The traditional Andean fermented drink made from maize is chicha. More specifically, the maize-based variety is often called chicha de jora, named for jora, a traditional type of malted yellow maize.
To make it, brewers germinate the maize so its enzymes convert starches into fermentable sugars. The grain is then boiled and fermented, traditionally in large earthenware vessels. Some traditional methods use saliva enzymes to help break down the starch instead, a technique also found in other ancient fermented drinks.
Chicha has deep roots in the Andes and was important in Inca religious ceremonies, political gatherings, and festivals. Women trained in specialized institutions called Aqlla Wasi were among its principal brewers. It remains associated especially with Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia.
A common mix-up is chicha morada, a popular purple-maize drink that is normally non-fermented. The word chicha can also refer regionally to drinks made from cassava, plantain, rice, or other ingredients, but a traditional fermented maize drink is fairly identified as chicha.