[James K]

I have a friend that is Navajo/Dine and I told them I would try to make them a traditional Native American beer for their birthday. From what I have read I mostly find some kind of corn beer, like chicha for a recipe.   I have also seen recipes that recommend brown sugar, orange peel, and cinnamon; tesgüino is also something I have found as well as tiswin/nawai drink, though sauargo are sacred and federally protected and I’m not sure how I would get any of that to make a drink with.

Does anybody have any ideas on how I might be able to create like a pueblonian ale from the past, or a drink that has some historical significance to the southwest?

Corn seems easiest. I could probably pillage some prickly pear pretty easily. I heard use native grass for hops.

[Robert]

I can't help much but if this is any help... Haus Malts in Cleveland, OH is producing malted corn.  They say it doesn't have a lot of enzymes but some.  I remember reading that some Native American beers have used malted corn (so much more appealing than chewed and, you know....)  Maybe level of  enzymes isn't a big deal because my impression is that these beers aren't very fully fermented. Others are probably producing this too, but Haus Malts does sell to homebrewers by the 10lb bag.

[hopfenundmalz]

Tiswin made from Saguaro cactus would not be traditional, as the Navajo lands are out of the Sonaoran desert. That was something the Tohono O’odham made.

[James K]

Tiswin made from Saguaro cactus would not be traditional, as the Navajo lands are out of the Sonaoran desert. That was something the Tohono O’odham made.

Yea I know. I suppose I’m looking for something within my region. Tbh I’ve never seen seen fruit on a saruaro, just flowers.
Maybe I will just wing it with corn, juniper, and some sage. Who knows.

[leecase99]

I recently read a book about creating ancient brews using old world techniques, Ancient Brews, and a few of these brews from antiquity are from Mexico, Peru, and Honduras. You might find a few ideas or approaches useful for your brew-build. Book can be found anywhere, posting the dogfish head link (Sam Calagione wrote the Foreword in the book). Good luck! 

https://www.dogfish.com/shop/art-home/home-office/books/ancient-brews-rediscovered-and-recreated

[James K]

Right now this is what I got



From the book Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers. I think I’d go the 6lbs of brown sugar route over the malted barely route. Any thoughts on that? Or what yeast to use?