Drinking in Dominican Republic

Having already published a brief description of Dominican food, it's about time to talk about drinks: We will deal with alcoholic beverages in this post, and we will dedicate the next one to soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.

Let's start with beer, which as you will see, is highly appreciated in the Dominican Republic.

The main brand is indeed Presidente. It is everywhere, and it is so popular that when you ask for "una fría" (a cold one, i.e. a beer) this is the brand you'll get. If you want something else, you have to ask for it specifically. By the way, now that we mention it, Dominican beer is served chilled, whis is something very nice, as it helps a lot to combat the Caribbean heat.



The company that owns Presidente also owns another popular brand, Bohemia, softer and much less consumed. Together, they probably own 90% of market share. Other brands, such as Ambar or Quisqueya are much less widespread.

Quite recently, the Brazilian beer company Brahma, entered the Dominican market with a very aggressive marketing campaign, but is encountering a strong resistance from the domestic Presidente group, which has based its strategy in an appeal to nationalistic feelings of dominicanidad, "dominicaniness", a truly strong feeling in every Dominican's heart.

Other spirituous drinks: Dominican Rhum.

Away from Dominican Republic, the most famous Dominican drink is indeed rhum, obtained from fermentation of sugarcane juice. Pure rhum reaches almost 80% of alcohol content (151º proof) and when it is sold with that alcoholic content, usually labelled "151" can be used only to mix.

Most bottles have actually a much lower alcohol content, around 40%, and this rhum can be drunk straight, on the rocks or mixed.



There are plenty of brands, the main ones being Brugal and Barceló, both well known abroad and exported in large quantities, although there are other quality brands such as Bermúdez or Siboney.

Every brand has a set of rhums of different quality, depending basically on their añejamiento (ageing period, spent in oak barrels). Their denomination is usually as follows:

• Aged 18 to 36 months: Blanco (white) rhum, light rhum, "carta de plata" (silver label).
• Aged 5 years: Rubio (blond), dorado (golden), etiqueta de oro (golden label).
• Aged 7 years: Añejo (aged).
• Aged 10 or more years: Extra añejo. some are true delicacies such as Ron Siglo de Oro, from Brugal, or Barceló Imperial (or even better, Barceló Imperial XXI). Expensive, indeed, but with such a quality and an exquisitely designed package that makes them an excellent present for a good friend.
  

What should rhum be mixed with? When it is not drunk straight or on the rocks, usual mixers include the ubiquitous Cuba Libre (rhum with Coca-Cola), the Santo Libre (rhum and Seven Up), and of course countless cocktails that include rhum among their list of ingredients.

When Dominicans go out into a bar or disco, usually sit at a table and ask for a servicio. It consists of a 50cl. bottle of rhum, an ice bucket and a 20 oz. bottle of a soft drink, plus as many glasses as people are present at the table. Each servicio allows for arount 6 to 8 drinks.

The Dominican Republic also produces local versions of other drinks such as whisky, but they can't seriously be compared to their original counterparts or true Dominican rhum.

The Dominican Carnival

"Dancing, having fun and chasing the Devil"

Dominican Republic carnivals are a unique experience, with an origin that is a mix of European carnivals and African rites.

First written references date back from 1520, when Fray Bartolome de las Casas visited the island. At that time, the inhabitants of La Vega Vieja, dressed as Moors and Christians and celebrated some festivities that evolved into current day festivals.



As of today, they are held with most intensity the last weekend of February, when the streets are full of joy and dances. Depending of the region, in some places carnival is celebrated every weekend during February or even the beginning of March. Very often they go well beyond what is usual in other countries, and end up overlapping Easter and lasting until the Independence (February 27th) and Restoration (August 16th) Days, with which they are often associated, rather than with medieval carnestolendas. Other, different dates exist in some cities that celebrate their own carnival, but always with the same creativity and enthusiasm that can be seen in February all across the nation. These "different" carnivals often have a stronger african origin, and are called Cimarrón carnivals.

Cities with a reputation of having the best Carnivals are:

La Vega

For years and years the La Vega carnival kept distinctly Spanish features, with a lot of theatrality, dances of Spanish origin and the colorful costumes of the Diablos Cojuelos (Limping Devils) which are a medieval representation of the devil.

Every Sunday during the month of February, the Limping Devils come to the streets, armed with dried cow bladders and hitting everyone who dares come down to the street, but always respecting those who stay in the walkway.

This picturesque colonial heritage has been transformed by the African presence, where strong Cuban migration, and the presence of people from La Vega's poorer neighborhoods have played an important role.

Montecristi

Montecristi has a beautiful carnival tradition, peculiar and extraordinarily symbolic, mainly expressed in Los Toros (The Bulls) as central characters, and their fights with the Civiles. This is a true combat with whips, where the fighters try to make their opponents fall to the ground.

Toros (Bulls) wear a mask and colorful padded costumes, which protect them from their opponent's whips. Civiles, on the other hands must wear shorts and T-shirts. The winner is the one who best resist their enemies's hits or manages to take them to the ground.

San Pedro de Macorís

Declared Cultural Heritage of the World by the Unesco, the Macoris carnival features the Guloyas, devils wearing colorful disguises decorates with small mirrors. With their whips and cow bladders, they dance to the rithm of flutes, drums and cowbells.
Thedance itself comes from the British Antilles, from where many of the city's inhabitants are originary.

Santiago de los Caballeros


In working class neighborhoods, particularly La Joya and Los Pepines, is where one of the most authentic carnivals of the country are originated. Joyeros and Pepineros colorfully dressed fight each other, following a long-dated tradition of rivality.

Dominican Republic History

This small, young country has a history that is difficult to summarize in a few words, but we will try to tell you the main historical facts in a few lines:


The original inhabitants of the islasnd were the Taino indians, who called their motherland "Quisqueya", which means "Mother of all lands", or "Bohío", which means "home" and is a word that in the local Spanish dialect means "hut, small house".

The ferociuos Caribe indians, who lived in nearby islands and gave their name to the Caribbean Sea, called this island Haiti, which means "land of mountains".

Cristopher Columbus discovered this island on December 5th, 1492 and called it Hispaniola. During its period as a Spanish colony it was never highly populated, so the paulatine arrival of French settlers ended up, after the Treaty of Ryswick between Spain and France in 1682, witht the divison of the island. The westernmost part became a French posession with 27,750 sq. km. while the eastern remained under Spanish rule with 48,734 sq. km. In 1795 France, after the Treaty of Basel, in 1795, took posession of the whole island.

On January 1st 1804, after a slave uprisng in the western part of the island, the Republic of Haiti was born.

In 1809, Dominican forces, led by landowner Juan Sánchez Ramírez, rose against French occupation. This rebellion intended to come back to the Spanish rule. However, this return to Spain plunged the island's economy into a state of total inactivity, called "la España boba" or "the foolish Spain".

This led to the proclamation of independence, with the name of Dominican Republic, in 1821, although it is invaded by Haiti the following year. This situation will last for 22 years until Juan Pablo Duarte, together with the members of a secret society called La Trinitaria manages to free the country and proclaim indepenence again in 1844.


Nevertheless, the convulse period that follows independence ends up with President Santana asking for reinstating Spanish rule in 1861. This will last only until 1863, when the War of Ristoration gives back its sovereignity to the Republic.

During the following years, unstability remains and the United States occupy the island during 8 years to ensure payment of outstanding debts. Later on, dictator Trujillo will rule the islend from 1930 up to his murder in 1961.

At this moment, struggle between left wing movements on one side, and the heirs of Trujillo ideology, cause an alternance of leftist goernments (Juan Bosch, from the Dominican Revolutionary Party, PRD), military putschs and eventually a new American invasion in order to "avoid another Cuba" in 1965.

In 1966, Joaquín Balaguer, former Trujillo's number two, wins the elections that took place under American occupation. He will stay in power for 12 years, among frequent accusations of fraud, in spite of a strong economic development.

From 1978 onwards, elections have allowed a peaceful alternance in power between the three main parties: PRD, PLD (an spin off from PRD) and Balaguer's PRSC, who managed to remain in power during 10 years more, from 1986 to 1996. As of today (2007) the president is doctor Leonel Fernández (PLD).