OK, so I realize this might be more suited for a beer forum somewhere, but let's face it. Meadmakers seem more of a pioneering spirit than your average homebrewer. So I though I d throw this out at the hive - has anyone out there ever made Tongba? If so how did you go about it?
To make a long story relatively short, I was in Sikkim a few years ago, and had a great cold weather alcoholic drink - Tongba. It is served in a miniature cask (or really big mug), and by served I mean it is a mug full of fermented millet. There is a straw that goes to the bottom and you are given a hot pitcher of water that you pour in. After a minute you can start drinking. It has a very filling beer flavor, but nice and warm (in a good way). When you finish you mug you just pour in more water. I did this maybe 3-4 times in the same mug of millet and somehow the flavor and alcohol content did not seem to diminish. You get the occasional grain of millet as you drink, but for the most part it was smooth drinkin’.
Now I’d like to make it at home. I’ve done the usual internet searches and found nothing. Anyone ever tried to make this? I’d be willing to experiment too, just not sure how they fermented the whole grain. Maybe have the millet in a minimal amount of water, do a short boil and pitch the yeast?
To make a long story relatively short, I was in Sikkim a few years ago, and had a great cold weather alcoholic drink - Tongba. It is served in a miniature cask (or really big mug), and by served I mean it is a mug full of fermented millet. There is a straw that goes to the bottom and you are given a hot pitcher of water that you pour in. After a minute you can start drinking. It has a very filling beer flavor, but nice and warm (in a good way). When you finish you mug you just pour in more water. I did this maybe 3-4 times in the same mug of millet and somehow the flavor and alcohol content did not seem to diminish. You get the occasional grain of millet as you drink, but for the most part it was smooth drinkin’.
Now I’d like to make it at home. I’ve done the usual internet searches and found nothing. Anyone ever tried to make this? I’d be willing to experiment too, just not sure how they fermented the whole grain. Maybe have the millet in a minimal amount of water, do a short boil and pitch the yeast?
