National Dish Botswana: Gemere (Recipe)
In this article
Gemere is southern Africa’s home-brewed ginger beer, non-alcoholic and unapologetically hot. Grated ginger and cloves steep in hot water, sugar and lemon go in, and it is strained and chilled. In Botswana it appears at every funeral, wedding and family gathering, poured from big plastic jugs alongside the meat.
About Gemere
Gemere is the spiced ginger beer of southern Africa. Brewed from fresh ginger, cloves and a fine sweetness, this alcohol-free drink develops a pleasant heat with a refreshing finish. Served ice-cold, gemere is the perfect companion to hearty food or a thirst-quencher on a hot day, and no Botswanan gathering of any size takes place without a jug of it on the table.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 100 g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 700 ml water
- 4 tablespoons sugar, to taste
- 3 cloves
- Juice of ½ lemon
- A pinch of salt
- Ice cubes, to serve
Shopping for the ingredients
Firm, heavy ginger gives the most juice, avoid anything shrivelled. Whole cloves rather than ground, since the drink is strained and ground clove makes it gritty. The pinch of salt is not optional; it sharpens the sweetness noticeably.
Preparing the dish
Grate the ginger rather than chopping it, which extracts far more. Bring the water to the boil before it meets the ginger, since the hot steeping is what draws out the heat. Allow a couple of hours for the infusion and more for chilling.
Step-by-step instructions
- Peel and grate the ginger finely.
- Bring the water to the boil with the cloves.
- Pour the boiling water over the grated ginger in a heatproof jug.
- Cover and leave to steep for at least 2 hours, or overnight for a stronger brew.
- Strain through a fine sieve or muslin, pressing the pulp.
- Stir in the sugar until fully dissolved.
- Add the lemon juice and the pinch of salt, then taste and adjust.
- Chill thoroughly and serve over plenty of ice.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Gemere is naturally free of gluten and lactose, ginger, water, sugar, cloves and lemon. Nothing needs adapting for any dietary restriction.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
The drink is vegan as written. Only check the sweetener if you are buying a commercial version, since some add honey; made at home with sugar it is entirely plant-based.
More tips and tricks
Steep it overnight if you want the real thing, two hours gives a pleasant drink, twelve gives something with genuine bite. Do not skip the salt. And make more than you think you need; gemere disappears remarkably fast at any gathering.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Cinnamon or cardamom alongside the cloves gives a warmer, more festive character. Left at room temperature for a day or two with a little extra sugar, it ferments lightly and turns fizzy, the traditional version, and mildly alcoholic. Pineapple skins speed that along.
Ingredient substitutions
Honey or brown sugar substitute for white sugar and add depth. Lime works in place of lemon. Allspice berries can replace the cloves.
Drink pairing ideas
Gemere is itself the drink, and in Botswana it accompanies the food at gatherings, seswaa, grilled meat, bogobe. Its heat and acidity cut rich meat well, which is exactly why it holds that role.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve gemere ice-cold from a large jug, with lemon slices floating in it. At Botswanan functions it is poured into plastic cups by the litre and drunk throughout the meal. A sprig of mint is a modern touch that suits it.
A bit of history
Ginger beer travelled to southern Africa through colonial trade and was adopted wholesale, brewed at home rather than bought. In Botswana and among Tswana communities across the region, gemere is inseparable from social occasions. It is made in bulk the day before a wedding or funeral, alongside the cooking. It offers a genuine window onto Botswanan cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Gemere
Gemere is grated ginger steeped with cloves in boiling water, sweetened and sharpened with lemon and a pinch of salt. Steep it overnight, chill it hard, and make plenty.
