure
includes collecting the sap from the coconut flower. The sap is then prepared and fermented to turn into
tuba, a popular Palm wine. The tuba is then distilled to make lambanog.
Tapey, a known Igorot rice wine and the only known rice wine in the Philippines is mostly produced in the
Cordillera Region. This kind of wine is more often served during public festivities and celebrations like
weddings. Traditionally elder women are the ones who make the wine while the oldest man or head of the
household is to open the jar once it is ready to be drunk. The wine, when properly blessed before serving,
is said to help those who drink it to stay away from trouble. Tapey is made with rice yeast or “bubod”, red
glutinous rice or “malagkit” and banana leaves that have been washed, heated over fire and wiped with a
clean damp cloth. It is then placed in a jar for cooking. The glutinous rice is then half cooked. The rice is
slathered over the banana leaves to cool off. Simultaneously, while the rice is cooling, the "bubod" must
be pounded into very fine powder, which is then mixed evenly with the rice. After this, it is put in the
tightly-sealed container for fermentation. It is then placed in a cool dry place and opened after seven days.
The liquid part is ladled out of the jar. Some of the jars used have been owned by generations of families
and have witnessed countless family traditions and stories.
Tapey has a color that varies from purple, violet to dark violet, with a natural sweet taste often described
as sweet kraft beer to sweet smooth sake but if it gets too old it would taste like dry red wine. It usually
has an alcohol proof of around 14% to 28%.
Bahalina Wine is a well-known tuba or coconut wine of Warays. Known to have originated in Leyte,
bahalina is one of the most popular local wines in some parts of Samar and Bohol provinces. It is also said
that you would get no hangover for drinking bahalina. Similar to tuba or coconut wine, bahalina is also
derived from coconut saps, but undergoes a natural distillation process for at least a month then it is aged
for about 8-12 months. Straining is one of the important process of making bahalina since it purifies the
newly harvested tuba. The tuba must be at its best quality, otherwise it will not produce a good quality
bahalina. For non-drinkers, this beverage would often be mistaken as vinegar because of its sour smell but
its taste could be described as red wine like Maria Clara Sangria with bitter-sweet but with a stronger kick
that you would feel hot. The alcohol proof may range at 15%.
Nowadays we have a diverse selection of international spirits, liquors and cordials which are available
nationwide either in their local markets or stores.
Beer is one of the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and oldest beverages humans have
produced, dating back to at least the 5th millennium BC in Iran, and was recorded in the written history of
ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and spread throughout the world. For the basic ingredients of beer are
water, starch, malted barley, and then fermented to form yeast and a flavoring such as hops. Beer in the
Philippines started on September 29, 1890 under a royal grant from Spain, Don Enrique María Barretto de
Ycaza y Esteban opened La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel, Southeast Asia's first brewery near the
Malacañan Palace. The trade-name San Miguel, originates from the local brewery of San Miguel, Barcelona,
Spain. Today beer in the Philippines is mainly produced by the two large breweries: San Miguel
Corporation, which produces San Miguel Pale Pilsen, and Asia Brewery. Beer taste tends to differ on
bitterness due to hops or malty due to malted grains.
Vodka, primarily composed of water and ethanol and sometimes with traces of impurities and flavorings.
Traditionally, vodka is made by the distillation of cereal grains or potatoes that have been fermented,
though some modern brands use other substances, such as fruits or sugar. Vodka is traditionally drunk
plain and not mixed with any and usually served chilled in the vodka belt countries: Russia, Belarus, Poland,
Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland as vodka also can't freeze in a
commercial freezer. Vodka is transparent like water and feels smooth and warm upon gulp but it has no
distinctive taste or smell.
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from grapes which are crushed and mixed with yeast and then
fermented from three days to three years. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of wine dated to 7000
BC in China and production sites in Armenia dated to 4100 BC. Red wines are made from black grapes and
have a red or blue tint. White wines are wines that contain little or no red pigmentation and mostly made
from white grapes. Rosé wines are pink in color and are made from black grapes that don’t fully turn red
because the grape skins are removed from the juice promptly. Sparkling wines are made from any variety
of grape and produces wines that contain carbon dioxide bubbles and no alcohol content. Lastly dessert
wines are wines which have a high sugar content, making them a popular choice with or as dessert. Wine
has been produced for thousands of years and by many various countries with their own style and qualities
as wine also plays an important role in many religious significance such as Judaism and Christianity. Wine
taste may differ as with their own variation from sweet, bitter-sweet, a bit sweet and sour.
Everyone needs to know that it isn’t obligatory to drink alcohol though everybody has its own tastes. As it
is common knowledge that minors or underage are advocated not to drink since a young person's body
and brain is still developing, it cannot cope with alcohol the same way adults can. There are many
approaches to appreciate alcohol. Liquor is mostly based on their own unique taste, appearance, alcohol
proof and some by their aroma. One way is to choose something that is easy to enjoy. In general, sweeter
drinks are usually the starting point before slowly switching to the more acquired taste. You can try from
wine to beer or whiskey up to absinthe. Traditional drinks are easily appreciated as they are made locally
and part of their culture. Imported or international drinks on the other hand are popular drinks that are
readily available anywhere. Currently both traditional and international or imported alcoholic beverages
are appreciated by many people with different culture and various tastes. These days the cost of booze
may range from twenty pesos up one hundred million pesos.

Drink Responsibly