Colombian Pacific Arrechón

Arrechón is a traditional drink from Colombia’s Pacific coast made with viche, the artisanal sugarcane spirit of the region’s Afro-descendant communities. The Paseo de olla recipe book from Colombia’s Ministry of Culture describes it as a mix of viche, borojó juice, panela, and anise, one of the cocktails credited with aphrodisiac properties.

The source records the ingredients but not the quantities or the method: the proportions and method in this recipe are adapted for making it at home. It’s an alcoholic drink, for adults only, to be enjoyed responsibly.

Colombian Pacific Arrechón

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• Author: Recetas123
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 glasses (100 ml)
• Category: Drink
• Cuisine: Colombian

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 750 ml viche
• 250 g borojó pulp
• 150 g grated panela
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• 400 ml water

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Preparation

1. Make the syrup, boil the water with the panela and anise for about 5 minutes, until the panela dissolves. Strain it and let it cool completely.
2. Make the borojó juice, blend the borojó pulp with the cooled syrup until smooth.
3. Add the viche, stir the juice into the viche without heating it, pour it into a clean bottle, and serve it cold in small glasses.

Tips

• Let the syrup cool completely before blending it with the borojó.
• Don’t heat the viche: it goes in last, cold.
• Serve it cold, in small glasses.

Traditional variations

• Other documented versions of arrechón exist, for example with milk and spices; this page uses only the borojó, panela, and anise version recorded by the Ministry of Culture.

How to serve

Serve the arrechón cold, in small glasses.

Recommended pairings

• Colombian Pacific viche

Did you know?

On Colombia’s Pacific coast no party, wake, novena, or celebration goes without viche, according to the Paseo de olla recipe book.