SUDAN. Kauda, Nuba Mountains, Sudan. January, 2024.

Nubian men and women gather to drink a traditional sorghum beer, known locally as mareesa, after a Christian religious service near Kauda, Nuba Mountains.

Mareesa is a traditional fermented beverage popular in the Nuba Mountains. It is made by women as a source of income. Maressa is made by brewing dates, millet and sorghum. The brewing process has been described as complex by Western beer making standards with over a dozen steps. Mareesa has an 8-10 hour fermentation process and has an alcohol content of up to 6%.It is illegal to drink or sell Marissa in Northern Sudan under Muslim Sharia laws, under penalty of 40 lashes, fines and imprisonment.