Lambanog-making

San Juan Batangas

(Lambanog-making) Barangay. Lipahan

 

The lambanog making process is inexpensive and coconut trees are abundant in the Philippines. This made the lambanog to be coined as a "poor man’s drink”. Aside from that, making lambanog, the process itself, is an artistic expression that is distinct to the Filipinos. It is a part of the tradition for centuries. The process of making lambanog starts with what was called the tree of life, the coconut tree. The flower from the tree, the space left by the flower is replaces by a tube made of bamboo. Daily, the people collect the nectars in the tube and it is being distilled to become lambanog. It seemed like the process of making lambanog is simple, but it is otherwise. A worker will climb up the tree about 30 feet high having a bamboo and sickle and getting the nectars from 35 coconut trees that was connected to each other by two long bamboo trunks. An expert can finish collecting nectars from 40 trees in 30 minutes. The nectars that were collected were put in a big plastic drum then when it is already full it will be transferred in a cooking pan and will be heated. The alcohol vapor is cooled and transferred into a large jar, and the lambanog is ready.