Typical Peruvian Drinks & Beverages

Pisco - Peru’s National Drink (Alcoholic)

Pisco is Peru's national drink and the pride and joy of every Peruvian. Pisco is a kind of brandy or aguardiente with a percentage of alcohol between 42% and 52%. It's distilled from white Muscat grapes and mostly colorless, sometimes it has a slightly amber tone. The most popular cocktail made from Pisco is Pisco sour: a delicious combination of Pisco, lime juice, egg white and syrup. An absolute must for every Peru visitor!

Chicha de Jora - Beer like drink from the Andes (Alcoholic)

Chicha de Jora, not to be confounded with Chicha Morada, is an alcoholic beverage from the Andes region, which already was prepared and drunken by the Incas. Chicha is traditionally obtained by the fermentation of specific maize, the jora. It's beer-like, has a pale yellowish color and a slightly sour taste. Note: the word "chicha" is used in the Andes for almost any homemade fermented drink. While it's commonly associated with maize, other grains or fruits can be used.

Chicha Morada (Non-Alcoholic)

Chicha Morado is a typical Peruvian non-alcoholic drink. It's prepared from a base of purple maize, known as maiz morado. While today it can be bought as bottled beverage in every supermarket, traditionally the purple maize is boiled with chunks of pineapple, quinces, cinnamon and cloves in water until the maize is soft and the liquid has taken on the deep purple color. After straining sugar a little lime juice is added. Cooled and served with small pieces of apples Chicha Morada is popular with young and old and a really delicious drink.

Peruvian Limonada - Peruvian Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic)

Lemonade is known around the world. The Peruvian version is made of water, the characteristic small Peruvian limes and a little bit of preferable brown sugar. Chilled and served with ice cubes it's a refreshing drink in summer.

Inca Kola (Non-Alcoholic)

Inca Kola is, if we believe the advertisement, "El sabor del Peru", The flavor of Peru. Invented by an English immigrant in Rimac, Lima in 1935 Inca Kola is a bright yellow, very sweet soft drink flavored with lemon verbena, in Peru known as Hierba Luisa and tastes a little bit like bubblegum. Mainly due to Peruvian patriotism and corresponding advertisement Inca Kola soon became a cultural icon and one of the most popular soft-drinks in Peru - even beating Coca Cola in sales.

Kola Inglesa (Non-Alcoholic)

Kola Inglesa is another Peruvian soft drink. Introduced in 1912 Kola Inglesa (English Kola) has a strawberry-cherry-like flavor and a bright red color. Like Inka Kola it's very sweet, but popular with Peruvians.