 | |
| Type | Alcoholic drink |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Philippines |
| Region of origin | Ilocos region |
| Alcohol by volume | 10%-16% [1] |
| Ingredients | Sugarcane |
Basi is a native Ilocano fermented alcoholic beverage or wine made with sugarcane juice, particularly those produced in Northern Luzon particularly in Ilocos Region. This wine is processed in "burnay" (Ilocano earthen jar) or "tapayan".
Basi is the local beverage of Ilocos in northern Luzon in San Ildefonso where it has been consumed since before the Spanish conquest. In the Philippines, commercial basi is produced by first crushing sugarcane and extracting the juice. The juice is boiled in vats and then stored in earthen jars ( tapayan ). Once the juice has cooled, flavorings made of ground glutinous rice and duhat (java plum) bark or other fruits or barks is added. The jars are then sealed with banana leaves and allowed to ferment for several years. The resulting drink is pale red in color. If fermented longer, it turns into suka or vinegar.
There are three general methods for preparing basi, which are the Ilocos Method, the La Union Method, and the Pangasinan Method. All of these methods make use of sugarcane juice, which is obtained by crushing one-year-old sugar cane stalks between wooden or iron rollers attached to a carabao with a long pole. Two types of basi are produced: the basing babae taste sweet and has lesser alcohol content and the basing lalaki taste dry, bitter, potently strong, and has high content of alcohol. Their difference lies in the concentration of sugarcane juice (babae, 29 to 33° Brix and lalaki, 27 to 28° Brix) and the additives added such as tangal ( Ceriops tagal (Perr. C.B. Rob.) bark, green guava ( Psidium guajava Linn.) leaves, duhat ( Syzygium cumini linn. ) bark, and fruits, bark and leaves of samac ( Macharanga tanarius Linn. or M. grandifolia Linn.),
Basi wines are produced in the province of Ilocos Norte, specifically in Laoag and the towns of Vintar, Sarrat, Piddig, and Batac, and in the province of Ilocos Sur, specifically in Bantay, San Ildefonso and Vigan. The Ilocos method differs from the La Union method in terms of the starter or inoculum used, as well as the additives used.
The La Union method is used specifically in the town of Naguilian. It consists of the preparation of bubod or starter, as well as the 24-hour binubudan (steamed rice plus starter), boiling sugarcane juice, and additives such as one year old lomboy (duhat) bark, tangal bark, and green guava leaves.
Pangasinan's basi industry is not as well known as those in La Union and Ilocos. The majority of those involved live in the town of Binalonan.
The 1807 Basi Revolt in Piddig, Ilocos Norte, occurred when the Philippines' Spanish rulers effectively banned private manufacture of the beverage.
The Basi Revolt, also known as the Ambaristo Revolt, erupted on September 16, 1807, in the present-day town of Piddig, Ilocos Norte. Led by Pedro Mateo, a cabeza de barangay of Piddig, and Saralogo Ambaristo, an Ilocano and Tinguian, and composed of townspeople from Piddig, Badoc, Sarrat, Laoag, Sinait, Cabugao, Magsingal and other towns of Ilocos, they marched under their own flag of yellow and red horizontal bands and made their way southward towards the provincial capital of Vigan to protest against the abuses of the Spanish colonial government.
According to historical accounts, in 1786, people's frustration grew over the basi (the local beverage of the Ilocos) wine monopoly imposed by the Spanish colonial government that prohibited the private manufacture of basi, forcing Ilocanos to buy from government stores.
Even before the arrival of the Spaniards, basi was an important part of the Ilocanos' society and culture. Drinking basi played such a great importance in Ilocano culture; from marriage to childbirth and to death, it was a part of their ritual, tradition, and daily life. Basi was a major industry in the Ilocos region at the time, therefore in addition to the grief of Ilocanos had also lost their livelihood, in other words, they had been robbed of their happiness as well as an essential part of their culture and heritage.
Fueled by these abuses, people were prompted to start the uprising in Piddig town and later spread in the northern and southern towns of Ilocos province. On September 28, 1807, Ilocano forces on their way to the capital Vigan were assassinated by Spanish forces while crossing the Bantaoay River in San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Ilocano forces. Those who survived the battle were hanged and their heads pierced with wooden poles and flagged by the Spaniards as a warning to anyone who wanted to strike and fight against the Spaniards.
The Basi Revolt lasted for 13 days. The series of unrest also led the colonial government to divide the province into the now Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. [2]
A Basi Festival is held annually in Naguilian, La Union. Basi Festival is held every first week of May in the town of Naguilian, La Union to celebrate the "basi". The festival mainly promotes Basi as a local product also Naguilian's one town, one product and the usual activities include street dancing, sport events, agri-trade fair & other amusement games.
Recently, the Sangguniang Bayan of San Ildefonso approved a resolution declaring September 16 as a non-working holiday and named the old road in Gongogong as Ambaristo street in honor of Pedro Ambaristo, leader of the Basi Revolt. Mayor Christian Purisima enrolled basi as their entry into the "One Town; One Product" (OTOP) program of Ilocos Sur First District Representative DV Savellano. [3]
Basi del Diablo Wines of the Salucop Group, Inc. started making basi in the year 1906, 99 years after the Basi Revolt. The light fermented sugarcane winemaker's most prominent product is the Ambaristo, named after the Basi Revolt hero Pedro Ambaristo. [4]
Nagguilian Basi is another basi brand in the northern part of the Philippines. It is produced in Naguilian, La Union. [5]
Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte, is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra to the southeast, and Ilocos Sur to the southwest. Ilocos Norte faces the West Philippine Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the north.
Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital of Vigan. Ilocos Sur is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Abra to the north, Mountain Province to the east, La Union and Benguet to the south and the South China Sea to the west.
La Union, officially the Province of La Union, is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, which also serves as the regional center of the Ilocos Region.
The Ilocos Region, designated as Region I, is an administrative region of the Philippines. Located in the northwestern section of Luzon, it is bordered by the Cordillera Administrative Region to the east, the Cagayan Valley to the northeast and southeast, Central Luzon to the south, and the South China Sea to the west.
Diego Silang y Andaya was a Filipino revolutionary leader who allied with British forces to overthrow Spanish rule in the northern Philippines and establish an independent Ilocano state. His revolt was fueled by grievances stemming from Spanish taxation and abuses, and by his belief in self-government, that the administration and leadership of the Roman Catholic Church and government in the Ilocos be invested in trained Ilocano officials. His wife, the Itneg Gabriela Cariño, took on leadership of his revolt after his assassination.
San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando, is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 125,642 people.
Vigan, officially the City of Vigan, is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,935 people.
Laoag, officially the City of Laoag, is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 111,651 people.
Sarrat, officially the Municipality of Sarrat, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 25,186 people.
San Ildefonso, officially the Municipality of San Ildefonso, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,190 people.
Sinait, officially the Municipality of Sinait, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 25,998 people.
Naguilian, officially the Municipality of Naguilian, is a 1st class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 52,189 people.
The Ilocanos, Ilokanos, or Iloko people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. They mostly reside within the Ilocos Region, in the northwestern seaboard of Luzon, Philippines. The native language of the Ilocano people is the Ilocano language.
During the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines (1565–1898), there were several revolts against the Spanish colonial government by indigenous Moro, Lumad, Indios, Chinese (Sangleys), and Insulares, often with the goal of re-establishing the rights and powers that had traditionally belonged to Lumad communities, Maginoo rajah, and Moro datus. Some revolts stemmed from land problems and this was largely the cause of the insurrections that transpired in the agricultural provinces of Batangas, Ilocos sur, Cavite, and Laguna. Natives also rebelled over unjust taxation and forced labor.
The Diocese of Laoag is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
Philippine wine or Filipino wine are various wines produced in the Philippines. They include indigenous wines fermented from palm sap, rice, job's tears, sugarcane, and honey; as well as modern wines mostly produced from various fruit crops.
Inabel, sometimes referred to as Abel Iloco or simply Abel, is a weaving tradition native to the Ilocano people of Northern Luzon in the Philippines. The textile it produces is sought after in the fashion and interior design industries due to its softness, durability, suitability in tropical climates, and for its austere design patterns.
Kabarawan was a traditional pre-colonial Filipino mead-like alcoholic drink. It was made from boiling the ground up aromatic bark of the kabarawan tree until it was reduced to a thick paste. It was then mixed with an equal amount of honey and fermented. It was traditionally consumed from jars with reed or bamboo straws. The wine was mentioned by early Spanish colonists as being made by the Visayan people. However, the tradition has been lost in modern times. Kabarawan tree bark is also used to flavor other types of native wines, like intus and basi, which are both made from sugarcane juice.
Intus was a traditional pre-colonial Filipino alcoholic drink from the Visayas Islands and Mindanao. It was made by boiling sugarcane juice until it reduces to a thick syrup. It was then allowed to cool and mixed with the bark of the kabarawan tree and fermented. The word intus means "reduced" or "liquid thickened by boiling", from the Old Visayan verb itus. Like the kabarawan drink, intus is extinct. The tradition was lost during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. Among the Lumad people of Mindanao, intus was flavored with langkawas or pal-la roots.
