A clear home-distilled spirit made from wild palm fruit or berries. Ovambo households distil fermented makalani palm fruit, marula or berries in oil-drum stills, and it is sold in the north and in Windhoek’s Katutura.
Unlicensed distilling is illegal in Namibia and almost everywhere else, and running a still without discarding the volatile head is what leaves methanol in the bottle.
What goes into it
- makalani palm fruit, marula or wild berries
- water
How it is made
The fruit is soaked and left to ferment for several days in drums, then run through an improvised still — commonly an oil drum with a pipe cooled in water. Nothing is separated out of the run, and the strength varies widely between producers.
How long it takes: days to ferment, then a day to distil
How it is eaten
Neat in small measures, in shebeens and at gatherings.
History
Ovambo households distil fermented makalani palm fruit, marula or berries in oil-drum stills; it is sold in the north and in Windhoek’s Katutura.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ombike?
Ombike is a wine & spirit from Namibia: clear home-distilled spirit made from wild palm fruit or berries. Ovambo households distil fermented makalani palm fruit, marula or berries in oil-drum stills; it is sold in the north and in Windhoek’s Katutura.
How is Ombike made?
The fruit is soaked and left to ferment for several days in drums, then run through an improvised still — commonly an oil drum with a pipe cooled in water. Nothing is separated out of the run, and the strength varies widely between producers. It takes days to ferment, then a day to distil.
Can I make Ombike at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. Unlicensed distilling is illegal in Namibia and almost everywhere else, and running a still without discarding the volatile head is what leaves methanol in the bottle.
What goes into Ombike?
Makalani palm fruit, marula or wild berries, water.
How is Ombike eaten?
Neat in small measures, in shebeens and at gatherings.
