A raw spirit distilled from palm wine in village stills, cloudy and strong. Palm wine is redistilled in improvised stills in the Sierra Leonean provinces, and omole is far stronger than poyo and sold in bottles at markets.
Unlicensed distilling is illegal in Sierra Leone and almost everywhere else, and skipping the cut is exactly what leaves methanol and other volatiles in the bottle.
What goes into it
- poyo — fermented palm wine
- nothing else
How it is made
Palm wine that has already fermented on the tree is run through an improvised still, often a drum with a pipe cooled in a stream. Little or nothing is discarded from the run, so the volatile first fraction goes into the bottle with everything else, and the strength varies widely.
How long it takes: a day, from palm wine already fermented
How it is eaten
Neat in small measures at markets and village bars.
History
Palm wine is redistilled in improvised stills in the provinces; omole is far stronger than poyo and sold in bottles at markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Omole?
Omole is a wine & spirit from Sierra Leone: raw spirit distilled from palm wine in village stills, cloudy and strong. Palm wine is redistilled in improvised stills in the provinces; omole is far stronger than poyo and sold in bottles at markets.
How is Omole made?
Palm wine that has already fermented on the tree is run through an improvised still, often a drum with a pipe cooled in a stream. Little or nothing is discarded from the run, so the volatile first fraction goes into the bottle with everything else, and the strength varies widely. It takes a day, from palm wine already fermented.
Can I make Omole at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. Unlicensed distilling is illegal in Sierra Leone and almost everywhere else, and skipping the cut is exactly what leaves methanol and other volatiles in the bottle.
What goes into Omole?
Poyo — fermented palm wine, nothing else.
How is Omole eaten?
Neat in small measures at markets and village bars.
