The natural diversity that you experience in Panama is incredible. Even more, so is the amount of beverages that you can find throughout the country. They are both a tradition and touristic experience if you visit the country.

Their unique flavor, combined with a variety of exuberant options, allows the whole conglomerate of drinks, wines, chichas (juices) and cocktails to gain a prestigious place within gastronomic experiences.

Here are a few of them:

Chicheme

Sugary drink made from pure corn. It pairs excellently with multiple traditional foods in the country. It is mainly found within the region of the district of Chorrera, in the Panama Oeste province.

Chicha de Maíz (Corn)

Its preparation method widely coincides with other typical beverages and cocktails in Panama that have cereal as a base. The main difference lies in that in the corn chicha’s case, milk is excluded as a component and it is substituted with honey, which gives it its characteristic dark color. 

Chicha Fuerte 

This method of preparation was born in Pre-Columbian era and it has indigenous roots. In its case, corn is fermented in clay vases as per the Guna Tribe tradition so that afterwards they can tone down the flavor by adding natural sweeteners. Its acid taste is the reason for its name. 

Sugar Cane Guarapo

A beverage that is prepared in the traditional Spanish way in most “trapiches”. It is commonly associated as a summer drink and it is drunk cold while accompanying other organic nutritional complements. 

Natural Icing Glass Beverage

An important drink within the typical alcoholic beverages in Panama. Despite its wide acceptance and consumption, it is one of the few products that is not originally from Panama. Gastronomic historians mention the construction of the Panama Canal as the main promoter of the drinks’ emergence. During this era, its main ingredient, moss, was imported from Ireland and then used to prepare the drink. 

Saril Chicha

This drink’s consistency mainly resembles that of dark wine. Its origins come from the imported culture from the island of Jamaica. It is recognized for being consumed around the Christmas holidays. Three ingredients are used to prepare it: chalices of saril, ginger and sugar.

Pineapple with Rice

This drink is a variant of the regular chicha, which has multiple versions. Each one of them affects its flavor and coloring, amongst which you can find consumption with the grain of rice included, simple smoothies or with milk.

Fruit Chichas

The chicha by itself has enjoyed a wide acceptance within the Panamanian public for years. The creativity of its inhabitants has allowed them to apply formulas with diverse local fruits such as tamarind, soursop, lime and cashew, each one giving it an incomparable flavor. It is highly recommended to try at least one of the typical beverages before leaving Panama.

This information was developed by Panama Living, a digital platform committed to gathering, investigating and broadcasting all the necessary positive information about Panama, its diversity and opportunities. A country that can offer all the best amenities when visiting, investing or living. We want to make your interest in Panama a relaxed and pleasurable experience.