Birz is a traditional Ethiopian beverage made from water and fermented honey, that was once used as a regular substitute for water. It is quite tasty, refreshing and has many health advantages.
Ethiopia is one of the world’s top producers of honey and has a long and proud history of producing it. The bulk of the nation’s beekeepers still use time-consuming, labor-intensive techniques unique to Ethiopia that are not used in other honey-producing countries. This gives Ethiopian honey a distinctive and rich flavor profile that differs from region to region within the country.
Today, honey is extensively consumed throughout Ethiopia and is praised for its sophisticated flavor as well as for its capacity to heal and regenerate.
Equipment Recommendations for Making Birz
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Birz Recipe
Birz is a traditional Ethiopian beverage made from water and fermented honey, that was once used as a regular substitute for water. It is quite tasty, refreshing and has many health advantages.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 liter 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Ferment/Mix
- Cuisine: Ethiopian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6.75 tbsp (101 ml / 122g) of honey
- 4.25 cups (1.01 liters) of water
- 4 heads of whole cloves
- 1 tsp (5 ml / 2g) of peeled and slightly crushed ginger
- 0.35 ounces (10g) of honeycomb
Instructions
- Use a clean pot to dissolve your honey with around 100 ml of the water. Once it’s thoroughly mixed, pour the remaining water and mix them well together.
- Then transfer the honey-water mix and place in a container that has been sterilized.
- Next, place the ginger and cloves on a clean sheet of muslin cloth and wrap them up together. Then place the wrap as well as the honeycomb into the honey-water mix.
- Cover the container using clean a tea towel and secure with a rubber band. Then let the mix sit and ferment for a few days in cool and dark area.
- Put for a few days in a cool, dark area to ferment.
- Once the mix ferments, you can serve and enjoy your Birz!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 270g
- Calories: 115 kcal
- Sugar: 29g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
