Banana wine
Encyclopedia
Banana wine is a fruit wine
made from banana
s. It is a traditional drink of east Africa
, where it plays a role in social events and cultural rituals – in Buganda
, for example, it is presented as a gift to the local monarchy.
Production of banana wine is mostly at a small-scale level, though attempts have been made to bring it up to industrialized production. In Rwanda
, the majority of the nation’s banana crop is used for wine production.
Since the early 2000s, attempts have been made to expand banana wine production to other countries where the crop is prevalent. The Philippines
government has sought to expand a local banana wine industry, while India
has produced both award-winning banana wines and research into expanding production.
The French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe
now produces banana wine
Fruit wine
Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients ; they may also have additional flavours taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any fermented alcoholic beverage except beer...
made from banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s. It is a traditional drink of east Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, where it plays a role in social events and cultural rituals – in Buganda
Buganda
Buganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Ganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda, comprising all of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala, with the exception of the disputed eastern Kayunga District...
, for example, it is presented as a gift to the local monarchy.
Production of banana wine is mostly at a small-scale level, though attempts have been made to bring it up to industrialized production. In Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, the majority of the nation’s banana crop is used for wine production.
Since the early 2000s, attempts have been made to expand banana wine production to other countries where the crop is prevalent. The Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
government has sought to expand a local banana wine industry, while India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
has produced both award-winning banana wines and research into expanding production.
The French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
now produces banana wine