Beverage

Poyo (Palm Wine)

Name: Poyo (Palm Wine)
Total time: 24h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Sierra Leone
Ingredients: 4 L fresh palm sap (from raffia or oil palm); Clean calabash or glass jar; Muslin cloth for straining; Optional: small piece of ginger for aroma

Fresh sap tapped from oil or raffia palms, naturally fermented into a milky, tangy Sierra Leonean staple served at gatherings.

24h 6 servings Easy

Ingredients

• 4 L fresh palm sap (from raffia or oil palm)
• Clean calabash or glass jar
• Muslin cloth for straining
• Optional: small piece of ginger for aroma

Method

Step 1 of 425%

Collect fresh sap into a sterilised calabash straight from the tapped palm.

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1
Collect fresh sap into a sterilised calabash straight from the tapped palm.
2
Cover loosely with muslin and leave at 25-30°C for 6-12 hours for sweet poyo.
3
Taste at 12 h — allow up to 24 h for stronger, sharper palm wine.
4
Strain and chill; serve within a day, as it sours quickly.