Charape: what it is and how to make the fermented drink

What is it?

Charape is a traditional fermented drink from the state of Michoacán, particularly the Purépecha (P'urhépecha) region, made with pulque, piloncillo, toasted barley or maize and spices such as cinnamon, clove and aniseed. Its name comes from the Purépecha charhapiti, meaning red, in reference to the drink's characteristic colour when made with dark piloncillo. It has a sweet-and-sour flavour, slightly sparkling and aromatic, with a low alcohol content (4–6%) similar to pulque, from which it derives after a second fermentation with fruit and spices. It is drunk at patron saint feasts, weddings and community celebrations in municipalities such as Uruapan, Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan, Erongarícuaro, Cherán and Paracho. Although its consumption has declined with the advance of industrial drinks, charape is one of the liquid emblems of Purépecha cuisine and culture, passed down as ancestral knowledge in indigenous and mestizo communities of the Michoacán highlands.

Origin and history

Charape has deep pre-Hispanic roots in Purépecha culture, known for its advanced knowledge of agriculture, metallurgy and fermentation. Colonial chroniclers such as the Franciscan Pablo Beaumont, in his Crónica de Michoacán (eighteenth century), describe a Purépecha fermented drink similar to pulque but coloured and sweetened. After the conquest, the introduction of sugar cane and piloncillo, as well as spices from the Manila Galleon (cinnamon, clove, aniseed), transformed the original drink into its present form. Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido agree that charape became established in the eighteenth century as a festive drink, tied to patron saint celebrations and to rituals of the Purépecha agricultural calendar. Its recipe is passed down orally, with variations by family and community. Through the Secretariat of Culture of Michoacán, gob.mx recognises charape as a traditional heritage drink. Anthropologists such as Aida Castilleja and Felipe Castro Gutiérrez have documented its role in celebrations such as the Day of the Dead in Janitzio and the velaciones of Tzintzuntzan, where it is offered to the departed.

Characteristic ingredients

Traditional charape is made with white pulque (ideally from the Llano de Apan or Cuitzeo), chunks of piloncillo, toasted barley or maize, stick cinnamon, clove, aniseed and, depending on the family recipe, fruit such as apple, orange or pineapple. The ingredients are briefly boiled with water, left to cool and mixed with the pulque in a large clay vessel. It is fermented for 24–72 hours at room temperature, generating a second fermentation that adds aromatic complexity to the base pulque. Its colour ranges from amber to reddish depending on the piloncillo used (dark or light). The fermentation process combines the lactic bacteria of pulque (Zymomonas mobilis) with additional wild yeasts drawn by the piloncillo and fruit, producing organic acids, aromatic esters and CO2 bubbles. Bromatological studies at the Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH) document its nutritional value, with B-complex vitamins, iron and essential amino acids inherited from the maguey's aguamiel. Regional variants include charape made with blackberry, tamarind and sour orange.

Cultural significance

Charape forms part of the dossier of Traditional Mexican Cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, particularly linked to the Purépecha culinary paradigm of Michoacán, which includes corundas, uchepos, churipo and atápakua. It is a ritual drink at patron saint feasts such as that of the Niño Doctor in Tepatitlán, the Cristo del Calvario in Erongarícuaro and the Night of the Dead in Janitzio and Tzintzuntzan, where it is placed on altars alongside pan de muerto and Purépecha atoles. Economically, it supports local producers of pulque, piloncillo and spices, forming a regional value chain that combines agriculture, fermentation and trade in traditional markets such as those of Pátzcuaro and Paracho. The Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo and the ITESM Morelia campus research its potential as a functional probiotic drink. Despite the advance of industrial drinks, organisations such as Slow Food Michoacán and the Purépecha cooking festivals in Uruapan and Cherán promote its revaluation, ensuring the continuity of this liquid symbol of cultural identity.

Frequently asked questions

What does charape taste like?

Charape has a sweet-and-sour, spiced, slightly vinegary flavour, with notes of caramelised piloncillo, warm cinnamon, clove and aniseed. The pulque base provides the herbaceous character and the fermentative acidity, while the spices and cane sugar soften the profile. Its texture is slightly sparkling and refreshing, similar to a rustic cider with sweet notes.

What is the difference between charape and tepache?

Charape is from Michoacán and is based on pulque fermented with piloncillo, toasted barley or maize and spices. Tepache is found nationwide and is based on pineapple, piloncillo and water fermented with wild microbiota. Charape has an alcoholic pulque base (4–6%), while tepache is practically non-alcoholic (1–3%) and contains no pulque or maguey in its traditional preparation.

How is traditional charape made?

Water is boiled with piloncillo, cinnamon, clove, aniseed and toasted barley or maize until the sugar dissolves; it is cooled and mixed with white pulque in a clay vessel. It is covered with cloth and fermented for 24–72 hours. Some family recipes add fruit such as apple, orange or blackberry. It is served cold in clay cups during patron saint feasts in Purépecha towns of Michoacán.

Where does charape come from?

It originates in the Purépecha region of the state of Michoacán, particularly municipalities such as Uruapan, Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan, Erongarícuaro, Cherán and Paracho. It has pre-Hispanic roots in Purépecha culture, and its present form became established in the eighteenth century with the addition of cane piloncillo and spices from the Manila Galleon, forming a mestizo drink with its own regional identity.