Zimbabwe is a country in sub-Saharan Africa with one of the richest fermentation traditions, producing beverages such as Mahewu, sour milk, kachasu, doroluthwala, and more for centuries.
In the past, you would often see a clay pot of fermenting sorghum porridge sitting outside a kitchen door. These days, many of these same foods are increasingly fermented or stored in glass jars and bottles.
This is a genuinely fascinating Zimbabwean ancient culinary skill, and in this article, we will be exploring how Zimbabweans preserve their food, especially beverages, in glass storage containers.
Why Fermentation Is Important in Zimbabwean Food Tradition
In Zimbabwe, fermentation is not a trend imported from health food shops. Before refrigeration got to rural villages and high-density suburbs, especially in Zimbabwe, families relied on this tradition.
It is a centuries-old tradition that helped communities preserve food, create flavour, and stretch nutrition, naturally make soured milk, and home-brewed drinks to preserve nutrients, and cool down on hot days. Let’s have a look at some of the popular Zimbabwean foods:
Mahewu
Mahewu is one of the most popular and best-known examples. It is a lightly fermented non-alcoholic drink that is mildly sour and thick, and is consumed by adults and children alike due to its digestive and energy-giving benefits.
Some versions are often left to ferment longer and develop a very low alcohol content, while others are not. Mahewu can be stored in glass bottles to help it stay fresher for a longer period than in plastic. The same storage pattern applies to homemade ginger beer, fermented baobab juice, or sweet masau wine.
Mahewu can be taken for breakfast, as an energy boost during the day, or to rehydrate after working outside. Traditionally, mahewu used to be left to ferment in a clay pot for a day or two. Now, many people prepare it and store it directly in glass bottles or wide-mouth jars in the fridge.
Amasi or Hodzeko (Fermented Sour Milk)
The Zimbabwean fermented sour milk, which is called Lacto (its commercial/general name), Amasi (in the Ndebele ethnic group), Hodzeko or mukaka wakakodzekwa (in the Shona ethnic group), and mukaka wakakora (in general Shona for thick milk).
To make this fermented sour milk, raw milk is left at room temperature until it naturally ferments and thickens into a yoghurt-like consistency. Then the sour milk is eaten with sadza (which is a thick maize porridge), poured over greens, or on its own.
Because the fermentation is a living process, the container matters greatly. Hence, gourd calabashes or clay pots were used to help it ferment properly and provide a distinct flavour. In modern days, glass jars are used because they do not react with lactic acid, do not absorb odours, and allow you to see exactly when the milk is well fermented.
Kachasu (Distilled Beverage)
Kachasu is a traditional spirit that is distilled from maize, sorghum, or fruit. It is often made at home and is highly potent. Kachasu has alcohol content ranging from 20% to over 70%, and it is mostly fermented in large drums and sold in residential areas. Kachasu is sold in bottles, and more conscious and careful home distillers prefer amber alcohol bottles made of thick, dark glass that can be sealed tightly and reused many times.
Doroluthwala (Alcoholic Beverage)
Doroluthwala, which is typically made from sorghum or millet malt, is a type of traditional, homemade alcoholic beverage which is naturally fermented following the same process as other naturally fermented beverages.
It is often made at home and is common during social gatherings and special cultural events. Once ready, the drink is strained into cups or bottles for serving or stored for a short period.
The common thing about these fermented foods is that they rely on good containers. Because fermentation needs to be controlled often, a bad container may introduce unwanted bacteria, off-flavours, or cause it to spoil easily.
That is why glass jars and bottles, which are non-porous containers with airtight seals, have become the modern choice across Zimbabweans who brew at home for their consumption.
How Zimbabweans Transitioned From Clay Pots to Glass Containers
For many generations, clay pots popularly known as hari, earthenware vessels, woven baskets, and hollow gourds were used as food storage containers in Zimbabwe.
These containers worked well for them. Clay was prized because it is porous and allows slight airflow while keeping contents cool, and gourds are lightweight and naturally sealed, but they are also fragile, difficult to clean thoroughly, and impossible to see through.
In the mid-20th century, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) had a growing glass manufacturing industry, including Zimglass, which produced bottles for soft drinks, beer, and food products. Even though many rural homes still relied on clay pots, families in the urban areas began using these commercial glass jars and bottles.
Slowly, a finished pickle jar became a mahewu bottle, an empty alcohol bottle held cooking oil or sour milk, a jam jar stored homemade chutney for months.
Today, the pattern has evolved for homes and businesses because you can walk into a supermarket and buy mahewu in a bottle. In homes, especially those in urban areas, you see some indigenous Zimbabweans’ food and beverages stored in glass bottles and jars because it does not retain the smell of sour milk, and they can be boiled clean and reused until the lid wears out.
This shift from clay to glass can be attributed to the following limitations of clay:
●They are difficult to clean thoroughly and can harbour unwanted bacteria over time.
●They offer no visibility into what is happening inside, unlike glass containers
●They are not suitable for on-the-go use
The Right Glass Jars For Zimbabwean Kitchens
So, what glass jars are used for what food in a Zimbabwean kitchen? Let’s have a look:
Fermented milk and Sour Milk (Amasi or Hodzeko)
To store sour milk, you will need a glass jar that seals well and place it in the fridge. A standard 500 ml or 1 litre jam jar with a tight lid is more suitable, depending on the quantity. The wide mouth of the jar makes it easier to scoop out the thick milk. The glass jar is also great because it does not react with the natural acids.
Mahewu and Fruit-Based Ferments
Some homemade mahewu are thicker than most drinks, so a wide-mouth jar rather than a standard bottle may be preferable for storing them. A 1-litre wide-mouth glass jar will allow you to easily stir, pour, and clean, which is important when dealing with a maize-based ferment that leaves residue. Fruit-based ferments are best made in similar wide-mouth jars, where you need to press the fruit below the liquid line during fermentation.
Zimbabwean Relishes, Chutneys, and Sauces
Most Zimbabwean meals are a combination of sadza and a relish. These relishes can be meat, fish, leafy greens, tomato-based, peanut sauces, wild fruit chutneys, and spicy onion relishes.
A simple way to make Zimbabwean tomato and peanut relish is to:
●Fry onions and garlic.
●Add chopped tomatoes, a spoonful of peanut butter, and a pinch of salt.
●Simmer until thick.
●Pour into a clean pickle jar or jam jar while still hot.
●Seal and refrigerate.
Such relish stays good for two to three weeks in a glass jar. If you use plastic jars, it would stain and retain the garlic smell.
Glass jars are recommended because:
●They do not react to chemicals: acidic ferments (sour milk, fruit chutneys) do not leach anything from glass.
●They do not retain odour because yesterday’s pickle jar can become tomorrow’s mahewu bottle after a hot wash.
●They are easy to clean: glass does not scratch, so bacteria have nowhere to hide.
●They are endlessly reusable: a good glass jar from our collection can outlast its original lid.
Zimbabwean Alcohol, Fermented Drinks for Glass Bottles
When you move from food to drinks, glass bottles become non-negotiable. This is especially true for alcoholic ferments and traditional spirits.
How to Store Kachasu
Kachasu is a homemade distilled spirit made from maize, sorghum, sugar, or fruit. It can be as mild as beer or as strong as cheap whisky, and because distillation concentrates alcohol, the liquid can react with plastics bottle over time, leaching chemicals or turning cloudy.
Glass bottles, specifically the dark amber glass bottles, are the safest option because amber glass blocks UV light, which would otherwise degrade the spirit and create off-flavours.
How to Store Mahewu
Mahewu is usually non-alcoholic, but some versions are left to ferment longer and develop a very low alcohol content. Either way, mahewu can be stored in glass bottles to help it stay fresher longer than in plastic. The same applies to homemade ginger beer, fermented baobab juice, or sweet masau wine (an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented fruit of the Masau tree).
For light-sensitive fermented Zimbabwean herbal infusions like:
●Zumbani/Umsuzwane: for respiratory issues and flu
●Makoni tea: used as an energy booster
●Mufandichimuka/Umfavuke: an antioxidant infusion for treating respiratory issues and strengthening the immune system.
Particularly, use amber glass bottles to protect the ingredients. The tinted glass blocks UV light, which can degrade both flavour compounds and active cultures. If you have taken the time to ferment something carefully, amber glass is a small investment that preserves it effectively.
Are the Glass Jars and Bottles in the UK Good for Zimbabwean Foods Like Mahewu?
You do not need to live in Harare or Bulawayo to prepare or preserve your food like a Zimbabwean. There is a growing Zimbabwean diaspora community in the UK, particularly in London, Birmingham, and Leicester, and many households are consistently making mahewu, fermented sour milk, relishes, and chutneys at home. And every single one of them needs the right glass jars and bottles.
Beyond the diaspora, there is genuine mainstream interest in African fermented foods, driven by wider curiosity about global food culture and gut health.
If you want to try making and preserving Zimbabwe-inspired beverages or food, here is how to choose a container:
●For chutneys, relishes and tomato sauces, use jam jars or pickle jars in 250 ml to 500 ml sizes, depending on the quantity.
●For sour milk or fermented milk drinks: use glass bottles or Le Parfait jars with airtight seals. Keep them in the fridge and label the date to keep track of them.
●For mahewu or homemade non-alcoholic ferments, a 750 ml or 1 litre glass jar works for fermenting. For serving, pour into glass bottles and store in the fridge.
●For kachasu, fruit wines or carbonated drinks, choose amber glass bottles or thick spirit bottles. Avoid using clear glass if the drink will be exposed to light.
●For syrups, wild fruit juices or baobab drinks, use wine bottles or alcohol bottles with cork or screw-top lids.
The size and type of the lid matter as much as the glass itself. A loose lid lets in air, which ruins fermented foods, and a metal lid that is not lined can corrode with acidic ferments. In our collection, you will find lids and closures matched to each type of jar or bottle.
Zimbabwe's tradition of fermented foods, like mahewu and sour milk, kachasu and doroluthwala, is a great example of how fermentation culture and modern glass packaging can work hand in hand. It is also a reminder that what you store your food in matters just as much as how you make it.
You can explore our collection of glass jars and bottles, from wide-mouth pickle jars and jam jars to spirit bottles and clip-top jars.