6 Traditional Drinks to Try in Rwanda

Rwanda’s food culture draws heavily on locally produced bananas, sorghum, honey and cow’s milk. These ingredients also form the base of drinks long prepared in homes and shared during ceremonies, celebrations and community gatherings.

Some contain alcohol, while others are mild, filling and suitable for travellers who avoid it. Here are six traditional Rwandan drinks worth trying.

1. Urwagwa – Banana Beer

Urwagwa is Rwanda’s best-known traditional alcoholic drink. It is made by extracting juice from ripe bananas and fermenting it, commonly with roasted or ground sorghum.

Its flavour may be fruity, earthy, slightly sweet or gently sour, depending on the banana variety and fermentation method.

Banana beer has traditionally been prepared for home use and shared among relatives, friends and guests.

It also appears at weddings, celebrations and cultural demonstrations.

2. Ikigage – Sorghum Beer

Ikigage is a traditional beer made from sorghum, one of Rwanda’s established cereal crops.

Preparation generally involves processing or malting the grain, milling it, creating a sorghum mixture and fermenting it with a starter retained from an earlier batch.

The drink is normally cloudy, with a grain-based flavour ranging from mildly sour to strongly fermented.

Research links ikigage with occasions such as marriages, births and other family ceremonies.

3. Ubuki – Fermented Honey Drink

“Ubuki” means honey in Kinyarwanda and also refers to a traditional drink made by fermenting honey and water. It may be described as honey beer, hydromel or mead.

It usually has a sweeter aroma than sorghum beer, but fermentation can give it tangy or sharper notes.

Ubuki can be harder to find than urwagwa or ikigage. Ask a local food guide or cultural centre whether a safely prepared version is available.

Remember that it contains alcohol, even when its sweetness makes the strength less noticeable.

4. Ubushera – Non-Alcoholic Sorghum Drink

Ubushera is a good option for visitors who want a cereal-based drink without choosing traditional beer.

It is made from sorghum malt and flour using several early stages of ikigage preparation, but yeast is omitted to prevent alcoholic fermentation.

Its consistency ranges from thin and drinkable to slightly thick. The taste is usually grainy, mildly tangy and sometimes sweetened. Ubushera may be served as a refreshing drink or a light source of energy.

5. Ikivuguto – Fermented Milk

Ikivuguto is a thick fermented cow’s-milk drink widely enjoyed in Rwanda.

Traditional production depends on the natural souring of milk, historically influenced by microorganisms in the milk, utensils and storage containers.

Its creamy texture and pleasantly sour taste place it between drinking yoghurt and cultured milk.

Milk has a strong place in Rwandan food culture, making ikivuguto one of the most approachable choices for first-time visitors.

Select pasteurised, properly refrigerated products from reputable shops, cafés or dairies.

6. Umutobe – Fresh Banana Juice

Umutobe is a non-alcoholic banana drink produced by extracting juice from ripe bananas before the fermentation stage, used for urwagwa.

Traditional methods may involve ripening the fruit, crushing it with clean grass or other local materials, and filtering the juice.

The result is naturally sweet and fruity, but different from a modern banana smoothie because milk and ice are not normally required.

Banana juice has been served at weddings and other celebrations, while some community activities allow travellers to help prepare it.

Tips for Trying Traditional Rwandan Drinks

• Ask whether a drink contains alcohol before accepting it, as fermented products may not always be clearly labelled. 
• Buy bottled or refrigerated dairy and juice products from reliable businesses, and sample homemade drinks through recognised cultural tours or trusted hosts.
• Most importantly, taste each drink slowly and ask about its preparation.
• The story behind it often reveals as much about Rwanda’s farming traditions, hospitality and community life as the flavour itself.