5 Things to Drink in Jamaica
Jamaican drinking customs blend local tastes, tradition, and celebration. The island's history and cultural diversity are closely associated with its libations, which include both.
2024-07-22 08:06:11 - Atozvodka
Beer.
Red Stripe is the classic crisp lager that is associated with Jamaica. Perhaps an unexpected choice for the tropics, Stout is also a favorite among Jamaicans. While Guinness is the local favorite, Schop favors Dragon Stout, which is brewed close by by the same company that produces Red Stripe.
Ginger beer
“The Jamaican-made ones use cane sugar, not corn syrup, so they have a clean, natural flavor,” Schop says.
Rum
Ting, a Jamaican grapefruit soda, is frequently mixed with overproof white rums like Wray & Nephew. Explains Schop, “Local rum definitely has a, shall we say, ‘robust’ flavor, so that’s a great way to drink it.”
Experience the Oldest (and First) Rum Distillery in Jamaica.
Sorrel tea
Cooks steep dried hibiscus buds (called sorrel in Jamaica) with fresh ginger and sugar, then chill the tea overnight. They serve it with ice, a splash of soda water, and a squirt of lime. “It has a tart, lemony, astringent flavor that you can feel on the enamel of your teeth,” Schop says. “It’s so refreshing.”
Sea cat punch
The term "octopus" is known as "sea cat" in Jamaican. The octopus is boiled to produce a milky white liquid, which is then combined with peanuts, molasses, white rum, rum cream, malt powder, and Supligen, a protein drink. A thick, salty-sweet shake is produced when it is combined with ice. Jamaican men swear it enhances virility; Schop swears it tastes “absolutely wretched.”