Description
Chicha is a traditional fermented beverage made from maize or cassava that relies on amylase-mediated saccharification followed by mixed yeast‑bacterial fermentation.
Technical
In maize chicha, malted corn or chewed maize supplies amylases that hydrolyze starch into fermentable sugars, which are then converted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and lactic acid bacteria into ethanol and lactic acid. Cassava chicha requires a pre‑cooking step to gelatinize starch and a detoxification phase to eliminate cyanogenic glycosides before the same mixed culture ferments the sugars. The process is temperature‑sensitive, with optimal saccharification at 20‑30 °C and fermentation at 25‑28 °C to balance alcohol production and acidity.
Science
Primary Reaction
Starch → fermentable sugars → ethanol + lactic acid
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
Origin & History
Civilization
Indigenous peoples of the Andes and Amazon