Making Your Own Mamajuana Rum Aphrodisiac

Making Your Own Mamajuana Rum Aphrodisiac

What is a mamajuana (also known as “Mama Juana”)? We get asked this question alot, apparently many of our readers have been travelling to the Dominican Republic, where they are being exposed to this beverage.

The “mamajuana”, or “mama Juana,” “damajuana” or “dama Juana” is a beverage native to the Dominican Republic, where it is made by combining rum, wine, honey and ingredients as varied as the people making it and as unique as the needs of the customers requesting it.

We first published information about the mamajuana in May 2002, then in December 2002 and later on the January 2003 issue of “Got Rum?”. The questions, however, kept pouring in via email, fax, even by phone! We finally decided to put all the answers we’ve provided over the past decade into a single article.

Q: Where does the name come from?

A: In order to answer this question we must first introduce a definition.

Demi john: [DEHM -ee- jon] A large squat bottle with a short narrow neck and usually covered in wicker.

Demi johns can hold from 1 to 10 gallons. The word is thought to be derived from the French “Dame Jeanne” (Lady Jane), a term which is also still used to describe this bottle. In the Spanish-speaking countries, Dame Jeanne was transformed into “Dama Juana” and later, in some places, into “Mama Juana” (mother Jane). So the name “mamajuana” is a derivation of demi john, which is the name of the container/bottle originally used to prepare and store the maceration.

Q: How is the mamajuana made?

A: The first step is to gather the ingredients, most of the popular ones are listed here, but there are many, many variations which require more or fewer. A popular optional ingredient is the desiccated penis from a sea turtle (“miembro de carey” in Spanish), which is used to enhance the aphrodisiac nature of the drink.

Mamajuana’s Most Common Ingredients:

• Albahaca (Basil)

• Anamú (Guinea Henweed)

• Anis Estrellado (Star Anis)

• Bojuco Caro (Princess Vine)

• Bojuco Chino (China Root)

• Bojuco de Palo Indio (Chew Stick)

• Bojuco de Tres Costilla (Basket Wood)

• Canela de Tierra (Cinnamon)

• Clavo (Whole Clove)

• Guauci (Minnie Root)

• Hoja de Canelilla (Rose Wood Leaf )

• Juana La Blanca (Button Weed)

• Manzanilla (Chamomile)

• Marabeli , Nigua (Cornutia)

• Osua (Bay Rum Tree)

• Palo Brasil (Brazil Wood)

• Raiz de Coco (Coconut Palm Root)

and

• Timacle (West Indian Milkberry)

The process of making the drink involves introducing the ingredients, cut into small pieces, into a large glass bottle, then curing the ingredients by soaking them with cheap wine or rum and a bit of honey for a couple of days (up to a week or two, depending on how fresh or bitter they are), then discarding the liquid and refilling the bottle with better quality rum. Once properly cured, the ingredients stop imparting bitterness into the liquid they are mixed with and start infusing it with more delectable aromas and flavors.

Q: How many times can I re-use the ingredients?

A: Some people suggest that you should not re-use them more than 4-6 times, while others suggest the longer you reuse them the better they get. The answer is entirely up to you . Once you feel you’ve extracted all the (desirable) taste out of the ingredients, it will be time to start a new batch.