also known as cassava or yucca, is a root vegetable cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and throughout South America, primarily for food but also for the production of a type of beer. In its raw form it is mildly poisonous, containing cyanide, but once boiled it becomes edible. Indigenous South Americans such as the Jivaro, the Tupinamba, and the Yudja produce a beer-like drink made from boiled manioc root that is chewed and formed into balls before being allowed to ferment. The chewing introduces the digestive enzyme ptyalin, a form of alpha amylase, which reduces the carbohydrate material to fermentable sugar—the chewing therefore becomes a form of mashing. It is then sometimes reboiled and can be aged for extended periods, resulting in a stronger and more prized beverage. For fermentation, the “mash” is usually blended with water, poured into jars (sometimes buried in the earth and covered with leaves), and left to ferment spontaneously for several days.

Manioc beer is called by various names, among them masato, caouin, and nihamanchi, depending on the tribe and region. The stronger version can be called sangucha shiki. It has been produced for thousands of years for both quotidian and sacramental use. Although these drinks are still produced by indigenous groups in various parts of the world (and the occasional adventurous homebrewer), manioc has not yet found a place in the world of modern brewing.