Bouza
/ˈbuːzə/noun
A traditional fermented alcoholic drink made from grains, especially in Ethiopia and parts of northeastern Africa.
Did you know?Bouza is traditionally brewed in household or community settings from grains such as millet, sorghum, or maize, with fermentation often lasting several days.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval period
Arabic
būẓa
“A fermented cereal drink; an early form related to later regional names for grain beer.”
Ottoman period
Ottoman Turkish
boza
“A thick, mildly alcoholic fermented beverage made chiefly from grains such as millet.”
19th–20th Century
Regional African usage
buza/bouza
“Names for traditional fermented grain beverages in parts of northeastern Africa.”
20th Century
English
bouza
“A traditional Ethiopian or northeastern African grain beer.”
Modern English
English
bouza
“A fermented alcoholic grain drink, especially one associated with Ethiopia.”