What Is Mageu? The Southern African Maize Drink Explained
Mageu is a thick, lightly fermented, non-alcoholic Southern African maize meal drink, also spelled maheu or amahewu. Filling and slightly sour, it works as a refreshing energy drink.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Mageu is a thick, lightly fermented, non-alcoholic maize meal drink from Southern Africa, also spelled maheu or amahewu. Creamy and slightly sour, it is filling and mildly energising, more of a light meal in a glass than a fizzy pop, and it is enjoyed by the whole family, including children. Because it is only lightly fermented and never brewed on to alcohol, it stays a soft drink. In the UK it is stocked by African food stores, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Mageu is a thick, lightly fermented, non-alcoholic maize meal drink from Southern Africa.
- It is also spelled maheu or amahewu, and it is creamy, filling and gently sour.
- It is only lightly fermented and is not brewed on to alcohol, so it stays a soft drink for all ages.
- It is often made with maize meal and sometimes a little wheat or sorghum malt, so it may contain gluten.
- It works as a refreshing, energising drink, popular with workers, children and families alike.
A tall, cool glass of creamy, tangy mageu carries a whole world of home for Southern Africans in Britain. It is the jug kept in the fridge for thirsty children, the carton grabbed on the way to work, the filling, slightly sour sip that stands in for a light meal on a busy day. Drinking it far from home brings back kitchens and market stalls and the particular gentle tartness of maize left to sour, a taste that no ordinary soft drink can quite stand in for.
There is quiet heritage in it too, in a maize drink made much the same way for generations and shared by whole families, from the smallest child to the hardest working grandparent. Pouring a glass for someone who grew up on it, or introducing a friend to their first creamy, tangy mouthful, is a small act of welcome and belonging. Non-alcoholic and nourishing, that cool, milky pour is a genuine taste of home.
What Mageu Actually Is
Mageu is the everyday maize drink of Southern Africa, a thick, creamy, cloudy beverage with a gently sour tang that is loved across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and neighbouring countries. It is also spelled maheu or amahewu, and although the spelling shifts from place to place the drink is much the same, a lightly fermented porridge like liquid that is smooth enough to sip yet substantial enough to fill you up. Where a lager is clear and sharp, mageu is soft, milky and slightly tart, closer to a thin, drinkable porridge or a cultured milk drink than to a fizzy pop.
The key thing to understand about mageu is that it is non-alcoholic. It is only lightly fermented, which is where its pleasant sourness comes from, but it is never brewed on to become an alcoholic drink in the way a beer is. That gentle souring simply develops the flavour and keeps the drink fresh, so mageu remains a soft drink that the whole family can enjoy, children included. This is what makes it such a popular, everyday thirst quencher rather than a drink reserved for adults.
What Mageu Is Made Of
At heart mageu is made from very little, maize meal cooked into a thin porridge, water, and time to sour gently. The cooked maize is thinned down and left to ferment lightly, and it is this brief, gentle fermentation that gives mageu its characteristic mild tang and its smooth, slightly thickened body. Many recipes and shop bought versions also add a little wheat flour or a sorghum malt to help the fermentation along and to round out the flavour, and some are lightly sweetened or flavoured with fruit such as banana or with a touch of vanilla.
Because mageu is often made with maize meal and sometimes a little wheat or sorghum malt, it may contain gluten, which is worth knowing if you are sensitive to it, so it is always sensible to check the label on a bought carton. This is a description of what generally goes into mageu rather than a fixed recipe, as the exact make up varies from home to home and brand to brand. What stays constant is that it is a nourishing, non-alcoholic maize drink rather than anything brewed on to alcohol.
How Mageu Is Enjoyed
Mageu is very much a drink of everyday life. It is filling and quietly energising, which is why it has long been the drink of farm and mine workers reaching for something sustaining in the middle of a long day, and equally a favourite of children and families at home. It is usually served cool, poured from a jug or a carton into a tall glass, and drunk on its own as a refreshment or alongside a meal, its mild sourness sitting comfortably against savoury food. Some like it plain and tart, others prefer the sweeter, fruit flavoured versions.
As a soft drink woven into daily routines, mageu belongs to the wider world of pap, braais and slow cooked stews that we cover in our guide to South African food. It travels well from the traditional home made jugful to the modern shelf stable carton you can grab on the go, and because it is non-alcoholic it suits any time of day and any member of the family. That combination of nourishment, refreshment and familiarity is exactly what has kept mageu so widely loved across the region.
Where to Buy Mageu in the UK
In Britain mageu is found mainly in African food shops, especially South African and wider Southern African grocers, where it is usually sold in ready to drink cartons or bottles, often in flavours such as plain, banana or vanilla. If you would rather make your own, the same shops are the place to look for the maize meal, and sometimes the sorghum malt, that go into it, and these grocers tend to stock the flavoured cartons and the raw ingredients side by side.
If you want to pick up a carton of mageu or track down maize meal to make it at home, a South African or general African grocer is the natural place to start. You can find African food stores near you that stock Southern African drinks and ingredients in your area. Since mageu is often made with maize meal and sometimes a little wheat or sorghum malt, do check the label if you need to avoid gluten.
Frequently asked questions
What is mageu?
Mageu is a thick, lightly fermented, non-alcoholic maize meal drink from Southern Africa, also spelled maheu or amahewu. Creamy, cloudy and gently sour, it is filling and mildly energising, closer to a thin, drinkable porridge or a cultured milk drink than to a fizzy pop. It is popular across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and neighbouring countries, and because it is not brewed on to alcohol it is a soft drink the whole family can enjoy.
What is mageu made of?
Mageu is made mainly from maize meal cooked into a thin porridge, thinned with water and left to ferment lightly, which gives it its mild tang and smooth body. Many versions also add a little wheat flour or a sorghum malt to help the fermentation and flavour, and some are lightly sweetened or flavoured with fruit such as banana. Because it is often made with maize meal and sometimes a little wheat or sorghum malt, it may contain gluten.
Is mageu alcoholic?
No, mageu is non-alcoholic. It is only lightly fermented, which is where its pleasant, gentle sourness comes from, but it is never brewed on to become an alcoholic drink the way a beer is. That brief souring simply develops the flavour and keeps the drink fresh, so mageu stays a soft drink suitable for all ages, including children.
How is mageu enjoyed?
Mageu is usually served cool, poured into a tall glass and drunk on its own as a refreshing, energising pick me up or alongside a meal, where its mild sourness sits well against savoury food. It has long been a favourite of workers wanting something sustaining during a long day, as well as of children and families at home. Some prefer it plain and tart, while others enjoy the sweeter, fruit flavoured versions.
Where can I buy mageu in the UK?
Mageu is sold by African food shops, especially South African and Southern African grocers, usually as ready to drink cartons or bottles in flavours such as plain, banana or vanilla, and the same shops stock the maize meal to make it at home. African Stores lists African food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks it. As mageu is often made with maize meal and sometimes a little wheat or sorghum malt, check the label if you need to avoid gluten.
