In a market town in northern Ghana, a woman ladles a frothy, reddish-brown liquid from a large clay pot into a calabash. Her customers sit on low benches in the shade, sipping slowly and talking. The drink is pito, a beer brewed from millet or sorghum, and it has been part of social life in the north for generations. It is brewed mainly by women, sold in local pito bars and served at funerals, festivals and markets. Pito has also travelled south, and it can be found in parts of Accra.
What pito is and who brews it
Pito is a fermented beverage made from sorghum or millet. It can be sweet or sour, depending on fermentation, and its alcohol content varies. The grain is soaked, germinated, dried and ground. It is then boiled, cooled and fermented with yeast from a previous batch. The process takes several days. Brewing pito is traditionally women’s work, and it provides an important source of income for many families.
Pito is traditionally served in calabashes, which are passed around or held by each drinker.
Bars, festivals and varieties
Pito is sold in small bars or at brewers’ homes, where customers gather to drink and socialise. Pito plays a role in funerals, festivals and ceremonies, sometimes offered to ancestors. Different regions and ethnic groups have their own styles of pito, varying in colour and taste. Northern communities in Accra and Kumasi have brought pito to southern cities, especially in zongo areas.
A non-alcoholic or lightly fermented sweet version is sometimes made for those who prefer less alcohol. Because pito is brewed by hand, quality varies. Buyers tend to stick to trusted brewers.
Competition, culture and the clay pots
Bottled beers and spirits compete with pito, especially among young people. Many people see pito as part of northern Ghanaian identity and heritage. Pito is often enjoyed with roasted meat, groundnuts or tuo zaafi, shared among friends at the end of a market day. Brewers ferment and store pito in large clay pots, which keep the drink cool in the heat of the north.
A calabash of pito is meant to be shared and sipped slowly. In a pito bar, the conversation usually lasts longer than the drink.