Comments on: Mmmm… Mauby!

By: Estefany

Estefany — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:20:57 +0000

syrup mavi? gross, i say brew it urself and let it ferment in your basement for a month, it will taste DEVINE. Here in Rhode Island they do sell a commercial kind in a glass bottle that is carbonated and actually tastes decent. I personally do prefer the home made, non carbonated type. Easily found in new york sold by the glass or gallon. I can totally see how it could possibly lower blood pressure etc. if you drink the traditional mavi, it feels like your muscles are really relaxed after a glass of it, which i’ve always found odd because it has no alcohol content (maybe minimal if your ferment it long enough but i doubt it) but overall THE BEST drink to have in the summer. My local hispanic market also sells it, during the summer months when its “in season”

By: Islandspice

Islandspice — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:11:43 +0000

My uncle makes the best mauby. I am not sure how he makes it. But here is how I make it. I think it is the same way, but he must and another spice or essence that I don’t have in my kitchen. I live in Bergen County NJ. I have purchased mauby bark from a local Korean grocery store in Teaneck NJ on Teaneck Road. They also have Sorrel.

I just came back from Tobago yesterday. The first thing I did this morning was boiled my mauby bark with aniseed; the vendor put the right amount of bark and aniseed. My aunt purchased this for me in a local outdoor market in Tobago. I added another spice to it that she purchased in the market. I am not sure what the spice is.

I do not measure the ingredients but maybe you can start with this, for the most part, it is made to taste.

First step, make the mauby mixture:
2 oz mauby bark some aniseed and spice
4 cups water
bring to a boil then cool
then bottle and put in the fridge. Use the mixture as needed.

Second step, make the drink, use an egg beater to beat the water mauby mixture and sugar until a froth forms at the top. I do not measure the ingredients but maybe you can start with this, for the most part, it is made to taste. If you like it bitter add less sugar and water, if you like it sweet, add more sugar and water, etc…

Water (3 cups)
Mauby Mixture (1/2 cup)
Kola Essence or Vanilla (Just 1 drop)
Sugar (to taste)
Ice

Sorry that I do not have the measurements. I just keep adding the mabuy mixture to water and sugar until I like the taste. Since I did not have any kola essence, I used vanilla essence. My husband who is not from any Island loved it.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:59:06 +0000

First of all I would like to thank you all for educating me on Mauby Syrup, you might get a kick out of this. I recieved my free bottle of Mauby Syrup from a friend at the coustoms counter that was taking from someone at the airport. I have had it in my refrigerator for sometime. (never opened) need less to say I was having an eggo this morning to find out I didnt have any syrup, so I used my Mauby Syrup thinking it was just good old syrup. It tasted like cough medicine horable can you tell me is it just for drinks or what………….Tom by the way it was made by Country Boy Foods, Inc. Building #17 Unit 9 Wildey Industrial Estate, St Michael Barbados Tel #246-427-6375.

By: Alison

Alison — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:57:54 +0000

I found this page while looking for historical information on maubi… I was hoping to find out how “old” it is — how long people in the Caribbean have been brewing it. As a writer I would like to know if I can give a character some in the 1790s. Does anyone know the origin?

By: David Thurston

David Thurston — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:08:08 +0000

I made mauby recently, following a recipe I found online, forget where, and then fermented it with kombucha. I used about 1/4 the amount of sugar required, using enough to feed the kombucha. Now that it’s finished brewing, it’s far too bitter to drink alone and will need additional sugar (I’ve used agave syrup thus far) to make it more palatable. I can’t say I’ve really adjusted to the taste yet. I think the kombucha fermentation made the bitter more metalic tasting than normal. For “normalcy” I’ve bought prepared, bottled versions of mauby from my neighborhood stores in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY. I find these preparations too sweet for my taste, but the bark’s bitterness is so strong, it really calls for a high amount of sugar. And I’m no wimp with things bitter!

By: vic

vic — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:50:15 +0000

I was in the DR and tried to bring back some roots from a producer of the products but they took them from me at customs. I did see that it was made by adding the bark to water and it would ferment very quickly. Then it was sweetened. Would the dry bark from the Carib market—if I could find it—work the same way?
I am in NJ and have friends in the DR, but I don’t want to get anyone in trouble smuggling it in. Can I buy it here like the roots I bought there? Thanks, Vic

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:48:25 +0000

Mavi (how its spelled here in PR) is sometimes made into a Maviada, a mix a Mavi and rum. It’s nice and takes some of the edge of the Mavi flavor. Proportions are to taste and put over ice.

By: gypsy van

gypsy van — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:43:20 +0000

I am from Guyana and was introduced to mauby as a child. For me a slice of coconut bread with a glass of mauby was divine. Holds true to this day sixty years later. Was surprised to see so many people into this bitter sweet concoction. Just love it. Would sure like to know more about its medicinal properties. In the mean time let us raise our glasses and drink to a bark divine. Cheers. MBF

By: Hyacinth Rosemarie

Hyacinth Rosemarie — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:27:42 +0000

Looking for the medicinal qualities and found it! Thank you

By: Jamila

Jamila — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:14:14 +0000

It was nice to read the article on one of my favorite drinks. In fact I have glass of Maubi sitting next to me. That is homemade maubi not from concentrate. My parents are Barbadian and Maubi has been a standard drink in our household for as long as I remember. We purchase the bark here in Miami, FL from the West Indian stores or Barbados directly. The syrup is far from the real thing. So to take you out of concentrate misery I am going to give you a family recipe, but you need the bark.

Mauby

50 grams (2 oz) mauby bark
12 cups of water
piece of mace (the brown thing that covers the outside of the nutmeg)
brown sugar (about 2 lbs.)
large piece cinnamon (spice)
few cloves
piece dried orange peel

Boil mauby bark in water (about 4 cups)with spice, cloves, mace and orange peel until liquid is very bitter (about 1/2 hour). Strain it off, add the rest of water and sugar until very sweet. Bottle the cooled liquid, leaving neck of bottle unfilled for froth. Cover and leave for 3 days. Serve very cold.

Hint: If you like a cocktail, add a little Falernum to your glass!

Hope this helps!