Time with the pito brewer
Many women in the Upper West Region have taken pito brewing as a vocation, carving a niche in the trade. Pito is widely consumed in the region by residents, so it is not difficult to get pito in many communities of the region.
The price of a pot or gallon of pito varies from one place to the other depending on the purchasing power of the residents. For instance, while in the rural areas a pot of pito can be as low as 50 pesewas, in Wa, a pot of pito goes for between GH¢2 and GH¢5.
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Pito can be served as an alcoholic beverage when yeast is added and also as a non-alcoholic beverage without yeast. It can also be served chilled.
Pito being brewed
Traditionally, the drink is stored in pots and served in calabashes but currently even though some people still insist on buying pito in the pots and drinking from calabashes, the trend is gradually changing to storing it in gallons and consuming from plastic cups.
Skill
Pito brewing is a skill by itself. The process a woman goes through before coming out with a drink can be quite cumbersome. Ordinarily, the preparation takes two clear days before it is ready on the third day for consumption.
Pito is brewed with guinea corn, sorghum or maize. It begins with mulching of the grains one desires to use. The grain is then dried and grounded into flour which is soaked to begin the process with the addition of some local leaves and ingredients.
Time to stir the pito
According to Alijata, a brewer at Wa, the product is boiled in large pots and preserved overnight before consumption. “We take into account environmental factors in our pito brewing business to ensure high quality standard to meet the expectations of our customers”, she said.
Ready market
Alijata said pito had a large and ready market with patrons ready to buy, especially during recreational or mourning moments. The ready market for the drink has made pito brewing a booming business for women in Wa.
According to Alijata, she has employed other women and with the incomes from the trade, they have been able to improve upon their livelihood as well as support their children in school.
Pito, she said, brought people together and it was preferred by most people to other beverages.
