Akpeteshie, properly recorded.
Ghana's national spirit. A palm-wine and sugarcane distillate at 30 to 60% ABV, once outlawed under the name ape te shie ("they are hiding"). Now bidding for Geographical Indication protection. This site is the independent record of the makers, the regions, the bottles and the serves.
Reported from Accra, Volta and the Eastern Region. Updated weekly.
In this issue
All guides →All the Names, Apio, Ogogoro, Kill Me Quick, VC10
Every nickname for Akpeteshie explained, plus Ogogoro vs Akpeteshie and common misspellings.
History, From Colonial Ban to National Spirit
1930s prohibition, the Anlo sugarcane boom, Nkrumah's legalization, and the road to GI protection.
How Akpeteshie Is Made, Tapping to Distillation
Palm-wine fermentation, single distillation in barrel stills, and what separates safe premium spirit from illicit batches.
What is Akpeteshie? Ghana's National Spirit Explained
Definition, pronunciation, ABV, palm-wine vs sugarcane base, and why Akpeteshie is also called Apio.
The directory
All brands →| Maker | Base | Region | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amammere, One Corner Distillery (Accra) | Ghanaian fruit / cane | Greater Accra | Premium fruit spirits distilled on-site at One Corner Garden, Kokomlemle, from Ghanaian fruit. |
Every FDA-compliant producer listed on equal terms. One Corner and Amammere receive no ranking favour.
Serves
All →Akpeteshie drinks like a rum or cachaça cousin: fiery neat, brilliant with lime, ginger and honey. House serve: the Apio Sour.