18 Typical Peruvian Beverages

Pisco is a type of Peruvian brandy made from distilled grape juice and named after its home region. It was created in the 16th century as a substitute for a Spanish brandy called orujo.

In Peru, pisco is often based on the juice of eight kinds of Peruvian grapes. Still, this brandy comes in many varieties, depending on the grapes and the production methods.

Interestingly, pisco must be aged in vessels that prevent alteration in flavor, such as stainless steel or glass, and oak barrels are strongly prohibited. With a clear, potent taste and a smooth texture, pisco is a versatile ingredient in many cocktails, most notably the pisco sour.

Pisco goes well with many traditional Peruvian dishes, especially seafood-based ones like ceviche and tiradito. In 1999, the fourth Sunday of July was designated the annual Pisco Day in Peru.

Outside Peru, pisco is also well-known in Chile and Spain.

Pisco sour is an iconic Peruvian cocktail created in the early 1920s by Victor Vaughn Morris, an American bartender based in Lima. Still, many Chileans claim that it was actually a Chilean invention.

Pisco sour combines pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and Angostura bitters into a frothy beverage with a sweet, tart, and smooth taste. In Peru, the first Saturday of February is celebrated as Pisco Sour Day.

Pisco sour is a delightful beverage to serve with grilled meat and appetizers, like anticuchos and lomo saltado. Don Alfredo is a Peruvian cocktail similar to pisco sour, but it replaces simple syrup, egg whites, and Angostura bitters with elderflower liqueur and club soda.

Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in Peru. While ancient Inca people brewed beer from corn and local grains at least a millennium ago, modern Peruvians prefer lager, pilsner, and dark lager for both special and casual occasions.

In Peru, the most popular beer brands are Cusqueña, Pilsen Callao, Cristal, and Arequipena. To drink beer, Peruvians gather in a circle and pass a chilled bottle of beer and a small glass or cup around; the whole group takes turns drinking from the same glass.

With a light and refreshing flavor, Peruvian beer pairs best with grilled or savory dishes, especially seafood-based ones. My pairing suggestions are ceviche and lomo saltado.

Chilcano is a famous Peruvian cocktail named after a traditional fish soup. The cocktail is so popular that the term “chilcano” is almost always associated with this refreshing beverage.

Originating as a simpler alternative to the pisco sour, chilcano features pisco, ginger ale, lime juice, ice, and sometimes a dash of bitters or lime garnish. This cocktail is the go-to drink for Peruvians when they want something lighter and more balanced than pisco sour.

Many people believe that chilcano is a great hangover cure. Pair it with savory appetizers or dishes, such as causa limeñ and arroz con pollo.

Inca Kola, also known as “the Golden Kola,” is a famous fruity soft drink familiar to every Peruvian. It was invented by Joseph Robinson Lindley, a British immigrant, in 1935.

Inca Kola boasts a vibrant yellow color and a sweet, mellow taste similar to bubblegum or cream soda. Lemon verbena, an aromatic plant native to South America, is responsible for this wonderful flavor profile.

With a name invoking Peru’s history and heritage, Inca Kola is a source of national pride. Outside Peru, this soft drink is also popular in a few Latin American countries.

The sweet flavor of Inca Kola is a perfect match for salty and savory dishes like pollo a la brasa and salchipapa.

Chicha morada is a traditional Peruvian purple corn beverage that dates back to the Inca times. It is prepared by boiling purple corn (maiz morado) and pineapple rinds with sugar and spices in water.

This Peruvian corn beverage is often served cold, delivering a sweet taste and a cooling sensation. Many casual Peruvian dishes can accompany it, namely arroz con pato and seco de cabrito.

Chicha de jora is a classic Peruvian beer-like beverage brewed from jora, a yellow corn variety. It is one of the most popular chicha, a large category of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages often made with corn in Latin America.

The preparation of chicha de jora involves boiling the corn with water for several hours and allowing it to ferment for days to weeks in clay pots. The beer has a cloudy yellow appearance with a sour taste whose strength depends on the fermentation length.

Chicha de jora is a must-have drink for many Peruvian festivals and religious ceremonies. Traditional dishes are the natural delights to serve with this beverage, especially those with savory and robust flavors like cuy and rocoto relleno.

Chicha de frutilla, or frutillada for short, is a sweeter variation of chicha de jora. Besides the fermented corn base, this beverage has the addition of strawberries and sugar to make it sweeter and more palatable.

Mate de coca, known as coca tea in English, is a popular Peruvian infusion made by steeping coca leaves in hot water. The resulting beverage has a yellowish color and a mildly bitter flavor comparable to green tea.

While coca tea isn’t exactly legal in many countries due to the connection between cocaine and coca leaves, it is a beloved herbal drink in many Andean states. Locals believe that it helps alleviate altitude sickness, hunger, and fatigue.

Mate de coca is an ideal match for light dishes, such as butifarra, mazamorra morada, and trucha frita. Dating back to indigenous cultures, this herbal tea is an exciting feature of local drinks.

Emoliente is a well-known herbal tea and street beverage in Peru. Locals prepare it by boiling barley with many herbs and seeds, including flaxseed, alfalfa sprouts, plantain leaves, and horsetail.

Thanks to the diverse ingredients, emoliente comes in many varieties; each street vendor has their own secret formula. Nevertheless, all variations offer a thick, sweet beverage with warming and soothing properties.

Hot emoliente is a wonderful beverage to enjoy on cold days or when you’re suffering from cold symptoms. Feel free to enjoy it with savory comfort food like tamales, butifarra, and causa limeña for extra indulgence.

Canelazo is a popular spiced alcoholic beverage in Peru and many neighboring countries. It is an aromatic drink that warms the body and spirit and provides protection against the chill, especially in the highlands.

Peruvians prepare canelazo with cinnamon-infused hot water, cane sugar (panela), and South American sugar cane spirit (aguardiente). Sometimes, locals replace aguardiente with rum and add fruit juice or more spices to the mix.

Enjoying canelazo during cold weather and festive occasions is nothing short of sheer bliss, and serving it with sweet desserts like mazamorra morada or picarones will improve the experience even further.

El Capitán is a sought-after cocktail in Peru. It first appeared in the 1920s, roughly the same time as pisco sour, and shares many similarities with the Manhattan cocktail.

This Peruvian cocktail is made by mixing pisco, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters with ice before garnishing with lemon peels, cherries, or olives. The first El Capitán was created for an army captain who insisted on trying a mixture of pisco and sweet vermouth, hence the name.

El Capitán’s elegance makes it a popular choice in Peruvian bars and restaurants, especially as an aperitif or to accompany hearty dishes like lomo saltado or rocoto relleno.

Chicha sour is a beautiful Peruvian cocktail prepared with pisco, lemon or lime juice, egg whites, syrup, and chicha morada. It is a delightful twist on the traditional pisco sour, incorporating the purple hue of chicha morada.

To make chicha sour, the bartender mixes and shakes the ingredients together, giving the beverage its signature frothy texture. After that, ice will be added and mixed to complete the cocktail.

With a complex mix of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, chicha sour pairs beautifully with spicy or citrusy dishes like ceviche or tiradito.

Caspiroleta is a warm, punch-like drink that Peruvians love to consume during the cold winter months. Its main ingredients are milk, eggs, cinnamon, and alcohol, such as rum, aguardiente, or brandy.

Locals usually serve caspiroleta hot with a light dusting of cinnamon or cloves for a spicy kick. People consider this sweet, rich, and creamy beverage the Peruvian version of eggnog.

This warm, spiced Peruvian drink is best enjoyed with sweet desserts like suspiro de limeña or Lucuma ice cream.

Leche de monja, literally “nun’s milk,” is a well-known Peruvian cocktail with a white color and a creamy texture. People create these characteristics by mixing frothed eggs with pisco and condensed milk.

Some theories claim that leche de monja was first created by nuns during the colonial period, which explains its strange name.

Since leche de monja has a sweet, velvety taste, it is a wonderful dessert beverage or aperitif to pair with light pastries and creamy desserts, like guargueros and suspiro de limeña.

Ponche de Maca is a nutritious, energizing punch drink from Peru. Its main ingredient is dried and powdered maca, a root that is native to the Andean region and has many health benefits.

The cultivation of maca roots began during the Inca civilization, and ponche de maca was apparently created at the same time. Since then, this nourishing beverage has been a staple to combat the chill during the colder months or at high altitudes.

To prepare ponche de maca, maca powder is mixed with hot water or milk, honey or sugar, and spices. Its taste is earthy and slightly nutty, ideal for serving alongside hearty dishes like alpaca meat or seco de cabrito.

I have just shown you the most famous drinks Peru has to offer. Next, I will give you an overview of the country’s beverage scene.

Lucuma milkshake is a creamy drink made with lucuma fruit, which comes from Peru. This fruit gives the milkshake a sweet and caramel-like taste.

Often, people mix lucuma with milk and sometimes ice cream to produce a smooth and tasty shake. It is very popular in Peru and is known for being both delicious and healthy.

Camu camu juice is a refreshing drink made from the camu camu fruit available in Peru, which is rich in vitamin C. This fruit grows in the Amazon rainforest, and the juice is known for its tart, tangy flavor.

Camu camu juice is often enjoyed on its own or mixed into smoothies and other beverages for a nutritional boost.

Goldenberry cocktail is a Peruvian mix that features goldenberries as its main highlight. These small, tangy fruits, also known as aguaymanto, give the drink a unique blend of sweet and sour flavors.

Often mixed with spirits like pisco or vodka, and sometimes combined with other fruits or herbs, this cocktail is a favorite for many.