Tej

Name: Tej
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 7170 min
Total time: 7200 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 1kg raw honey; 4L water; 100g gesho leaves or gesho powder; Additional honey for sweetness adjustment; Clean fermentation vessel with airlock

ጠጅ (TEDJ)

Ethiopian Honey Wine

⏱ Prep Time 5 days

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

A golden, effervescent honey wine fermented with gesho leaves, offering floral sweetness with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Nutrition & Info

Carbs 20.0g

Dietary

vegetarian gluten-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

large fermentation vessel cheesecloth bottles

Presentation Guide

Vessel: berele (round-bottomed flask)

Garnishes: none traditional

Accompaniments: kitfo, tibs, any Ethiopian meal

Ingredients

1kg raw honey
4L water
100g gesho leaves or gesho powder
Additional honey for sweetness adjustment
Clean fermentation vessel with airlock

Instructions

1
Dissolve honey in water in a large clean vessel, stirring until completely incorporated and the liquid is uniform.
2
Add crushed gesho leaves to the honey water. Gesho acts as both bittering agent and natural fermentation starter.
3
Cover the vessel with cheesecloth and place in a warm spot. Stir daily for the first three days of fermentation.
4
After three to five days, wild yeast fermentation will begin. Small bubbles will appear on the surface consistently.
5
Strain out gesho leaves and transfer to a clean vessel. Continue fermenting for two to four weeks until desired strength.
6
Strain through fine cloth into bottles. Tej can be consumed young and sweet or aged for a drier, stronger result.

💡

Did You Know?

Tej houses called tej bets are a cornerstone of Ethiopian social life, serving this ancient honey wine in distinctive round-bottomed flasks called bereles.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large fermentation vessel
cheesecloth
bottles

Garnishing

none traditional

Accompaniments

kitfo, tibs, any Ethiopian meal

The Story Behind Tej

Tej is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world, with roots stretching back over three thousand years in Ethiopian culture. The use of gesho leaves as a bittering and fermenting agent is unique to Ethiopian brewing and predates the use of hops in European beer. Tej holds deep cultural significance, served at weddings, holidays, and in dedicated tej bets that function as community gathering spaces across Ethiopia.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed celebrations, holidays, social gatherings 📜 Origins: Ancient Ethiopian, 3000+ years

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Tej