La Comida Dominicana: Alcoholic Drinks

A "Santo Libre": Rum and Lemon-Lime Soda

Two drinks that are always potable are beer and rum. Social gatherings are not complete without one of these two Dominican favorites. The most popular national beer, plastered on billboards everywhere, is Presidente. Its main competition is Bohemia and the Brazilian beer Brahma. All three of these beers are pilsners. There is a darker beer, Ambar, but it is less widespread.

Presidente Beer

Even Hillary Enjoys a Bien Fría.

Presidente is the most popular drink in the Dominican Republic, and has roots just as lofty. Cervecería Nacional Dominicana (CND), a company that distributes most of the beer (including Bohemia) and several other drinks available in the DR, is the current owner and producer of Presidente. The beer was first brewed in 1935, with permission from Trujillo to bestow his title on the beverage. Presidente became increasingly popular, and in 1986 CND was taken over by the large Grupo León Jimenes, of banking and cigar fame. The beer itself is a pilsner, with an alcohol content of about five percent. Presidente beer is a true Dominican icon. The brand supports various cultural and artistic events, fairs, and concerts, including the Carnaval festivities in La Vega.

Rum

Just as ubiquitous as Presidente is Brugal, the favored hometown Dominican rum. Take it straight out of the bottle, as is done in the countryside, or play it cool by mixing it with Coke and ice. Urban Dominicans turn to Barceló, a smoother and slightly more expensive brand of rum. Other lesser-known brands include Siboney and Macorix. Rum generally comes as both white (blanco) and dark, of which there are three kinds: the cheapest and sharpest, dorado; a mid-level variety, called añejo; and the longest-aged, most expensive, extra viejo or extra añejo.

Mamajuana

One of the most popular, and intriguing, rum-based drinks is mamajuana. An empty bottle is filled with cinnamon, clove, and any other number of other herbs, bark and spices. Another seaside variation involves the eyebrow-raising ingredients of octopus, conch, oysters and squid. The solid ingredients are first cured with honey or molasses and red wine. Rum is then poured in and allowed to soak in the various flavors before being consumed. Dominicans will enthusiastically speak of mamajuana’s aphrodisiac qualities, usually accompanied by a corresponding hand gesture.

Photo credit: Andy Tarnoff http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/santolibre.html

La Comida Dominicana: Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Juice

Morir Soñando

Dominicans are fond of jugos naturales, or natural juices, fresh-squeezed and perfect as an afternoon treat under the hot Caribbean sun. Some of our favorites include chinola (passion fruit), tamarindo (tamarind), morir soñando (bitter orange and condensed milk), and cereza (Barbados cherry). 

Just as popular are batidas, thick fruit smoothies made with ice, sugar, and condensed milk. Must-try varieties include zapote (sapote, a blood orange-colored fruit with a brown skin), lechosa (papaya), and guanábana (soursop, with a rough green exterior with soft white flesh and black seeds).

Coffee

Cafecito

Perhaps even more than beer and rum (to be discussed next week), coffee is the drink of choice for every citizen across the country. Coffee accompanies every family conversation, midday meal, business meeting, and first date. In the DR, the coffee is distinctive: hot, strong, and deliciously sweet. As it’s served in small, espresso-sized cups, coffee in the home is often called a cafecito, or little coffee. Sugar, a Dominican agricultural star, is added in liberal amounts – café con leche (coffee with milk) can only be found in restaurants. At home or in small shops, coffee is served black (called solo or negro). Coffee forms an integral part of the Dominican history and economy. Brought over from Africa in the early 18th century, coffee has become one of the DR’s major exports. Farmers cultivate the sublime bean all across the Dominican highlands, in both the north and the south. Visiting a small farm to see where that cafecito came from is one of the best ways to experience a taste of campesino life.

Other Liquid Delights

Té de Jengibre

Around Christmas, té de jengibre (ginger tea) is served at family gatherings with galletas (crackers). Chocolate (hot chocolate) and avena (liquid oatmeal) also make appearances in the cooler months. In rural areas, a drink called mabí is a popular refreshment, often sold in unmarked bottles. It looks and tastes like a lemonade cousin, but is actually brewed from bark and spices.

Of course, the careful traveler should be warned to make sure drinks come from boiled or bottled water.