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1
Destem, wash and sort the grapes
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Pull the grapes from their stems into a large bowl, rinse them gently under cold water and pick out any damaged, mouldy or unripe fruit. Do not scrub them - the faint dusty bloom on the skins carries the wild yeasts that will ferment the juice.
Work with ripe, sweet grapes; underripe fruit makes a sharp, thin chicha.
Done when: The grapes are clean and free of damaged fruit.
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2
Press the grapes and strain the juice
20 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Crush the grapes with a fruit press, or pulse them in batches in an electric juicer, then pour the juice through a fine sieve into a large jug, pressing with a spoon to squeeze out every drop. You should have about 1.3 litres of juice.
A potato masher in a big bowl works if you have no press - crush, then strain and press hard.
Done when: About 1.3 litres of cloudy pink juice, with the skins and seeds left behind in the sieve.
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3
Bottle loosely and start the ferment
10 Mins
Cool, dark place at 15–20°C (59–68°F)
Pour the juice into clean, dry glass bottles and cap them loosely with a cork - never tight, so the gas from fermentation can escape. Set the bottles in a cool, dark place at 15–20°C (59–68°F).
Loose caps are a safety rule, not a suggestion - a sealed bottle of fermenting juice can burst.
Done when: The bottles stand loosely capped in a cool, dark spot.
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4
Taste daily and chill when it is ready
10 Mins
Chilled at 4°C (39°F)
From day 2, taste a little each day. After 3 to 4 days the chicha should be lightly sparkling, fruity and gently sour - when the balance feels right, move the bottles to the fridge to slow the ferment. Never let it go past 5 to 6 days, or it turns vinegary.
Warm rooms ferment faster; if your kitchen is hot, start tasting on day 2.
Done when: Light fizz, fruity sweetness with a gentle sour edge, and no sharp vinegar smell.
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5
Sweeten and serve ice-cold
5 Mins
Serve chilled at 4°C (39°F)
Pour the chicha into a pitcher, stir in the sugar a spoonful at a time until it tastes right, and serve ice-cold in small glasses. Some people stir in a spoonful of toasted flour instead - either way, drink it the same day.
Pour gently and leave any sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
Done when: The sugar has dissolved and the chicha is cold and lightly sparkling.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the chicha the day it is ready, ice-cold and lightly sparkling - a glass of it with empanadas is the taste of a Chilean September.
Chile
35m
