Ghanaian drinks, from sobolo to palm wine

Drinking your way into the culture

Food gets the attention, but Ghana's drinks are a delicious, sociable and cheap way into the culture — and there's far more than the ubiquitous sachet water. From tart, iced hibiscus sold at every junction to milky palm wine drunk straight from the tapping, the country has a whole spectrum worth exploring. Some are refreshers for a hot afternoon; others are traditional drinks with deep social roles at ceremonies and gatherings.

This guide runs through the non-alcoholic favourites, the traditional brews, and the everyday beers and soft drinks — with a note on enjoying them safely. Pair it with our food guide and, for the water question specifically, our water guide.

The non-alcoholic stars

Start with sobolo (bissap) — a deep-red iced drink of dried hibiscus, often spiced with ginger, cloves and pineapple. It's tart, cooling and sold everywhere, and it's the flavour of a Ghanaian afternoon. Alongside it, ginger drink (lamugin) packs a fiery kick, while grain-based drinks like asaana (fermented corn) and brukina (millet with milk) are traditional, filling refreshers.

You'll also find fresh coconut water hacked open at the roadside, fruit juices, and the malt drinks (like Malta and Alvaro) that Ghanaians love. For street-sold drinks, apply the same sense as with food — busy vendors, fresh and sealed where possible. Our health guide covers staying well.

Palm wine, pito and akpeteshie

Ghana's traditional alcoholic drinks are worth trying with a little care. Palm wine (nsafufuo) is the sap of the palm tree — sweet and only mildly alcoholic when fresh, growing stronger and tarter as it ferments through the day. Pito is a northern millet or sorghum beer, cloudy and lightly alcoholic, traditionally served warm from a calabash and central to social life in the north.

Then there's akpeteshie — a distilled spirit made from palm wine or sugarcane, and very strong. It's a genuine part of the culture (and of libation ceremonies), but treat it with respect. These traditional drinks appear at festivals and celebrations across the country — see our festival calendar.

Beer and everyday drinks

For an easy cold one, Ghana brews plenty of good lager — Star and Club are the classic rivals, with Gulder and others alongside, and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is hugely popular and stronger than the Guinness many visitors know. Beer is cheap and available in every bar, chop bar and shop.

Enjoying local drinks safely

A few sensible habits let you enjoy everything above worry-free. For water, stick to bottled or sachet (bagged) water rather than tap. For street drinks, choose fresh, busy vendors and sealed bottles where you can. And with the traditional brews, go gently: fresh palm wine sneaks up on you as it ferments, and akpeteshie is far stronger than it looks. Drink as the locals do — sociably, and with food.

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