View source for Palm wine

{{short description|Alcoholic beverage made from tree sap}}
{{other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox Beverage
|name         = Palm wine
|image        = Toddy Bottle and Glass.jpg
|caption      = Bottles and a glass of palm wine
|type         = Alcoholic beverage
|manufacturer =
|origin       = Worldwide
|introduced   = 
|discontinued = 
|related      = 
|variants     = 
}}
'''Palm wine''', known by several [[#Names|local names]], is an alcoholic beverage created from the [[sap]] of various species of [[palm tree]]s such as the [[Borassus|palmyra]], [[date palms]], and [[coconut]] palms.<ref name=jak/><ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/MEMBGNewsletter/Volume5number4/Thechileanwinepalm.html |last1=Rundel |first1=Philip W. |title=The Chilean Wine Palm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104073913/http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/MEMBGNewsletter/Volume5number4/Thechileanwinepalm.html |archive-date=4 January 2006 |journal=Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden Newsletter |date= Fall 2002 |volume=5 |issue=4 |access-date=31 August 2008 }}</ref> It is known by various names in different regions and is common in various parts of [[Africa]], the [[Caribbean]], [[South America]], [[South Asia]], [[Southeast Asia]], and [[Micronesia]]. The word "toddy" traces back to the [[Proto-Dravidian language|Proto-Dravidian]] root "''tāẓ-'' (DED number: 3180)," which means palmyra/toddy palm and gave rise to forms like "tāḍi" or "tāṭi" in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Gondi language|Gondi]], and [[Kolami|Kolami-Gadba]]; "tāri" or "tāḷi" in [[Kannada]] and [[Tulu language|Tulu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Telugu etymology : Query result |url=https://starlingdb.org/cgi-bin/response.cgi?single=1&basename=/data/drav/telet&text_number=1531&root=config |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=starlingdb.org}}</ref> The Sanskrit word "tāḍi," which refers to an extract from palm trees, is a loanword from Dravidian.

Palm wine production by smallholders and individual farmers may promote conservation as palm trees become a source of regular household income that may economically be worth more than the value of timber sold.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Forest resources as a source of cash income: the marketing of gathered and processed forest products
|url=https://www.fao.org/4/T9450E/t9450e07.htm
|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
|section=6.4
|access-date=2025-06-27
}}</ref>
==Tapping==
[[File:Toddy00 crop.jpg|thumb|left|140px|Toddy collectors at work on ''[[Cocos nucifera]]'' palms]]
[[File:Timor palm wine.jpg|thumb|upright|Tapping palm sap in [[East Timor]]]]
The sap is extracted and collected by a tapper. Typically the sap is collected from the cut flower of the palm tree. A container is fastened to the flower stump to collect the sap. The white liquid that initially collects tends to be very sweet and non-[[Alcoholic beverage|alcohol]]ic before it is [[fermentation (food)|fermented]]. An alternative method is the felling of the entire tree. Where this is practised, a fire is sometimes lit at the cut end to facilitate the collection of sap.

Palm sap begins fermenting immediately after collection, due to natural [[yeast]]s in the air (often spurred by residual yeast left in the collecting container). Within two hours, fermentation yields an aromatic wine of up to 4% alcohol content, mildly [[Alcohol intoxication|intoxicating]] and sweet. The wine may be allowed to ferment longer, up to a day, to yield a stronger, more sour, and acidic taste, which some people prefer. Longer fermentation produces vinegar instead of stronger wine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0560e/x0560e09.htm|title=Fermented and vegetables. A global perspective. Chapter 4.|website=fao.org|access-date=5 February 2018}}</ref>

==Distilled==
Palm wine may be [[distillation|distilled]] to create a stronger drink, which goes by different names depending on the region (e.g., ''[[Arrack (drink)|arrack]]'', ''palm [[feni (liquor)|feni]]'', ''[[:id:sopi|sopi]]'', ''village gin'', ''charayam'', and ''country whiskey'').

In Nigeria, this is commonly called palm wine. In southwestern Nigeria and some parts of Cameroon, it is also known as ''Emu'' or ''Matango''. In southeastern Nigeria, it is generally called Mmanya Ngwo or referred to colloquially as Tombo. In both Congos, it is called ''nsámbá''. In parts of southern [[Ghana]], distilled palm wine is called ''[[Akpeteshie|akpeteshi]]'' or ''burukutu''. In Togo and Benin, it is called ''sodabe'', while in Tunisia it is called ''lagmi''. In coastal parts of Kenya, it is known as ''mnazi''. In India, it is called ''toddy''. In Ivory Coast, it is called ''koutoukou''.

In the Philippines, the most common distilled palm liquor is ''[[lambanog]]'' which is made from aged ''[[tubâ]]''. It has very high [[alcohol by volume]], at 40 to 45% [[alcohol by volume|abv]] (80 to 90 [[Proof (alcohol)|proof]]).<ref name="Sanchez"/>

==Consumption by region==

===Africa===
[[File:Refreshing palm wine.jpg|thumb|right|Palm wine is collected, fermented, and stored in [[calabash]]es in [[Bandundu Province]], Democratic Republic of the Congo (c. 1990)]]

In Africa, the sap used to create palm wine is most often taken from wild [[date (fruit)|date]] palms such as the [[Phoenix sylvestris|silver date palm]] (''Phoenix sylvestris''), the [[Borassus|palmyra]], and the [[jaggery]] palm (''[[Caryota urens]]''), or [[palm oil|oil]] palm such as the [[African Oil Palm]] (''Elaeis guineense'') or from ''[[Raffia palm]]s'', ''[[kithul]]'' palms, or ''[[Nypa fruticans|nipa]]'' palms. In part of the central and western [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], palm wine is called ''malafu''. 
[[File:Calebasse1.jpg|alt=Image of Calabash for palm wine storage|thumb|Image of Calabash for palm wine storage]]
Palm wine plays an important role in many ceremonies in many tribes and nations of Nigeria such as among the [[Igbo people|Igbo]] and [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] peoples, and elsewhere in [[Central Africa|Central]] and [[West Africa|Western Africa]].<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Africana Studies Review |publisher=Southern University at New Orleans |volume=6 |issue=1 |date=Spring 2019 |title=The Tree That Centres The World: The Palm Tree As Yoruba Axis Mundi |first=Ayodeji |last=Ogunnaike |pages=46, 49–50}}</ref> Guests at weddings, birth celebrations, funerals, and gatherings to observe important festivals and holidays are served in generous quantities. Palm wine is often infused with medicinal herbs to remedy a wide variety of physical complaints. As a token of respect to deceased ancestors, many drinking sessions begin with a small amount of palm wine spilled on the ground (''Kulosa malafu'' in [[Kituba language|Kikongo ya Leta]]). Palm wine is enjoyed by men and women, although women usually drink it in less public venues.

In parts of southeastern Nigeria, namely [[Igboland]], palm wine is locally referred to as "mmanya ocha" (literally, "white drink"), with "ngwo" and "nkwu" variants. It plays a very important role in traditional Igbo settings. In Urualla, for instance, and other "ideato" towns, it is the drink of choice for traditional weddings. A young man who is going for the first introduction at his in-laws' house is required to bring palm wine with him. There are varying gallons of palm wine required, depending on the customs of the different regions in Igboland. This culture can be observed similarly in the neighboring north-western regions of Cameroon. (North West Region).<ref>{{Cite web |last=AfricaNews |date=2021-12-17 |title=Palm wine benefits economy in the Central African Republic |url=https://www.africanews.com/2021/12/17/palm-wine-benefits-economy-in-the-central-african-republic/ |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Africanews |language=en}}</ref>

Poyo is a fermented drink made in [[Sierra Leone]] from various species of palm trees. In Sierra Leone, poyo plays an important role among the local people. According to the Limbas people, one of the oldest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone, he who brings poyo brings life. It is served at weddings, birth celebrations and funeral wakes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity |date=2024-06-09 |title=Palm Wine Ark of taste |url=https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/palm-wine-2/ |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity |language=en}}</ref>

There are four types of palm wine in the central and southern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. From the oil palm comes ''ngasi'', ''dibondo'' comes from the [[raffia palm]], ''cocoti'' from the coconut palm, and ''mahusu'' from a short palm that grows in the savannah areas of western [[Bandundu (province)|Bandundu]] and [[Kasai region|Kasai]] provinces.

===South Asia===
[[File:Toddy-tapper climbing a toddy palm 1785.jpg (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Toddy-tapper climbing a toddy palm in [[Madras]], ca. 1785]]

In [[South Asia|South Asian countries]] such as [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], and [[Sri Lanka]], [[coconut]] palms and [[Palmyra palm]]s such as the ''[[Arecaceae]]'' and ''[[Borassus]]'' are preferred. It is mainly produced from the lala palm (''[[Hyphaene coriacea]]'') by cutting the stem and collecting the sap. In some areas of India, palm wine is [[evaporation|evaporated]] to produce the unrefined sugar called [[jaggery]].{{clear left}}

[[File:Toddy tapper (India).jpg|thumb|left|upright|A toddy tapper in the state of [[Telangana]] selling toddy (2014)]]
[[File:Palm Wine Drawers 1870 India.jpg|thumb|right|Toddy Drawer in India, 1870]]

In parts of India, the unfermented sap is called ''[[neera]]'' ({{Transliteration|ta|ISO|patanīr}} in [[Tamil Nadu]]) and is refrigerated, stored, and distributed by semi-government agencies. A small amount of [[Lime (mineral)|lime]] (calcium hydroxide) is added to the sap to prevent it from fermenting. ''Neera'', similar to fruit juice products, is relatively rich in potassium.

In India, palm wine or toddy is served as either ''[[neera]]'' or {{Transliteration|ta|ISO|patanīr}} (a sweet, non-alcoholic beverage derived from fresh sap) or {{Transliteration|inc|ISO|kallu}} (a sour beverage made from fermented sap, but not as strong as wine).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indianwine.org/winetoddy.htm|title=WebHost4Life|website=indianwine.org|access-date=5 February 2018|archive-date=15 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815185242/http://www.indianwine.org/winetoddy.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Palm sap contains natural yeasts, which perform the fermentation of glucose to alcohol, as well as [[acetobacter]], which subsequently converts the alcohol to acetic acid (vinegar). The optimal consumption time is one day after tapping when the vinegar content is minimal; beyond this time, it becomes increasingly sour. Some palm wine drinkers prefer their beverage more sour than usual, but fermenting for too long will result in vinegar rather than wine. Refrigeration extends beverage life, as do a variety of spices, which also contribute to flavor.

In India, palm wine is usually available at [[toddy shop]]s (known as {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|kallu śāp}} in [[Malayalam]], {{Transliteration|ta|ISO|kallu kaḍai}} in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], {{Transliteration|inc|ISO|kalita gaḍaṅg}} in [[Tulu language|Tulu]], {{Transliteration|ta|ISO|kallu dukānaṁ}} in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], {{Transliteration|kn|ISO|kallu aṅgaḍi}} in [[Kannada]]). In [[Tamil Nadu]], this beverage is currently banned, though the legality fluctuates with politics. In the absence of legal toddy, [[moonshine]] distillers of arrack often sell [[methanol]]-contaminated alcohol, which can have lethal consequences. To discourage this practice, authorities have pushed for inexpensive "[[Indian Made Foreign Liquor]]" (IMFL).

In the states of [[Telangana]], and Andhra Pradesh (India), toddy is a popular drink in rural parts that is frequently consumed at the end of the day after work.

There are two main types of toddy ({{Transliteration|te|ISO|kallu}}) in the states of [[Telangana]] and Andhra Pradesh, namely {{Transliteration|te|ISO|tāḍi kallu}} ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]: తాటికల్లు) (from [[Borassus flabellifer|Toddy Palmyra]] trees) and {{Transliteration|te|ISO|īta kallu}} ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]: ఈతకల్లు) (from [[Phoenix sylvestris|silver date palms]]). {{Transliteration|te|ISO|Īta kallu}} is very sweet and less intoxicating, whereas {{Transliteration|te|ISO|tāḍi kallu}} is stronger (sweet in the morning, becoming sour to bitter-sour in the evening) and is highly intoxicating. People enjoy {{Transliteration|te|ISO|kallu}} right at the trees where it is brought down. They drink out of leaves by holding them to their mouths while the Goud pours the {{Transliteration|te|ISO|kallu}} from the {{Transliteration|te|ISO|biṅki}} (kallu pot). There are different types of toddy according to the season: {{Transliteration|te|ISO|poḍḍataḍu}}, {{Transliteration|te|ISO|parpuḍtaḍu}}, {{Transliteration|te|ISO|paṇḍuḍtaḍu}}. {{citation needed|date=May 2015}}.

In the Indian state of [[Kerala]], toddy is used in leavening (as a substitute for yeast) a local form of [[appam|hopper]] called the {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|vellayappam}}. Toddy is mixed with rice dough and left overnight to aid in fermentation and expansion of the dough causing the dough to rise overnight, making the bread soft when prepared.

In Kerala, toddy is sold under a license issued by the excise department and it is an industry having more than 50,000 employees with a welfare board under the labor department. It is also used in the preparation of a soft variety of [[Sanna (dish)|Sanna]], which is famous in the parts of [[Karnataka]] and [[Goa]] in India.

===Indonesia and Malaysia===
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een palmwijnverkoper en een inheemse soldaat TMnr 3728-732.jpg|thumb|upright|Lithograph of a palm wine vendor and a native [[KNIL]] soldier consuming tuak (1854)]]

''Tuak'', which can refer to both palm wine and [[rice wine]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thirstmag.com/drinks/Tuak|title=Tuak - the ancient culture in Borneo|date=27 August 2013}}</ref> is imbibed in [[Sumatra]], [[Sulawesi]], [[Kalimantan]], and [[Bali]] of Indonesia and parts of Malaysia such as [[Sabah]] and [[Sarawak]] in [[East Malaysia]]. The beverage is a popular drink among the [[Kadazan-Dusun]], [[Iban people|Iban]]s, and [[Dayak people|Dayaks]] during the [[Gawai Dayak|Gawai]] and [[Kaamatan]] festivals, weddings, hosting of guests, and other special occasions. The [[Batak people]] of [[North Sumatra]] also consume palm wine,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Putri|first=Edira|title=A Guide to Indonesia's Traditional Alcoholic Drinks|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/indonesia/articles/a-guide-to-indonesias-traditional-alcoholic-drinks/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Culture Trip|date=12 December 2017}}</ref> with palm sap mixed with raru bark to make Tuak. The brew is served at stalls along with snacks.<ref name=jak>"[http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/01/21/enjoying-tuak-batak-country.html Enjoying 'tuak' in Batak country]" by Wan Ulfa Nur Zuhra, 21 January 2013, ''The Jakarta Post''.</ref> The same word is used for other drinks in [[Indonesia]], for example, those made using fermented rice.

=== Myanmar ===
Palm wine, called ''htan yay'' ({{lang|my|ထန်းရည်}}) in Burmese, made from the fermented sap of the [[toddy palm]], is traditionally consumed in rural parts of [[Upper Myanmar]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-25 |title=I toddy you so |url=https://www.mmtimes.com/news/i-toddy-you-so.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122174408/https://www.mmtimes.com/news/i-toddy-you-so.html |archive-date=22 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-16 |website=The Myanmar Times}}</ref> Toddy palm wine is traditionally produced in the country's [[Dry Zone (Myanmar)|Dry Zone]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-19 |title=Making Myanmar's Palm Wine Global |url=https://www.buildmyanmarmedia.com/making-myanmars-palm-wine-global/ |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=Build Myanmar - Media |language=en}}</ref>

===Singapore===
Palm toddy was historically a popular working-class drink, particularly for the Indian community, since it was cheaper than beer. Sales were restricted to drinking on premises at government-run toddy shops, the last of which closed in 1979.<ref name=rice>{{cite web | url=https://www.ricemedia.co/one-mans-quest-to-revive-toddy-the-booze-that-built-singapore/ | title=One Man's Quest to Revive Toddy, the Booze That Built Singapore | date=26 February 2025 }}</ref> Legal sales resumed in 2022 when a first batch was imported from Malaysia.<ref name=rice/>

===Mexico===
[[File:Tuba Colima.JPG|thumb|170px|''Tuba fresca'' from [[Colima]], [[Mexico]]; a non-alcoholic drink made from coconut sap derived from [[Philippine]] ''[[tubâ]]'']]
Mexican ''tuba'' made from coconut sap is common in western [[Mexico]], especially in the states of [[Colima]], [[Jalisco]], [[Michoacán]], and [[Guerrero]]. [[Coconut]]s are not native to the Americas. They were introduced to Mexico from the [[Philippines]] via the [[Manila Galleons]] to [[Acapulco]], along with ''tuba'' manufacturing.<ref name="Astudillo-Melgar">{{cite journal |last1=Astudillo-Melgar |first1=Fernando |last2=Ochoa-Leyva |first2=Adrián |last3=Utrilla |first3=José |last4=Huerta-Beristain |first4=Gerardo |title=Bacterial Diversity and Population Dynamics During the Fermentation of Palm Wine From Guerrero Mexico |journal=Frontiers in Microbiology |date=22 March 2019 |volume=10 |pages=531 |doi=10.3389/fmicb.2019.00531 |pmid=30967846 |pmc=6440455 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Veneracion">{{cite book |editor1-last=Poddar |editor1-first=Prem |editor2-last=Patke |editor2-first=Rajeev S. |editor3-last=Jensen |editor3-first=Lars |last1=Veneracion |first1=Jaime |chapter=The Philippine-Mexico Connection |title=Historical Companion to Postcolonial Literatures – Continental Europe and its Empires |date=2008 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=9780748630271 |pages=574 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=peOqBgAAQBAJ}}</ref><ref name="Mercene">{{cite book |last1=Mercene |first1=Floro L. |title=Manila Men in the New World: Filipino Migration to Mexico and the Americas from the Sixteenth Century |date=2007 |publisher=UP Press |isbn=9789715425292 |page=125 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSqhZphG_gQC}}</ref> Mexican ''tuba'' is made in the same way as Filipino ''[[tubâ]]''. The traditional sap collectors are known as ''tuberos'' (which also means "[[plumber]]" in both Mexico and the Philippines). It became so popular that in 1619, Captain Sebastian de Piñeda wrote to King [[Philip III of Spain]] complaining about the Filipino "''[[Filipinos#Names|Indio]]''" settlers in [[Nueva España]] who were causing significant loss of profits to [[Iberia]]n alcohol exporters due to ''tuba''.<ref name="Gibbs1912">{{cite journal |last1=Gibbs |first1=H.D. |last2=Holmes |first2=W.C.|title=The Alcohol Industry of the Philippine Islands Part II: Distilled Liquors; their Consumption and Manufacture|journal=The Philippine Journal of Science: Section A |year=1912 |volume=7 |pages=19–46 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.27242}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Culture of Colima |url=http://www.explorandomexico.com/state/8/Colima/culture |website=Explorando Mexico |access-date=5 May 2019}}</ref>

Mexican ''tuba'' is also commonly sold as ''tuba fresca'', a non-alcoholic version made from fresh coconut sap. It is traditionally sold by street vendors in large [[bottle gourd]]s mixed with [[coconut milk]], ice, and sugar. It is usually topped with peanuts and diced fruit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Esparza |first1=Bill |title=Beyond Aguas Frescas: Two Refreshing Mexican Coolers to Try This Summer |url=https://www.lamag.com/digestblog/beyond-aguas-frescas-two-refreshing-mexican-coolers-to-try-this-summer/ |website=Los Angeles Magazine |date=28 May 2015 |access-date=5 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Talking Tuba |url=https://www.vallartatoday.com/talking-tuba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505133437/https://www.vallartatoday.com/talking-tuba |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2019 |website=Vallarta Today |access-date=5 May 2019 }}</ref>

===Philippines===
{{Main|Tubâ|Bahalina|Lambanog|Laksoy}}
[[File:Lambanog.jpg|thumb|180px|Bubblegum-flavoured ''[[lambanog]]'', a palm wine from the [[Philippines]]|alt=A tall clear bottle filled with a blue liquid.]]
Palm wines are widely consumed in the [[Philippines]] and are part of the traditional palm vinegar industry. They are gathered mostly from [[coconut]]s, [[nipa palm]]s, or [[kaong palm]]s. Palm wines fermented for a few days to a few weeks are generally referred to as [[tuba (wine)|tubâ]]. There are two notable traditional derivations of tubâ with higher alcohol contents. The first is [[distilled]] [[liquor]], generally known as ''[[lambanog]]'' (coconut) and ''[[laksoy]]'' ([[nipa palm]]). They are milky white to clear in colour. The second is the ''[[bahalina]]'' which is typically deep brown-orange due to the use of bark extracts from the mangrove ''[[Ceriops tagal]]''.<ref name="Sanchez"/>

Other types of palm wines indigenous to the islands include subtypes of tubâ like ''[[tuhak]]'' or ''tubâ sa hidikup'' which is made from [[kaong palm]] sap, and ''[[tunggang]]'' which is made from [[fishtail palm]] sap.<ref name="Sanchez">{{cite book |last1=Sanchez |first1=Priscilla C. |title=Philippine Fermented Foods: Principles and Technology |date=2008 |publisher=UP Press |isbn=9789715425544 |pages=151–153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=smfr-KYgtWkC&pg=PT174}}</ref>

On the island of [[Leyte]] in the central Philippines, the red ''tubâ'' is aged with the [[tanbark]] for up to six months to two years, until it gets dark red, and tapping its glass container gives off a deep hollow sound. This type of ''tubâ'' is called ''bahal'' (for ''tubâ'' aged this way for up to six months) and ''bahalina'' (for ''tubâ'' aged thus for up to a year or more).

===South America===
Production of palm wine may have contributed to the endangered status of the [[Jubaea|Chilean wine palm]] (''Jubaea chilensis'').<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2008. [http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=82831 ''Chilean Wine Palm: Jubaea chilensis'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017013207/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=82831 |date=17 October 2012 }}</ref>

===Other areas===
In [[Tuvalu]], the process of making toddy can be seen with tapped palm trees that line [[Funafuti International Airport]].
In Kiribati, it is called Karewe and freshly tapped sap from coconut spathe is used as a refreshing drink and the fermented sap is used as an alcoholic beverage. Karewe is boiled to reduce into a thick light brown liquid, called ''kamwaimwai'', used as a sweetener and spread.

==Consumption by animals==
Some small [[pollinating]] mammals consume large amounts of fermented palm nectar as part of their diet, especially the Southeast Asian [[pen-tailed treeshrew]]. The [[inflorescence]]s of the bertam palm contain populations of [[yeast]] that ferment the nectar in the flowers to up to 3.8% alcohol (average: 0.6%). The treeshrews metabolise the alcohol very efficiently and do not appear to become drunk from the fermented nectar.<ref>Frank Wiens, Annette Zitzmann, Marc-André Lachance, Michel Yegles, Fritz Pragst, Friedrich M. Wurst, Dietrich von Holst, Saw Leng Guan, and Rainer Spanagel. [http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2008/07/25/0801628105.abstract?sid=a937d14e-f04f-4abd-a78a-d17db2f6c94e Chronic intake of fermented floral nectar by wild treeshrews ] Proceedings of the [[United States National Academy of Sciences|National Academy of Sciences]]. Published online before print 28 July 2008. Retriev 25 August 2008</ref>

[[Megabats]] have been known to drink from containers of harvested palm sap and then urinate into the containers, leading to the transmission of the [[Nipah virus infection#Prevention|Nipah virus]].

==Names==
{{Cleanup lang|section|date=January 2025}}
There are a variety of regional names for palm wine:
{| style="float:left;"  class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#f99;"
! State / Territory / Region !! Name used
|-
| Algeria || لاقمي ''lāgmi''
|-
| Bangladesh || তাড়ি ''taṛi'', তাড়ু ''taṛu'', tuak<ref name="Popular fermented foods and beverages in South-east Asia" /> 
|-
| Benin || ''sodavi'' (distilled), ''sodabe'', ''atan''
|-
| Cambodia || ''tek tnaot chu''<ref>{{cite book |editor=Jyoti Prakash Tamang |date=2016 |title=Ethnic Fermented Foods and Alcoholic Beverages of Asia |chapter=Ethnic Fermented Foods and Beverages of Cambodia |publisher=[[Springer Publishing]] |page=257 |isbn=978-81-322-2798-4}}</ref> (ទឹកត្នោតជូរ)
|-
| Cameroon || ''mimbo'',<ref>[https://archive.today/20120710114733/http://iteslj.org/Articles/Anchimbe-CameroonEnglish.html Anchimbe – Creating New Names for Common Things in Cameroon English (I-TESL-J)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ''matango'', ''mbuh'', ''palm wine'', ''tumbu liquor'', ''vin de palme'', miluh
|-<!--muluh-->
|-
| Central America || ''vino de coyol''
|-
| People's Republic of China ||棕榈酒 ''zōng lǘ jiǔ''<ref name='English-Chinese Translation of "palm wine"'>{{cite web|title=English-Chinese Translation of "palm wine"|url=http://www.websaru.com/palm%20wine.html|publisher=Websaru Dictionary|access-date=20 January 2012|archive-date=12 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512170658/http://www.websaru.com/palm%20wine.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|- 
| Democratic Republic of the Congo || ''malafu ya ngasi'' (Kikongo), ''masanga ya mbila'' (Lingala), ''vin de palme'' (French)
|- 
| East Timor || ''tuaka'', ''tua mutin'', brandy is called ''tua sabu''
|-
|Equatorial Guinea
|''topé'' (most widespread name), also called ''bahú'' in the north and ''mahú'' in the south<ref>{{Cite book|last=Novoa Ruiz|first=J. M.|title=Guinea Ecuatorial: historia, costumbres y tradiciones|publisher=Expedición|year=1984|isbn=9788439826019|pages=61|language=es}}</ref>
|-
| Gabon || ''toutou''
|- 
| Gambia || ''singer''
|-
| Ghana || ''doka'', ''nsafufuo'', ''palm wine'', ''yabra'', ''dεha'', ''tér daññ'', ''Akpeteshi (when it is further distilled)''
|-
| Guam || ''tuba'' (originated from the Philippines)
|-
| India ||
''[[Toddy (disambiguation)|Toddy]]'' in [[English language|English]] <br>
[[:ta:கள்ளு|கள்ளு]] ''kaḷḷu'' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] <br>
കള്ള് ''kaḷḷŭ'' in [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] <br>
ಕಳ್ಳು ''kaḷḷu'' or ''sendi'' in [[Kannada language|Kannada]] <br>
''kali'' in [[Tulu language|Tulu]] <br>
తాటి కల్లు ''tāṭi kallu'' in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] <br>
Tadi in [[Assam]], [[Odisha]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Bihar]] and [[Maharashtra]] <br>
তাড়ি ''taṛi'' in [[Bengali language|Bengali]] <br>
''sur'' in [[Konkani language|Konkani]] <br>Tadi in [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]]
|-
| Indonesia || ''arak''<ref name="Popular fermented foods and beverages in South-east Asia" /> or ''tuak''. In [[Batak (Indonesia)|Batak]] region, [[North Sumatra]]: ''lapo tuak''. In South Sulawesi (especially in Tana Toraja): ''ballo''. In North Sulawesi: ''saguer''
|-
| Ivory Coast || ''bandji'', ''koutoukou'' (when it is further distilled)
|-
| Kenya || ''mnazi'' (which means coconut palm in [[Mijikenda language|Mijikenda]])
|- 
| Kiribati || ''karewe''
|-
| Libya || لاقبي ''lāgbi'' {{IPA|arz|ˈlaːɡbi|}}
|-
| Madagascar || ''soura''
|-
| Malaysia || ''nira'' (Malay for fresh juice obtained from the blossom of the coconut, palm or sugar-palm, which can be made into sugar or the said palm wine, which is also known as ''tuak''<ref name="Popular fermented foods and beverages in South-east Asia" />), ''toddy'' (English), ''bahar'' (Kadazan/Dusun), ''goribon'' (Rungus), ''tuba'' (Borneo)
|-
| Maldives || ދޯރާ،ރުކުރާ،މީރާ (''dōrā'', ''rukurā'', ''mīrā)''
|-
| Mali || ''bandji'', ''sibiji'', ''chimichama''
|-
| Marianas || ''tuba'' (originated from the Philippines)
|-
| Mexico || ''tuba'' (garnished with peanuts, originated from the Philippines)
|-
| Myanmar || ထန်းရည် ''htan yay''
|-
| Namibia || ''omulunga'', ''palm-wine''
|-
| Nauru || ''demangi''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trussel.com/kir/petit.htm|title = Petit-Skinner's Nauruan English}}</ref>
|-
| Nepal || tāri ''तारि''
|-
| Nigeria || ''palm-wine'', ''palmy'', ''ukọt nsuñ'', ''mmin efik'', ''emu'', ''oguro'', ''tombo liquor'', ''mmanya ngwo'', ''nkwu enu'', ''nkwu ocha''
|-
| Papua New Guinea || ''segero'', ''tuak''
|-
| Philippines || ''[[tubâ]]'' (general term for fermented and unfermented palm sap), ''[[lambanóg]]'' (distilled coconut sap, also ''vino de coco'', ''dalisay de coco''), ''[[laksoy]]'' (distilled [[nipa palm]] sap, also ''dalisay de nipa'', ''barik''), ''bahalina'' or ''bahal'' (aged ''tubâ'' with mangrove bark extracts), ''tuhak'' or ''tubâ sa hidikup'' ([[Arenga pinnata|sugar palm]] wine), ''tunggang'' ([[fishtail palm]] wine), ''dalisay'' (general term for distilled palm liquor)
|-
| Seychelles || ''kalou''
|-
| Sierra Leone || ''poyo'', ''mampama''
|-
| South Africa || ''ubusulu'', ''injemane''
|-
| Sri Lanka || රා ''rā'' (Sinhala), கள்ளு ''kaḷḷu'' (Tamil), ''panam culloo''<ref name="Popular fermented foods and beverages in South-east Asia">{{cite journal|author=Law, S.V.|title=MiniReview- Popular fermented foods and beverages in Southeast Asia|journal=International Food Research Journal|year=2011|issue=18|url=http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/18%20(02)%202011/(2)%20IFRJ-2010-122.pdf|access-date=20 January 2012|display-authors=etal}}</ref> 
|-
| Tanzania || ''pómbe'' (which means alcohol) or ''tembo''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rough Guides |title=The Rough Guide to Tanzania |date=2015 |publisher=Rough Guides UK |isbn=978-0-241-23749-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZcnlBwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| Thailand || ''kache (กะแช่)'', ''namtanmao (น้ำตาลเมา)''
|-
| Tunisia || لاقمي ''lāgmi''
|-
| Tuvalu || ''kaleve'' (unfermented), ''kao'' (fermented), or in English, ''toddy'' (unfermented), ''sour toddy'' (fermented)
|-
| Vietnam || ''rượu dừa'';<ref name="Popular fermented foods and beverages in South-east Asia" />
|}
{{clear}}
{{smaller|<sup>a</sup> [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]].<br/><sup>b</sup> [[Marathi language|Marathi]].}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Kom van kalebas voor het drinken van palmwijn TMnr A-1053.jpg|Bowl for tuak drinking made from a gourd (late 19th century)
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Het tappen van een arenpalm op Ambon Molukken. TMnr 60013217.jpg|Tapping the sap of the immature flower flasks in "arènpalm" ([[Arenga pinnata]]), one of the palms used to make palm wine, in [[Ambon, Maluku|Ambon]], [[Moluccas]] (1919). The wine was called toewak (Dutch), tuak or sagoweer (saguer). The fresh sap, "sugar water", was also so drunk.
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een verkoper van palmwijn (tuak) op Bali TMnr 10002905.jpg|Palm wine seller in Bali (1929)
File:Tuba Gatherer.JPG|Taken in [[Southern Leyte]], [[Philippines]] where a tuba gatherer climbs a coconut tree to harvest some tuba.
File:A days work.JPG|Sitting on the coconut palm while gathering tuba.
File:Toddy tapper.jpg|A young toddy-picker climbing a palm tree to collect palm sap, [[Visakhapatnam]], India.
File:Palampore (India), mid–late 18th century (CH 18467289-3).jpg|Palampore tapestry depicting toddy tappers, India, 1750 CE.
File:Manananggot in Visayan Dialect.JPG|Locally called "manananggot" for tuba gatherer.
File:Up on the Coconut Tree.JPG|Gathering tuba from the coconut tree.
File:A Thiyya family in 1900s.jpg|Thiyyas, traditional toddy tappers of [[North Malabar]] region.
File:WELD 1862 in India pg370 (088 Climbing Toddy-Drawer.jpg|Toddey tapper at work, India, ca.1862.
File:Shendhi, also known as Toddy.jpg|Toddey trapper climbing palm tree with a hanging ladder, India.
File:Page 369 Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.png|Coconut trees, and toddy gatherers of [[Southern India]] (1855)
File:Palmwine.jpg|Palmwine
</gallery>

==In popular culture==
The tapping and consumption of palm wine are recurrent motifs in the [[Chinua Achebe]] novel ''[[Things Fall Apart]]'',<ref>Achebe, Chinua. ''Things Fall Apart''. UK: William Heinemann Ltd., 1958.</ref> and in the [[Amos Tutuola]] novel ''[[The Palm-Wine Drinkard]]''.<ref>Tutuola, Amos. ''The Palm-Wine Drinkard''. Grove Press, 1954.</ref> It is also mentioned in the 2006 movie ''[[Blood Diamond]]''.

==See also==
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order  ♦♦♦--->
* [[Arrack]], an alcoholic beverage distilled from coconut palm wine in southeast Asia.
* [[Coyol wine]]
* [[Desi daru]]
* [[Madurai Veeran (Hinduism)|Madurai Veeran]], a deity who consumes toddy.
* [[Ogogoro]]
* [[Palm-wine music]], a West African musical genre.
* [[Pulque]]
* [[Sree Muthappan]], another deity who consumes toddy.
* [[List of Indonesian beverages]]

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.wayblima.com/cebu-food-tuba.html Article on Philippine palm wine]

{{Alcoholic beverages}}
{{Non-timber forest products}}
{{Cambodian cuisine}}
{{Sri Lankan cuisine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palm Wine}}
[[Category:Palm wine]]