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Step-by-Step Tutorial
PRACTICAL WALKTHROUGH · PARAMETERS · COMMON MISTAKES
Chicha is a traditional fermented beverage made from maize or cassava, produced by amylolytic hydrolysis of starch and subsequent alcoholic fermentation.
Origin: Andean and Central American indigenous peoples (pre-Columbian / traditional) — Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras
See full technique reference →Starch in the grain or tuber is first hydrolyzed by amylases into fermentable sugars, which are then converted by yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae into ethanol and CO₂. Lactic acid bacteria further metabolize sugars to lactic acid, lowering the pH and contributing to the characteristic sourness. The process also generates flavor esters and aldehydes that give chicha its fruity and yeasty notes.
Primary Reaction
Starch → fermentable sugars → ethanol + CO₂
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