Beer of Malawi - Chibuku, Kuche Kuche and Carlsberg

While in Malawi, I experimented quite a bit with the local beer and some other spirits as well. Beer is perhaps my favourite alcoholic drink and when I visit a new country, I make it a point to try out the popular beer there (rather than the international beer, available everywhere). Beer is extremely popular in Malawi and Carlsberg has completely taken over the market, though it still faces some stiff competition from the locally made beer which remains very popular with the locals.

Here is my list of some of the popular beers from Malawi. If you ever visit Malawi, make sure you try them all :)

Chibuku:

Beauty shot before our trial!

It is locally made and sold in milk-like carton boxes. No alcohol percentage is mentioned but as per some regular consumers, it's probably six percent. Both me and women drink this, but usually preferred by men. In general you can drink one or two cartons. However, when the party is more happening, some can drink up to four cartons also. Chibuku is popular because there are many condiments you can toss in - Sugar, Milk, honey.

When we were on our way back from Salima beach, we saw this truck-full of young men singing and drinking, what appeared to be milk from milk cartons. I was particularly impressed with so much public milk consumption till our driver told us that it was a popular local beer. In fact, its the most popular local beer in Malawi! We ended up buying a carton to try out at back at the hotel in Lilongwe. I kept it in the refrigerator and completely forgot, until I started packing up the stuff to leave. It was only me and Karoline left, so we skipped our evening dose of Kuche Kuche, and decided to drink the milk beer!

We went to the bar and took two glasses, while the barman looked at us rather apprehensively. I think he was very curious to see how we respond to their national pride. But one sip down and both Karoline and I almost fainted! The drink is certainly not for the faint-hearted. I can't quite describe the taste, except that its very very very pungent - so pungent that Karo wanted to spit it out and I felt dizzy! We were most certainly done with our quota of beer, but I still took one more sip to remember the taste and smell better. 

I eventually went to the receptionist and requested him to take our carton. He was shocked that we didn't love it and would want to give it away to him. However, he took it when we insisted. I wouldn't say that I will not try it again when I visit Malawi next time, I think its an acquired taste!

Costs Malawian kw 250 for a carton.

Carlsberg Green:

I never took a picture of the beer! Image ref here

Perhaps the most popular with the visitors who do not want to experiment much. It's also light and easy to drink. Before I discovered Kuche Kuche, this was my drink of choice in Malawi. Every restaurant offers this when you ask for local Malawi beer, unless you dig deeper for more specific answers. 

When we came to Malawi, we stayed at a rather fancy Chinese hotel and when I asked for the local beer, I was given Green. I didn't want to drink Carlsberg in Malawi, but everyone I asked there, recommended me this. And since its a pretty decent beer, I didn't mind as well. My first two evenings were all about Green, and I discovered Kuche Kuche only after I shifted to the town area and rechecked the facts again at the bar there!

This is how Carlsberg describes it:

Carlsberg Green is our flagship brand and this super-premium beer in the portfolio was launched in September 2007. It is an all-malt premium beer, spiced with unique aroma hops that gives it a distinctive taste. It is served in a stylish proprietary bottle that upholds its super premium image.

Costs about Malawian kw 350-400.

Kuche Kuche:

Küche Küche at Salima on lake Malawi

If you do not want to get drunk, this is the best beer. It's light and refreshing and you can easily drink 3-4 bottles. The maximum I ever had was two and half and that gives you a good and happy buzz!

It was me who was already tired of Green on my third day, and while we finished our first bottle of Green, I asked the barman again about his preferred local beer. Ideally I should have heard Chibuka, but he told me there is another beer called Kuche Kuche which we can experiment with. One bottle down, and our entire group shifted to this excellent light beer, even when we were at Salima beach. 

Costs about Malawian kw 350-400.

Carlsberg Stout:

My last Stout at the Lilongwe airport

Though men also drink Stout, it's a beer preferred by women more. It's low in alcohol and also slightly sweet tasting. Somehow because of it's name I assumed it to be a manly drink, and even the bottle looks more muscular due to it's dark colour.

I and my first stout beer after coming down from the hike at Mount Mulanje. My guide David ordered it and I followed him. I always do this when I am outside the country - follow what the locals order, though the results are not always great :)

So what's my opinion - it was alright, though I would anyway prefer Kuche Kuche or Green for a light beer over this. For a change this works!

Costs about Malawian kw 350-400.

Kachasu:

Kachasu Brewery. Image ref here

It is a locally brewed spirit - one can make it at home and also buy it from local alcohol shops. The alcohol percentage from the first distill is arguably 100%. and that costs the most. The residue is what people drink and it is slightly diminished in alcohol percentage but still much higher than the brews. 

One local story is that kachasu is so potent that the seller (usually a woman who distills it herself) knows her customers so well and if one of the customers happens to be a bachelor she will cook a meal (nsima) for him first before serving him. Kachasu is not to be consumed on an empty stomach; especially "mutu" the head - the first distill.

People have fainted, collapsed, some even died from a rushed drink on an empty stomach!

I never got to try this one, but there is always another time :)

If you are reading this post, you are clearly a lover of beer just like I am. Let me recommend another story on some of the best beer of the world recommended by 33 top travel bloggers: Go beer tasting, sampling the world's best!