Southern Africa · Drink
Mageu (Fermented Maize and Sorghum Drink)
A silky, thirst-quenching lactic-fermented porridge beverage brimming with the sour, earthy tang of white maize and malted sorghum.
The story
Consumed ubiquitously across rural Botswana by Batswana pastoralists and field workers, Mageu provides cooling hydration and sustained energy under the blazing Kalahari sun. It is an indispensable daily staple during seasonal crop weeding and harvesting, traditionally carried in large calabashes to agricultural lands known as masimo. Spontaneous fermentation relies on naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria present in unrefined sorghum malt, which converts gelatinized starches into refreshing lactic acid without generating significant ethanol.
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