The Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs prepared a drink based on fermented corn, with corn grains that children chewed, and with the saliva's effect, enzymes were activated, leading to fermentation. This was called chicha, a name that has persisted since pre-Columbian times.
A bit of history
During the colonial era, the Spanish brought many crops to their colonies, including sugarcane, which enriched and impacted the cuisine of Pre-Columbian America.
Since then, unprocessed sugar, panela, has been used to produce fermented chicha and other alcoholic beverages.
The tree
In some areas of El Salvador, the Chaparro tree grows very easily. Its leaves produce little smoke; for clandestine alcohol producers, it was ideal because they hid in the mountains with their small stills and used the leaves of the Chaparro tree for distillation.
This inspired the name of the liquor 'Chaparro'. They also found that by distilling chicha enriched with panela, they obtained a delicious wine.
Chaparro is a traditional drink in El Salvador that started as an artisanal craft. Over time, government-owned distilleries were established, producing spirits made from sugarcane honeys and molasses.
Nowadays, Salvadoran entrepreneurs produce it on an industrial level, incorporating legal and sanitary processes that allow commercialization.
