toddy Palm Liquor
A Tropical Spirit Like No Other

Toddy palm liquor is your invitation to come wine with us!

Well, what we mean is: together let's find out about the wine products produced from palm trees.

• Did you know there are multiple palm species that produce wine? 
• The common name for some palms even includes "wine" in them.

Let's discover together, at our "wine" virtual tasting - to see the essence of palm wine: what palms are used, how it's made, the benefits (& drawbacks).

Is It Wine Time?

What's Unique About Palmyra Palms? 
The Wine

Palmyra Palm Grove growing in Visakhapatnam India

The Palmyra Palm (Borassus flabellifer) is sourced to make Palm Wine Toddies.

Especially throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia. The flower stalks, called inflorescences, are tapped to access the palm's sap.

When a palm wine tapper first drains the liquid, it's clear. Then quickly changes to that white milky look for a toddy palm liquor refreshment.

It's a different look for an alcoholic toddy - wouldn't you say?

How is Palm Wine Made?
Starting by Tapping to Retrieve the Sap

Buriti Palm Wine

Native to the Amazon, the Moriche Palm (Mauritia flexuosa) makes a well-loved Palm Tree Wine.

Wine makers access the palms, growing near rivers & swamps. The local people have tagged this palm with a common name: Buriti.

It's a valued regional palm tree

• For making a delicious toddy palm liquor.
• For using every part of this palm for a valued product.

Viewing this stand of Buriti Palms brings an essence of the sensual wine flavor it brings.

The Moriche Palm produces dark red fruits. At first it doesn't seem appetizing, as each fruit is covered by a scaley crust. The fruits ripen for creating that tempting Buriti palm wine, for a refreshing libation.

There is a process to making a toddy palm liquor from the fruit:

1. FIRST: To get to the fleshy yellow meat, the fruit must be boiled to loosen the scaly covering.
2. SECOND: Workers retrieve the pulp much more easily now. Gathering it in a batch.
3. THIRD: The ferment process begins, to turn the pulpy marrow into Palm Wine.

The fruit of the Burati Palm. Note the shell-like outer skin.

Making Toddy Palm Liquor from Flower Stalks

The flower stems (those inflorescence "branches") from certain palms are used to make a toddy palm liquor drink. Here is how that happens:

1. Inflorescences produce flowers which then make the valued Palm Tree Fruit.
2. The branching inflorescences (there are quite a few) are used for collecting sap.
3. Workers make a cut into the inflorescence, forming a tap to drain and collect the sap from the inflorescence branches.

So you see, the many palm flower branches have two ways to source toddy palm liquor - from the branch itself, or from the fruit. 

Wouldn't it be nice to drink Palm Wine in such a tankard?
On Display at Kuba Royal Museum for Central Africa

Well, Instead - Try This Modern Version>

Toddy Palm Liquor From the Cherry Palm

The Cherry Palm (Pseudophoenix vinifera) is also called a Buccaneer Palm or Wine Palm.

Native to the Caribbean, over time it had been heavily used to make Toddy Palm Liquor. Sadly, so much so, that this practice decreased its numbers. Drastically, bringing it to near extinction.

Now the awareness of this palm's survival mean it's seldom used for that wine-making purpose.

They're cultivated to boost their numbers,
here at Jardin Botanico in Santo Domingo.

Why was the palm's survival threatened by the wine-making process?

• The palm needed to be cut down to access the pith. That's located through the center of the palm trunk. And of course, the palm dies. 
• Next, the soft flesh is ripped out and collected. This flesh is squeezed to drain and collect sweet sap.
• Workers fermented that juice to make Palm Wine.

Note the scientific part of the name - the epithet "vinifera." The term comes from the Latin word meaning "wine-bearing."

Most Recent Post - Check it out:

• 
• 
• 

1. Palm Tree Toxic to Cats? Symptoms, risks, and safe picks

   
   Searches for palm tree toxic to cats end here. We cover warning signs, immediate care, and safe alternatives so you can prevent mishaps and keep kitties safe.

   Learn More Information

The Chilean Wine Palm

Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) has been used as a source for toddy palm liquor.

But similar to the Buccaneer Palm, the process to access its sap almost brought it to extinction. Because, yes, the palm was cut down.

We're so glad it's protected in Chile's National Sanctuaries. Still considered a threatened species. But it's now being cultivated in areas as diverse as Germany, England and California (US), enabling it to live on and one.

If your own climate is designated as a Mediterranean type, you might find a legitimate source to begin Growing A Palm like these for yourself.

Chilean Wine Palms living happily at Fundacion Jardin Botanica Nacional
De Via del Mar, Chile

Will You Try Palm Wine? Even if for its Benefits?

Life is certainly wine-derful when you look at the range of palm wine benefits! (The sap & fruit can make popular non-alcoholic drinks, too. Avoid fermentation!)

With 4 ounces of palm wine, you consume 34 calories, or 143 kilojoules. Plus 0.4g protein, 2.5g carbs and only 0.1g of fat.

The benefits of having a drink of palm wine can be healthy. Particularly because of its natural antioxidant and probiotic properties.

Offered Palm Wine?
Click Here to Take It With You>

It's also high in magnesium & phosphorus. It has moderate amounts of calcium, copper, zinc, manganese, iron & sodium.

Plus natural Vitamin C, with its wholesome phenols.

But There Are Some Drawbacks to Palm Wine, Too

What are the shortcomings of imbibing in toddy palm liquor?

• It is an alcoholic drink. Overconsumption could become problematic. 
• Typically, freshly tapped palm wine contains only about 3–5% alcohol by volume (ABV). Yet if it’s fermented longer or distilled, its strength climbs intensely. In fact, in the Philippines a purposely distilled variety using palm sap can get up to 40-45% ABV!
• Because of the sugar content. Which is Not Good for Many Reasons.
• Some health-conscious producers use care. Yet in many places, it's not overseen for cleanliness or for prevention of contaminants.
• Many studies related to palm wine properties have been published. To find that its benefits are useful for rats! Very few figure into What is a Palm Tree and its relationship to wine's involvement with humans.

Can You Buy Palm Wine to Make a Toddy?

You might find it sold near you. Or likely not!

It's not commonly sold throughout the U.S. But it has been available in Pennsylvania, Colorado,  California, and in some U.S. Southeastern states. Is it "still" - don't know for sure.

Yet, have you seen palm wine where you live? Or do you know of other sources? We've seen where it Can Be Purchased on Amazon>

Takeaways for a Palm Toddy

You've been curious to know: What is Palm Wine?

• You have seen how Palms Do Grow Their Own products, like how the toddy palm fruit and sap can make palm toddies.
• You have discovered there are benefits of palm wine. But some disadvantages, too.
• You have seen a historic palm tree tankard - how cool it would be to have one of those!
• You have seen where to buy palm wine in the USA - possibly 🫤. A palm toddy can be an enjoyable alcoholic drink.
• You have seen how the palm wine tree has brought near extinction to some of these palms.

So if you want to give it a try, remember It's 5 O'clock Somewhere! (RIP Jimmy Buffett). And if you discover your own source of palm wine for sale, we hope our info has been helpful to know its background.