beverage

Beverages

Like the U.S., Bolivia has a wide variety of beverages to enjoy along with your meal. For adults, the most common beverages are coffee and tea. Among the teas, “black tea is probably the most common” (pateman). Since it is so strong, the black tea is served with a lot of sugar. Another common tea is //mate. Mate// is made by “steeping dry leaves and twigs of yerba mate in hot water” (Yerba). It is said that drinking //mate// helps with altitude sickness. Drinking //mate// is also a symbol of friendship in Bolivia. Although it is often thought of as a British tradition, Bolivians often have people over for tea time (pateman). Friends will often share eachothers company and reminisce over a warm cup of //mate. //   For those who do not enjoy coffee or tea, there is a variety of other choices too chose from. Most children drink “milk with cocoa or drops of coffee” (pateman). Like America, there is also a large selection of sweet drinks. A //refresco// is just one of the many options to choose from. A refrescos consists of “fruit juice with a dried peach in the bottom of the glass” (pateman). Another sweet beverage is //licuados//, which are “ fruit shakes made with milk or water” (Hamre). Bolivia also has a variety of soft drinks which are both important and local.

For those of appropriate age, Bolivia also has a selection of alcoholic drinks. This mostly appeals to adults; however the drinking age in Bolivia is eighteen instead of twenty. Believe it or not, Bolivia is famous for their alcoholic beverages. The best known drink is Chicha, a homebrewed beer passed down from the Incas. Chicha requires a long hands-on process to make it, but it is well worth it. Different spices in the brewing process give “a regional flavor to each brew” (pateman). Therefore, you can really get a taste of Bolivia if you visit. Chicha is a big hit in times of celebration and is sold by the glass. Another popular drink is //singani// which is a mixture between wine and whiskey. Although the alcoholic beverages may be eye-catching, it is advised to get accumulated to the altitude before trying them because they can often be very strong.

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