Turbid amber, sweet-and-sour, and warmly spiced. A must is cooked from jora corn and barley with cinnamon and cloves, then left to ferment until gentle acidity and low alcohol develop. Living tradition, no gimmicks.
Rinse the jora corn and barley. Toast them in a dry pot or wide pan for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until they smell like toasted grain and take light color without burning.
Add the water, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook uncovered for 2 hours and 30 minutes, stirring now and then. The liquid should be amber, cloudy, and deeply grain-scented.
Strain the must and dissolve the chancaca while it is still hot. Let it cool completely to room temperature; if it goes into fermentation hot, it kills the chicha's character before it starts.
Transfer the cooled must to a
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Strain once more if you want a cleaner chicha. Serve at room temperature or chilled; it should be cloudy amber, sweet-sour, and gently alcoholic. If it smells strange, moldy, or rotten, discard it without debate.
