Central Africa · Drink

Bilibili (Fermented Red Sorghum Craft Beer)

Name: Bilibili (Fermented Red Sorghum Craft Beer)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 225 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Central African Republic
Ingredients: 1000 g malted red sorghum grain (germinated, sun-dried, and coarsely cracked); 300 g unmalted red sorghum flour; 100 g malted finger millet grain (coarsely ground); 6000 ml non-chlorinated spring water; 15 g okra stem extract (or 15 g fresh crushed okra pods in 100 ml water for flocculation); 20 g active traditional bilibili sour dregs (or wild ale / lambic yeast slurry); 10 g fresh ginger root (crushed, optional for aroma); lukewarm water for sparging (as needed during straining), to taste

A cloudy, tart, and effervescent traditional red sorghum craft beer traditionally brewed across the northern savannahs of Central Africa.

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fermented-drinktraditional-beersorghum-beveragecentral-african

The story

Bilibili is an ancient, low-alcohol fermented beverage crafted principally by Sara, Gbaya, and Mbum women across northern Central African Republic. Consumed during communal agricultural gatherings, weddings, and weekend social assemblies, the beverage holds immense cultural and economic value. A vital technical secret of indigenous brewers is the multi-day malting and spontaneous sour mash, which generates lactic acidity to naturally preserve the brew in tropical heat.

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