How To Make Coconut Wine – A Step by Step Guide to Making Coconut Wine in the

Philippines

Introduction in Coconut Wine Making:

Some coconut farmers in the Philippines not only utilize coconuts for making Copra (dried coconuts) however

also for Coconut Wine making. This is also called Tuba. The process is easy. The one thing that is

complicated is the climbing of coconut trees.

In Visayas Islands, Coconut Wine is called Tuba, Bahal or Bahalina. In Luzon it is mostly called Lambanog.

The main difference is the blend and color. Tuba or Lambanog in Luzon is the pure sap (no barok mix) almost

colorless or milky white in color occasionally described as Coconut Vodka. In Visayas, particularly in Leyte,

Tuba is the product of mixing Barok (a reddish color bark of mangrove tree) by having the coconut sap,

which in turn make Tuba red in color and at times called theCoconut Red Wine.

Definition of Terms:

Sap – The nectar that comes out when you cut an unopened coconut flower or inflorescence.

Barok – In Leyte, Barok is the bark of a tree that is reddish-tan in color. According to Wikipedia it comes

from a red lauan tan bark tree, a kind of red mangrove tree. In other parts of Visayas they called it Tungog

tree, a mangrove thought to be the leading bark. Yet another is Bakhaw, also a mangrove tree. Barok is used

for colorant and preservative as it offset fermentation.

Mananguete or Manananggot – Tuba gatherer, a person who prepares the collection of coconut sap and

goes up the coconut tree to collect the sap.

Sanggot – the knife made use of by a mananguete to cut the coconut flower.

In Luzon, Tuba is create without colorant, pure sap, which is normally consumed right after it is compiled

from the tree because it are able to go sour effortlessly. They allow some of it to go through fermentation

and distillaton to form a harder beverage known as Lambanog. It is commonly called the poor man’s

refreshment because of the affordable method of distillation process and is gotten a kick out of by the

neighborhood farmers after a challenging days work. The neighborhood individuals likewise take pleasure in

lambanog throughout festive occasions.

In Visayas Islands, particularly in Leyte Island, they call a coconut toddy or coconut wine as Tuba and when it

is fermented and distilled for a few months they call it Bahal. Distilled longer for 1 year or even more, it

becomes Bahalina. Tuba in Leyte is even described as a poor man’s refreshment because of its affordable

distillation procedure and is a more available alcoholic drink that the regional individuals take pleasure in.

This does not indicate that the Bahalina is a poor quality alcoholic drink since for me it is a high quality,

organic alcoholic drink that has no chemicals added, simply Barok, a mangrove bark which is recognized for

its medical properties and coconut sap that also has high medicinal properties.

Steps on How to Make Coconut Wine

The Preparation and the Collection of Coconut Sap

The Tuba gatherer cuts and prepares bamboo to make into a container for the coconut sap. It should be

about a foot long or a little bit longer to accommodate about 1 liter of liquid. 

Then he cuts a bigger bamboo area double in length to make an additional compartment for the sap to be

transmitted to. He will then carry this bigger bamboo compartment on his shoulder when he climbs up the

tree.

Then Barok is prepared by chopping it into tiny pieces and putting them in a little container that he attached

to his waist when he goes up the tree.

The first climb – With his knife or sanggot attached to his waist the tuba gatherer climbs the coconut tree

carrying the 1 foot bamboo compartment and seeks unopened flower. By cutting the idea of the flower it

discharges a sap. 

Then he connects the bamboo container filled by having a handful of Barok, to the flower to catch the liquid.

He secures it properly so it will not fall down.

The excellent of Tuba depends on the Tuba gatherer. He who recognizes exactly how to mix the right

amount of Barok to the coconut sap will produce a very good Coconut Wine.  Each tree have different

quantity of liquid created, if the Tuba gatherer are able to master the correct blend then he will be known as

an exceptional Tuba gatherer.

Every early morning, carrying the larger bamboo on his shoulder, he will definitely rise the tree to compile

the juice and clean the bamboo container. One tree can produce a liter of Tuba per day, sometimes more.

In the afternoon the Mananguete will certainly rise the tree and cut the guideline of the flower once more

and put some Barok into the bamboo container and attached it to the flower, fasten and secure it.

The Fermentation Sedimentation and Decantation Process of Coconut Wine

In the morning after all the coconut sap is gathered, fermentation begins.

First, transfer Tuba into a plastic or glass compartment. A glass container is preferable. No chemical like

plastic will certainly do. In olden days gallons made of glass were abundant. So you can easily see the

sediments with glass. Now Tuba will certainly discharge some bubbles. Leave it in the compartment till the

bubbles level off and while forming sediments for pertaining to 3 to 4 days. Note: You are able to consume

Tuba in this stage or fresh from the tree.

It has a kind of harsh sweetness taste in it or mapakla. After 3 or 4 days when bubbles declined distillation

rather decantation or filtration process begins. In this red coconut wine-making, distillation procedure isn’t

utilize although the term distill is frequently described in this process of sedimentation, decantation and

filtration. You will definitely notice that the container has sediment on the bottom about 1 inch thick.

Carefully transfer the Tuba to an additional container by utilizing a little hose pipe, ensuring not to move the

container so the sediment will remain. After the Tuba is separated from the sediment you are able to throw

the sediments away. Then it will certainly take one more 4 to 5 days for the next dacanting.  Note: After

every decantation/filtration procedure, the volume of liquid will come to be less and less, so it is important to

have a Tuba reserve in an additional glass container to be utilized in filling up the fundamental container

after the sediment is cleared away.

Make sure the brand-new compartment is total to the neck so the Tuba will not turn sour. Then deal with it

tightly.

After 4 or 5 days, transferring from one container to yet another, the sediment now is almost gone. At this

point you can easily cover the container remarkably securely however consistently make sure it’s full.

Leave the compartment alone tightly dealt with. After a couple of weeks if you see some sediment you could

separate liquid from sediment once more. The Tuba that undergoes a prolonged sedimentation procedure

turns into more powerful and greater alcohol material. This is called Bahalina.

Leave the compartment for months before you repeat the process if you watch a little sediment. Note: The

longer the sedimentation process, the darker red it will become and when you tap the glass compartment it

will make a high pitch echoing sound which indicates it is now Bahalina.

One year old coconut wine is currently really good, but those that are matured 3 to 5 years or even more

have much smoother taste. When you tap the glass at this stage, it will create a much clearer, high pitch

echoing sound. Coconut Wine Making I will say is a really good experience, enjoying Tuba turned into

Bahalina in a few years and being able to taste a real Bahalina grown old over 3 years.

There you have it! The steps on how to make coconut wine.