 A berele glass containing unfiltered myes | |
| Type | Mead |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ethiopia |
| Colour | Yellow |
| Ingredients | Honey, water, gesho |
Tej (from Amharic: ጠጅ, romanized: t'äǧ, pronounced [ˈtʼədʒ]; Tigrinya: ሜስ, romanized: més; Oromo: Daadhi) is a honey wine, like mead, that is brewed and consumed in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has an alcohol content generally ranging from 7 to 11%.[1] It is often home processed and consists of three main ingredients; honey, water and a medicinal shrub called "gesho" (Rhamnus prinoides).[2] Tej is also available commercially to buy in many different types. It is generally consumed during social events such as festivals or weddings, and religious events like Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash).[2] Consequently, tej forms an important part of Ethiopian society and culture and is considered the national drink of Ethiopia.[3]
In Ethiopia, tej is often homemade or served at tej houses, and is often served in a flask-like pitcher or bottle, called a berele.[4][5] A different beverage, berz, is Ethiopian honey water.[6]
- ^ Fekadu A, Alem A, Hanlon C (2007). "The status of alcohol and drug abuse in Ethiopia: past, present and future" (PDF). African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies. 6: 39–53.
- ^ a b Dhyani A, Semwal KC, Gebrekidan Y, Yonas M, Yadav VK, Chaturvedi P (2019). "Ethnobotanical knowledge and socioeconomic potential of honey wine in the Horn of Africa". Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 18: 299–303.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
McGovern_2009was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Ben Zion I (30 November 2015). "Tasting the Highs and Lows of Ethiopian Honey Wine". VICE.
- ^ Salniker F (9 September 2015). "Enat, Oakland's Producer of Ethiopian Honey Wine". SF Weekly.
- ^ Marcus HG (1995). The Life and Times of Menelik II: Ethiopia, 1844-1913. Red Sea Press. p. 223.