Calaguala or “Jungle Juice”

Calaguala or “Jungle Juice”

We recently had a couple of guests from Colorado, yes, I’m referring to you Rani and Michael, who went for a walk and came back with a bottle of Calaguala or “Jungle Juice” they had purchased in Artesanias Saravia, a small handicraft workshop just up the road from La Villa de Soledad. Both of them sat in our spacious lounge enjoying the concoction they sipped elegantly out of our wine gobblers. They enjoyed their Calaguala or “Jungle Juice so much, that they went back for another bottle the next day!

So I can only imagine you are now wondering what the heck is that Calaguala or “Jungle Juice” I are talking about? It is a fermented product, known locally as “Chicha” which can be produced from different sources, such as pineapple, and calaguala amongst others. Calaguala is is type of fern that grows naturally in certain palm trees in the jungle. It has a small, hairy root which is used to produce the Calaguala, which besides having a certain level of alcohol because of natural fermentation, there are also a series of medicinal properties that have been attributed to the chicha de Calaguala or “Jungle Juice”. Reputedly, it is good to control uric acid, respiratory allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, herpes and acne.

The ingredients of Calaguala or “Jungle Juice” are quite simple, Calaguala roots, water and brown sugar loaf, which is a square like loaf of sugar that is the result of the first process to produce sugar.  It is then left to ferment for several days, and the process can continue for a long time by simply adding more water and sugar to the brew over time as you slowly consume it.

If you are interested in tasting Calaguala or “Jungle Juice” during your visit to La Ceiba, visit the Cangrejal River Valley, better yet, come and spend a couple of nights at the Cangrejal River Valley and stop by Artesanias Saravia, they are friendly folks who produce nice hand carved wood handicrafts. You can also purchase a glass or a bottle of Calaguala or a bottle with all of the herbs necessary to produce your own guifiti, this way, you can fill it up with your favorite rum.

The Calaguala or “Jungle Juice” is part of the rural folklore of Honduran and Central American people, come and experience it at La Villa de Soledad.