Discover the Unique Craft Spirits of Brazil's Maranhão State: Tequila Wine

In Brazil, there exists a little-known yet distinctly unique alcoholic beverage—tiquira. For thousands of years, Brazilian indigenous peoples fermented cassava root into beverages similar to beer, such as cauim, caxiri, and tarubá. Fermentation is a crucial step in cassava processing because the root contains chemical substances that can be converted into cyanide in the human body. Indigenous peoples discovered that a small amount of human saliva combined with natural yeast could eliminate these toxins and enhance the nutritional value of the tuber. After distillation techniques were introduced to the Munin River region (present-day Maranhão state), local inhabitants began distilling fermented cassava beverages, and tiquira was born from this innovation.

The name tiquira likely originates from the Tupi word "tykyre," meaning "to drip." Interestingly, this spirit is only popular in Maranhão state and remains largely unknown even within Brazil itself. Guaaja Tiquira, founded in 2016, is the first modern brand to produce this spirit. Its founder, Margot Stingvagner, states that only those who have visited Maranhão state are likely to have heard of it. In September 2023, the state designated tiquira as a cultural and intangible heritage item.

Part of the reason tiquira remains relatively niche is that producing Brazilian cachaça—made from sugarcane—is considerably simpler. Cachaça production relies on sugarcane, which already contains the necessary sugars for fermentation, whereas cassava requires first converting carbohydrates into sugar before fermentation and distillation can occur. Guaaja Tiquira uses food enzymes rather than the traditional human saliva for this conversion and uses whole cassava roots, unlike most producers who rely on cassava flour.

Additionally, most tiquira is produced illegally, particularly outside urban centers. Distillers typically fail to separate the "heads" (containing methanol and other harsh spirits and volatile flavor compounds) from the "tails" (containing lower alcohol content and bitter notes) during distillation, resulting in a stronger, potentially more toxic and impure spirit. In some cases, people have even infused cannabis into the alcohol to create the illegal "tiquira-canha."

Maranhão residents believe that after drinking tiquira, one cannot come into contact with water or bathe, lest they become dizzy. Folklore documenter Zelinda Machado de Castro Lima has also recorded other related traditions, such as piercing cashew nuts with toothpicks and soaking them in the spirit, afterward sucking on them like alcoholic lollipops, and avoiding drinking tiquira while consuming coffee.

Tiquira, as a distinctive spirit of Brazil's Maranhão state, carries the history and culture of the region. Although it currently has limited recognition and faces some production challenges, its unique brewing techniques and the cultural traditions behind it are worthy of greater understanding and exploration. With its designation as a cultural heritage item, perhaps more people will come to recognize and appreciate this distinctive spirit in the future.

Tiquira represents far more than just an alcoholic beverage; it embodies centuries of indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage. The traditional methods of cassava processing and fermentation demonstrate the sophisticated understanding indigenous peoples had of food science and preservation long before modern chemistry existed. The conversion of potentially toxic cassava roots into nutritious and safe beverages through fermentation and the addition of saliva is a remarkable example of practical knowledge passed down through generations.

The journey of tiquira from a traditional indigenous drink to a modern craft spirit reflects broader changes in Brazilian society. As globalization and modernization have swept through Brazil, many traditional practices and beverages have faded into obscurity. However, the recent recognition of tiquira as an intangible cultural heritage represents an important step in preserving this knowledge and the cultural identity it represents.

The resurgence of interest in tiquira, particularly through brands like Guaaja Tiquira, offers hope that traditional beverages and the knowledge systems they represent need not be lost to history. By creating modern, legally-produced versions of this spirit, contemporary producers are helping to legitimize and preserve these traditions while also introducing tiquira to a broader audience beyond Maranhão state.

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