Laksoy is liquor distilled from the sap of a nipa palm. It is widely made and available in Caraga, Mindanao. The process involved in making laksoy is tedious and time-consuming. However, small-scale industries producing this wine still have been flourishing in Butuan, Caraga’s regional center. It is drunk during festivities and special occasions.
Nipa palms that abundantly grow along riverbanks are selected based on the maturity of their bough and fruit. This will determine the quality and grade of the sap that will be collected. Mud is applied to the bough and fruit of the nipa palm once palm once every three days for a succession of six weeks. The mud will be later be scraped off before cutting the bough. After cutting the bough, a salhod (bamboo container) is attached to whet the sap. The sap is thoroughly drained by slicing two to three millimeters off the cut-bough in the next five days. The tree will then be left untouched for the next three to four months to produce more sap for the next collection. Fermentation will require the sap to be stored in a banga, an earthen-made jar, for two days. Longer fermentation will turn the sap into vinegar.
Tuba is poured into the distilling apparatus called laksuyan. The consistency desired is achieved by regulating the temperature used for the apparatus. The kawa (kettle) is insulated with mud. For any one third of laksoy produced, a sufficient amount of water is poured into the kawa to maintain a certain temperature. Firing is also kept to a minimum. The laksoy is then poured into a bottle through a funnel.
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