Chicha de guiñapo is a traditional fermented beverage from Arequipa, made from guiñapo: purple corn that is dried and left to germinate before being cooked and fermented. Its sweet-tart flavor and gentle acidity set it apart from chicha morada, which is not fermented.
It’s one of Arequipa’s oldest and most representative drinks, traditionally prepared in a clay vessel called a “chomba” and served at the city’s picanterías. Making it takes patience: the full process, from cooking to fermentation, takes between half a day and two days.
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Peruvian Chicha de Guiñapo
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 13 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
Peruvian preparation featuring guiñapo de maíz negro germinado, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.
Ingredients
- 150 g guinapo (germinated purple corn), ground
- 3 l water
- 200 g grated chancaca (unrefined cane sugar)
- 5 g cinnamon sticks (2 pieces)
- 2 g cloves (4 pieces)
Preparation
- Cook the guiñapo, boil the ground guiñapo in the water over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the liquid turns a deep purple.
- Strain and sweeten, strain the liquid through a fine cloth, return it to the pot, and add the chancaca, cinnamon, and cloves. Simmer for 30 more minutes and let it cool completely.
- Let it ferment, pour the cooled liquid into a clay or glass vessel, cover it with a cloth (without sealing it airtight), and let it ferment somewhere cool for 12 to 48 hours.
- Strain and serve, strain the chicha again, bottle it, and refrigerate. Serve well chilled.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t seal the vessel airtight during fermentation; it needs to release gas.
- Taste the chicha from 12 hours of fermentation and refrigerate it once it reaches the flavor you want.
- Discard the batch if it develops mold or a clearly unpleasant smell.
Traditional Variations
Some Arequipa picanterías ferment the chicha overnight by adding a bit of “concho” (sediment) from a previous batch.
Fermentation time varies by taste: at 12 hours it is milder, and the longer it goes (up to about 48 hours), the higher its alcohol content.
How to Serve
Serve well chilled, in glasses or clay cups, the way it’s served at Arequipa’s traditional picanterías, alongside the region’s hearty dishes.
Recommended Pairings
- Stuffed rocoto
- Chicharrones
- Arequipa-style picante dishes
Did You Know?
The name “guiñapo” refers specifically to purple corn that’s been dried and allowed to germinate before cooking, a different process from the toasted jora corn used in chicha de jora. This clay-vessel fermentation technique has been passed down in Arequipa for generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a traditional fermented beverage from Arequipa, made from guiñapo (sprouted, dried and ground purple corn) and served at the city's picanterías.
In Arequipa picanterías, fermentation usually lasts about 12 hours (overnight); it's best not to go past 48 hours, since the alcohol content keeps rising with time.
Yes, being a fermented beverage, it develops a moderate alcohol content during the process, similar to other traditional Andean chichas.
