Come December and Ghana’s coastal capital, Accra, is abuzz with people celebrating the holidays over a glass of Kokroko, pito or palm wine.
For Ghanaians, it is traditional and locally made drinks that have been resurrected or often given a new twist that are de rigueur during the festive season.
This month is all about “parties, drinking and enjoying”, says artist Tijana Jawarah Ali, sipping a scarlet Kokroko cocktail at a bar in Osu, the beating heart of Accra’s nightlife.
The Kokroko is made with the Ghanaian spirit Akpeteshie, a liquor that comes from sugar cane and is common in rural areas but is being repurposed by the glitziest bars and restaurants.
In this Tuesday, June 18, 2013 photo, a bartender pours out a measure of local spirit akpeteshie as he prepares a cocktail, at The Republic, in Accra, Ghana. In Ghana, the local alcohol akpeteshie tastes like fire to the uninitiated, burning all the way down the throat to a nervous stomach. But at The Republic in the…
