Non-Alcoholic Colombian Drinks

A kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

COLOMBIAN COFFEE

One of the best coffees in the world.

Colombian coffee is first and foremost a story of aroma: notes of caramel, cocoa, red fruits, and flowers that give it its signature. In taste, a fine acidity and a natural sweetness.

Produced exclusively in arabica, grown on the slopes of the Andes, between 1,200 and 2,000 meters of altitude, in unique microclimates — Huila, Nariño, coffee region —, each bean is handpicked.

Colombian coffee was long reserved for export, and traditionally drunk as tinto — small, black, often sweet —, a version that does not do it justice. Today, a new generation of Colombian baristas is reviving this national treasure in specialized cafés that are flourishing in Colombian cities.

A big favorite. To grasp its history, nothing beats a visit and a tasting at a coffee finca – my rating: 5/5.

FRUIT JUICES

A fruit richness, unique in the world.

In Colombia, fruit juices are not a luxury — it’s the everyday. In markets, in restaurants, at every street corner, dozens of freshly picked fruits are ready to be pressed on demand. A fresh fruit juice always accompanies a menú del día.

Intense maracuyá, creamy guanábana, velvety tomate de árbol, puzzling Borojó… flavors you won’t find anywhere else.

With water or milk, depending on the fruits, sweetened or not, in creamy smoothies, in inventive combinations, sometimes surprising, it’s a true explosion of tropical scents and aromas.

For me, it’s one of the simplest and most authentic pleasures of Colombia – my rating: 5/5.

AGUA PANELA

The most emblematic and humble drink of Colombia.

Aguapanela is simple: water and a block of panela — this unrefined, amber, and fragrant cane sugar, with sweet caramel notes, artisanally made in the trapiche (mills). Melt it, drink it.

Hot to warm up in the Andes, fight a cold, at breakfast, iced with a dash of lime to cool off on the coast – thirst-quenching and comforting.

Depending on the regions, it is called: agua de panela, aguapanela, agüepanela or aguamiel, but it is everywhere, on all the tables, in every home.

Simple, authentic, irreplaceable — the Colombia I fell in love with — my rating: 5/5.

THE GUARAPO

An ancient street drink that is simple and refreshing.

Guarapo is just freshly crushed sugarcane, pressed in front of you by a street vendor with his mobile trapiche (mill).

A cloudy and frothy juice, with a beautiful amber green, with sweet and vegetal notes, which is drunk iced, often with a squeeze of lime — for me, a Colombian guilty pleasure — my rating: 5/5.

Warning: In some regions, guarapo refers to fermented cane juice, a homemade alcohol whose strength varies with fermentation time.

THE LULADA

The fruity and tangy emblem of Cali, the capital of salsa.

Lulada is a lulo juice, a small green and acidic fruit, with juicy and fibrous pulp. It is crushed by hand in a large glass, mixed with cold water, sugar — essential to tame its slightly herbaceous liveliness — and a mountain of crushed ice.

This artisanal preparation gives it a unique texture: thick, grainy, lively. On the palate, it’s a slap of acidity, both fresh and sweet.

Irresistible when I’m in Cali, on a hot night, enlivened by the rhythms of salsa – my rating: 5/5.

THE PATILLAZO (OR JUGO DE SANDILLA)

The refreshing hit of the Caribbean coast.

The word comes from patilla — the local name for the watermelon — and the suffix -azo, which says it all: it’s big, it’s generous.

Its flesh is mixed with crushed ice, giving a juice of a beautiful, deep red, almost translucent, with a naturally sweet, fresh aroma.

In the mouth, it’s an explosion of water and sweetness: light, refreshing, with that velvety texture typical of ripe fruits under the Caribbean sun.

The street vendors of Cartagena, Santa Marta, or Barranquilla will offer you this great Caribbean classic in a large glass or in a plastic bag tied with a straw.

Nothing better to refresh you under the Caribbean sun — a little pleasure for me — my rating: 5/5.

THE LIMONADA DE COCO

The Colombian delicious and refreshing drink.

Coconut lemonade is made with lime, coconut milk, sugar, and crushed ice — all blended until achieving a smooth and icy texture, halfway between a cocktail and a smoothie.

Born on the Caribbean coast, it is now unmissable throughout the country — from the beaches of Santa Marta to the terraces of Medellín.

The color is white and cloudy; the scent is fresh and slightly sweet. On the palate, the acidity of the lemon comes first, then the coconut brings a round sweetness, in a beautiful and surprising balance.

A pleasant drink — but if you ask my wife, Aleja, with her irreducibly Colombian taste buds, she will tell you that it is simply the best drink in the world 😉 — my rating: 4/5.

THE SANTAFERENO CHOCOLATE

A Colombian drink that challenges your senses.

Inspired by the former name of Bogotá, Santafé de Bogotá, it is made with chocolate tablets flavored with cinnamon and cloves, melted in hot milk, then whipped until a perfect foam is obtained.

This is where it gets confusing: you then dip pieces of fresh white cheese — preferably queso doble crema. When exposed to heat, the cheese melts gradually, releasing a salty, creamy taste that contrasts with the bitterness of the chocolate.

This tradition is particularly rooted in high-altitude regions — Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Bogotá, especially at breakfast time.

I admit it’s quite surprising the first time, but you appreciate it on a rainy and cool day in the cozy comfort of a café in the capital – my rating: 4/5.

THE COLOMBIAN AVENA

The ancestral Colombian smoothie.

Colombian oatmeal (oats) is much more than porridge. Oat flakes simmered in milk with cinnamon, cloves, and panela are blended until a creamy and smooth drink is obtained, served very cold.

The color is pale beige, the aroma is warm and spicy; the texture is somewhere between milk and a smoothie. On the palate, it’s refreshing, soft, comforting, slightly sweet — nourishing without being heavy.

A pleasant everyday Colombian drink, it is mainly consumed at breakfast by young and old, everywhere in the country. It can also be drunk at any time of the day, accompanied by a snack, like a pan de bono — my rating: 4/5.

THE MAZAMORRA

A sweet corn soup.

Between soup and drink, mazamorra is corn that has been peeled, cooked for a long time in water until it softens, then drowned in cold milk and sweetened with panela — this raw cane sugar with caramel notes.

The color is white and cloudy. On the palate, it’s soft, slightly sweet, with a thick texture and whole grains that have resisted — in short, rustic.

It’s a classic of the Antioquia region, served cold and often accompanied by a piece of bocadillo, a guava paste. A local dish firmly rooted in paisa tradition.

It’s worth trying even if I’m not a big fan 😉 – my rating: 2/5.

THE CHAMPUS

An unusual traditional cocktail.

Popular in the southwest of Colombia, champús is both a drink and a dessert.

Its base is dried and hulled corn cooked until thickened, to which is added lulo pulp, pineapple cubes, panela, and a mix of spices — cinnamon, cloves, orange leaves.

It is best consumed cold; its color is cloudy and beige; its aroma is both fruity and spicy, and its texture is thick, with pieces of fruits in every spoonful.

A classic from the street vendors of Valle del Cauca and Nariño, especially during the end-of-year holidays.

A Colombian drink more appealing for the curiosity it arouses than for its taste – my rating: 3/5.

THE CHOLADO

A Colombian drink more like a dessert.

Iconic of Valle del Cauca, cholado is crushed ice, colorful fruit syrup, pieces of fresh fruit, sweetened condensed milk, and a barquillo — that rolled wafer, crispy, placed on top.

Served very cold in a large glass, it’s visually beautiful; it’s sweet, fruity, and slightly milky.

The best cholados are enjoyed at Canchas Panamericanas, a sports complex that has become a popular spot in Cali.

A generous treat that I enjoy when I visit Cali – my rating: 5/5.

THE POSTOBON SODA

A Colombian colorful drink with bubbles.

This is the Colombian soda invented in 1904 by Postobón, Colombia’s most important beverage company today.

Its star is la Manzana, launched in 1954: a pink candy soda, sparkling with a sweet apple taste, frankly artificial. You can find it everywhere — in neighborhood tiendas, on restaurant tables, during family picnics.

The soda comes in other flavors, grape, pineapple, orange, lemon, but it’s the “pink” that is unanimous.

A Colombian classic of everyday life that, served very cold under a blazing sun, can do the job if there’s nothing else to drink — my rating: 2/5.

THE PONNY MALTA

The Colombians’ non-alcoholic beer.

Born in 1953 in the vats of the Cervecería Bavaria, Pony Malta, made from barley malt, non-alcoholic, and enriched with vitamins, is presented in a dark bottle, with its characteristic black ebony color.

It gives off aromas of roasted grains, caramel, and coffee, and on the palate, it’s frankly sweet, a bit syrupy, with a slight acidity.

Colombians have been drinking it since childhood, very cold, alone or with milk, which gives it a creamy and smooth texture.

Culturally unmissable, taste-wise, let’s say, singular — not really in my top — my rating: 2/5.

THE KOLA ROMÁN

The oldest soda in the world is Colombian.

In 1834, Manuel Román, a Spanish pharmacist, survived a shipwreck and ended up in Cartagena, where he fell in love with it. He founded a pharmacy there, and his descendants created the Kola Román in 1865, the first soda marketed in the world, twenty-one years before Coca-Cola.

It is a bright red drink, with a sweet vanilla taste, and fine and light bubbles. The cola nut is not the dominant flavor despite what its name suggests. Reformulated in 1936 to counter an English competitor, Kola Román has not changed its recipe since.

On the Colombian Caribbean coast, it’s a traditional drink rooted in daily life — it’s used in home remedies, desserts, and typical dishes, like plátanos en tentación.

In my opinion, it’s its history that has the most flavor 😉 – my rating: 3/5.

LA COLOMBIANA

An identity marker of Colombia.

This Colombian drink, created in 1921 and acquired by Postobón in 1942, belongs to the category of sparkling and slightly sweet sodas.

Its recognizable color is peach red; its scent is slightly vanilla and fruity. On the palate, the taste is hard to define: sweet, creamy, slightly spicy, with notes reminiscent of bubblegum or an American cream soda.

It is everywhere — on all Colombian tables, in every refrigerator, at every party. It is sometimes used in the recipe for salpicón, a classic of Colombian street food.

With its indescribable taste, it is more of a cultural symbol than a drink I enjoy — my rating: 2/5.

Colombian Alcoholic Beverages

Sweet, strong, ancestral — each with a story.

AGUARDIENTE

The Colombian national alcohol, par excellence.

Agua + ardiente — the water that burns. Distilled from sugar cane juice and flavored with anise, with an alcohol content of 29°, this very popular drink, also called guaro, has a taste reminiscent of French pastis or Greek ouzo, but in a Colombian version.

Each department produces its own with fierce regional pride — the Antioqueña is the most famous, but I prefer the Amarillo de Caldas in the coffee region, more subtle, less aniseed.

To be drunk very cold, as a shot.

My relationship with Aguardiente is complex: the taste doesn’t thrill me, but the bottle passed around among friends, the price that doesn’t hurt, and the friendly atmosphere that develops rarely make me say no – my rating: 3/5.

THE REFAJO

A clever and warm Colombian drink.

The principle is simple: half blonde beer (ideally a Cerveza Águila), half Colombiana — that peach-colored soda with an indescribable taste — mixed in a large frosted glass.

Consumed throughout the country, refajo is a light, sparkling drink, just sweet enough to tame the bitterness of the beer without drowning it.

It is perfect to accompany a barbecue (asado), to watch a soccer match, or during one of those family picnics that Colombians have mastered.

Friendly, low in alcohol, and accessible to all — it has its place in my top Colombian drinks to share — my rating: 4/5.

THE CHICHA

The sacred drink of the Muisca people.

The chicha is fermented corn with panela, sometimes pineapple, left to rest for several days until it becomes a cloudy and thick drink, slightly acidic, with aromas of ferments and grains.

This Colombian drink, whose recipe dates back several centuries, was banned in 1948 under the pretext of hygiene — in reality, to favor the industrial beer of Bavaria, the largest brewery in Colombia. It survived in clandestinity.

Today, it can still be found at Chorro de Quevedo, in the Candelaria of Bogotá, served in a totuma — this traditional hollowed-out gourd.

Rather atypical, I willingly drink a few sips for its history, without necessarily asking for more – my rating: 3/5.

THE RON

A Colombian alcohol, still discreet, that is starting to make a name for itself.

One does not spontaneously think of Colombia when talking about ron (rum), even though it is one of the largest producers of sugar cane in the world.

The Colombian rums aged in oak barrels have complex profiles: vanilla, coffee, caramel, dried fruits with sweet and amber notes, and they don’t have to blush in front of Caribbean rums.

The popular Ron Medellín and Ron Viejo de Caldas now stand alongside the Hechicera from Barranquilla, the Dictador from Cartagena, and the Parcero from Antioquia — a new generation of premium rums making their mark on the international scene.

Interesting to discover during a tasting workshop while passing through Cartagena, for example, without being a fan — my rating: 3.5/5.

THE CANELAZO

The hot wine of the Colombian Andes.

The canelazo involves infusing cinnamon sticks in hot water and panela (raw cane sugar) for a long time before adding a dash of aguardiente, sometimes a splash of lemon.

An amber color, a warm enveloping fragrance, it is served in a glass with a sugar frosted rim and instantly warms you up. Its taste is slightly sweet and spicy with a hint of anise brought by the aguardiente. Some add lulo juice or passion fruit for a fruity touch.

It’s the iconic and friendly drink of the December holidays, evenings at altitude, Christmas novena in Bogotá, and in the villages of Boyacá.

A comforting drink that I enjoy on a December evening, without making it a habit — my rating: 3.5/5.

BEER

Beer, a Colombian drink of everyday life.

Colombia is not a country of vineyards, but rather a country of beers.

Among the classics, Club Colombia is the national reference; Poker is a popular thirst-quenching beer that I like; I don’t have a great passion for Águila, which is omnipresent; as for Costeñita, packaged in a small format, it is perfect to be downed before it warms up on the Caribbean coast.

Throughout the country, you will also find beers with more character, such as 3 Cordilleras and BBC.

But the good surprise is the explosion of small craft breweries everywhere—from the Andes to the Pacific, each with its own personality. Try without hesitation, you won’t be disappointed. In the heat, served nice and cold, it’s a real pleasure.

THE SABAJON

The Colombian version of eggnog.

Sabajón is a creamy liqueur made from eggs, cinnamon, and sugarcane alcohol—smooth, creamy, slightly spicy, halfway between eggnog and a tropical version of Irish cream.

Born in Italy in the 16th century, it crossed the Atlantic and reinvented itself in the Andean region, where it is made artisanally. It is a must-have on Christmas, New Year’s, and special-occasion tables.

I bought a bottle of Sabajón in Guane (Santander), a charming village lost in the Chicamocha Canyon, accessible from Barichara by the “caminos reales” — charming for its souvenir aspect, a bit original, without being overwhelming — my rating: 3/5.

THE VICHE

The sacred drink of the Colombian Pacific.

This traditional alcohol made from fermented sugar cane juice is produced by the Afro-Colombian communities of the Pacific according to an artisanal know-how passed down from generation to generation.

Rich in history and spirituality, it has a bitter, powerful, and slightly rustic taste.

Viche is drunk on its own or comes in different versions with medicinal virtues: in curao infused with herbs, in tomaseca for postpartum women, in arrechón with tonic properties.

I have a very pleasant memory of a tasting with Diego, a local, near Guachalito, in Chocó. It’s not my drink of choice, but a cultural encounter worth the detour — my rating: 3/5.

THE CHIRRINCHI

The gut-wrencher of La Guajira.

Chirrinchi is to La Guajira what viche is to the Pacific: a handcrafted spirit, rich in cultural identity and produced for generations by the Wayuu people in an artisanal and informal way.

Distilled from sugar cane, it has a dry and powerful taste, no frills — in short, you have to get used to it.

We drink it in one go, in good company, often during ceremonies or traditional festivals.

An alcohol rooted in a territory and a culture, which deserves a taste – my rating: 3.5/5.

THE VINO DE COROZO

The tropical wine of the Caribbean coast.

Of wine, the vino de corozo only has the name. It is actually made from the corozo, a small red and tangy fruit from the wild palm trees of the Caribbean region.

Through fermentation, you get a slightly fruity and tannic drink, smooth, with an acidity that gives it character — a surprising balance, neither too sweet nor too alcoholic.

The version produced in Mompox, a little gem from the colonial era, asleep on the banks of the Magdalena River, is particularly renowned. It is served chilled in the shade of the patios.

A beautiful discovery that perfectly matches the timeless atmosphere – my rating: 4/5.