Pisco Sour and Beyond: Peruvian Drinks You Have to Try

• 5 de October de 2026
• Parwa Travel

When people talk about Peruvian cuisine, the food tends to get all the applause. But the world of Peruvian drinks is just as rich, just as diverse, and deeply rooted in this country’s history. Some are centuries old with Andean origins; others were born in 20th-century Lima and are now turning heads at bars around the world.

Whether you’re planning a trip to southern Peru — Cusco, Arequipa, Puno, Ica — or simply want to get a better feel for the culture that awaits you, this guide covers the essential drinks you simply can’t leave without trying.

The Pisco Sour: Peru’s Most Famous Cocktail

No drink is more emblematic of Peru than the Pisco Sour. It’s made with pisco (Peruvian grape brandy), fresh lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, and a few drops of Angostura bitters. The result is a balanced, frothy cocktail with a character all its own — unlike anything else you’ll find anywhere in the world.

Pisco is a Peruvian denomination of origin, recognized internationally. It’s produced mainly in the regions of Ica, Lima, Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna, using grape varieties such as Quebranta, Italia, Torontel, and Albilla, among others. The region of Ica, with its arid climate and fertile valleys, is the heartland of Peruvian pisco.

National Pisco Sour Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of February in Peru. On this date, bars, restaurants, and homes all raise a glass to this beloved cocktail through events, tastings, and mixing competitions. If your trip falls around that time, the experience is truly unforgettable.

If you’re visiting the Ica region, the Ica and Nazca tour gives you the chance to explore traditional pisco wineries, witness the distillation process firsthand, and of course, taste it straight from the source.

Chicha Morada: A Timeless Everyday Drink

Chicha morada is perhaps the most beloved everyday drink in Peru. It’s made by simmering purple corn — a variety native to the country — together with fruits like pineapple, quince, and peach, plus cinnamon and cloves. The resulting liquid is cooled, sweetened to taste, and served with a squeeze of lime.

Purple corn (Zea mays) is native to the Andes and has been cultivated in Peru for over two thousand years. Its deep color comes from anthocyanins, natural compounds found in its outer layer. Chicha morada is non-alcoholic and enjoyed by people of all ages, from breakfast through to dinner.

In Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, chicha morada is found everywhere — in markets, local restaurants, and even on the street corners of the most traditional neighborhoods. It’s a living drink, woven into the fabric of everyday Andean life.

Chicha de Jora: The Incas’ Liquid Legacy

If chicha morada is the drink of everyday life, chicha de jora is the ceremonial and cultural drink par excellence. It’s brewed from germinated corn (jora) that is fermented over several days. The result is a mildly alcoholic, golden-yellow drink with a slightly tart, earthy flavor.

For the Incas, it was sacred. It was offered to the gods at ceremonies such as Inti Raymi (the Festival of the Sun), which has been celebrated every June 24th in Cusco since pre-Columbian times. Spanish chroniclers documented that across the Tawantinsuyu, entire storehouses of chicha de jora — known as qollqas — were maintained to supply state festivals and armies.

Today, chicha de jora is still brewed by hand in Andean communities across Cusco, Apurímac, and Ayacucho, among other regions. Known as chicherías and identified by a red flag hanging at the entrance, these are the traditional spots where it’s served. Trying it at one of them is an authentic experience that no travel book can truly capture.

If your itinerary takes you through the Andean highlands, in Cusco or on the altiplano around Puno you’ll find places where this tradition is still very much alive — and where curious, respectful travelers are always welcome.

Inca Kola: The Yellow Soda That Outplayed the Multinationals

Inca Kola is as much a cultural phenomenon as it is a drink. This bright yellow soda with its sweet, bubblegum-like flavor — some say it hints of lemon verbena — is the only locally born beverage to have historically outsold Coca-Cola in its own home market.

It was created in Lima in 1935 by the Lindley family, of British origin, but it quickly became a symbol of Peruvian national identity. Its slogan “the flavor of Peru” is more than just marketing: for many Peruvians, Inca Kola is inseparable from a great ceviche or a plate of lomo saltado.

Coca Tea: An Andean Tradition for High Altitudes

Coca tea deserves a special place on this list, especially for travelers heading to high-altitude destinations like Cusco (3,400 m / 11,150 ft above sea level) or Lake Titicaca in Puno (3,812 m / 12,507 ft). It’s an infusion made from coca leaves — a plant held sacred by Andean peoples since time immemorial — and it’s widely consumed to ease the symptoms of altitude sickness (soroche).

The coca leaf carries deep spiritual and cultural significance in the Andean worldview. It’s used in rituals, offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth), and as a natural remedy. In hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants throughout Cusco, coca tea is offered as a welcoming drink for travelers arriving from lower elevations.

One important distinction: the coca leaf in its natural form, and the tea it produces, do not carry the effects or chemical composition of its processed derivatives. Traditional coca consumption is protected under Peruvian law and is recognized as part of the intangible cultural heritage of Andean peoples.

Practical Tips for High-Altitude Travelers

• Drink coca tea as soon as you arrive in Cusco or Puno, before any symptoms set in.
• Rest during your first few hours, and avoid alcohol and heavy meals on your first day.
• Staying well hydrated is essential — drink water consistently throughout the day.
• If altitude sickness symptoms persist, consult a local doctor or pharmacist.

Craft Beer in Cusco and Other Local Brews

The craft beer scene in Peru has grown remarkably over the past decade. In Cusco especially, a number of craft breweries have emerged, incorporating Andean ingredients such as quinoa, kiwicha, muña, and even chicha de jora into their recipes. It’s a modern fusion that honors the past while looking boldly toward the future.

Cusqueña beer, brewed commercially since 1908, remains a regional staple. Its wheat variety and classic lager are the most widely consumed in the area. But if you get the chance to visit a local brewery during your stay in Cusco, discovering Andean flavors in beer form is an experience well worth having.

Cusco Ponche and Other Warm Andean Drinks

On cold Andean nights — and in Cusco, the nights are cold almost year-round — nothing warms you up quite like a good cusco ponche. This hot drink is made with milk, peanuts, maca, sesame, cinnamon, cloves, and other ingredients that vary by market stall or family recipe. It’s sold at traditional markets like the Mercado de San Pedro, bright and early in the morning.

Emoliente is another popular hot drink, especially in Lima. It’s brewed from a blend of medicinal herbs — horsetail, flaxseed, boldo, and others — and sweetened with honey. The emolienteros, the vendors who prepare and sell it, are beloved characters of Lima’s urban landscape, fixtures on city street corners for decades.

Round-Up: Peruvian Drinks You Can’t Miss

1. Pisco Sour: Peru’s signature cocktail — balanced, frothy, and made with native Peruvian grape brandy.
2. Chicha morada: refreshing and alcohol-free, brewed from purple corn native to the Andes.
3. Chicha de jora: a fermented drink of Inca origin, sacred and handcrafted.
4. Inca Kola: the yellow soda that became a symbol of national identity.
5. Coca tea: a sacred Andean infusion and a traveler’s best friend at altitude.
6. Cusco ponche: a hearty hot drink to keep you warm on cold Andean mornings.
7. Craft beer with Andean ingredients: a contemporary fusion that pays respect to tradition.

Plan Your Trip with Parwa Travel

Trying Peruvian drinks in their natural setting — at an Andean market, at a winery in Ica, at a chichería in Cusco — is a way of traveling with all your senses fully switched on. This isn’t just food tourism: it’s a doorway into history, into the Andean worldview, and into the warmth of the people who make all of this richness possible.

At Parwa Travel, we’re from Cusco, we speak Quechua, and we know every corner of these destinations. If you’d like to design a southern Peru trip that includes genuine gastronomic experiences, get in touch and we’ll plan your itinerary together. You can also browse our southern Peru packages and find the option that’s the perfect fit for you.

We travel not to change our surroundings, but to change our perspective. And sometimes, that shift begins with the very first sip of chicha de jora on a market afternoon in the Andes.