What is Cauim?
Cauim is a type of alcoholic beverage made in South and Central America, although it is usually associated with Brazil. Its production was created in pre -Columbian times and continued in modern times. There is some commercial production of Cauim, but most of them are made and consumed by indigenous communities. The drink is very similar to Chicha, a drink made by the same groups of people.
Like most indigenous recipes, Cauim can have many variations. It is often fermented from the root of manioc, which is also called Yucca or Cassava. Can also be made using bananas, corn, rice or peanuts; However, Manioc is generally considered to be a defining component. Sometimes other substances are added to the porridge. They may include fruit juices and sugars that add the taste to the finished product and feed the yeast in the porridge, which helps it ferment. First, Caium manufacturers who are usually women cook starch basic ingredients. After cooking, chewing it and reforming it for patties. Then he cooks the patty againky. They then combine twice cooked starch with liquid and flavors to create a porridge they allow to ferment.
chewing helps to decompose manioc so that it can ferment; Without it, the mash would spoil but turn into alcohol. The saliva that mixes with the manioc, when it is chewed, has substances called diastasis enzymes. It acts as catalysts and facilitates the transformation of starch in the roots into malt sugar, which feeds yeasts that produce alcohol during the fermentation process.
The chewing method is still used in the production of Caiu. It is common in Brazil, where natives use manioc to produce a beverage. In other places there is a local recipe of the founding component; In Panama, for example, the Kuna tribe uses as a base for its kauim mash. Production using a traditional method occurs almost exclusively in tribal communities, so there is only small documentation in terms of its scopeAh.
There is also a commercial product called Cauim, which is produced by Colorado Creejaria, a Brazilian brewery. This product is made using modern cooking techniques - it is not chewing. His reference to the indigenous drink lies in the fact that the beer is also made of Manioc; However, its base of starch is imported by the Czech Kasava powder.