The Enduring History and Design of Ethiopian Tej Bottles

Nov 16, 2025 0

Tej, a honey wine brewed and consumed in Ethiopia and Eritrea, holds a significant place in Ethiopian culture and history. Its story is intertwined with traditions, craftsmanship, and a deep sense of community. Tej, from Amharic: ጠጅ, romanized: t'äǧ, pronounced [ˈtʼədʒ]; Tigrinya: ሜስ, romanized: més; Oromo: Daadhi) is a honey wine, like mead, that is brewed and consumed in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The word t’ej, which to us means honey wine, is essentially the Amharic word for wine. If you want to speak of grape wine in Ethiopia, you say wayn t’ej, where wayn is the word for grape. But if you just want a glass of “wine,” you ask for t’ej.

This article explores the rich history and unique design of Tej bottles, delving into the cultural significance of this traditional beverage. It is an essential part of Ethiopian life, and it’s poured during festivals, religious celebrations, weddings, and family gatherings, symbolizing community and connection.

At Batch Mead, we find inspiration in treasured beverages like Tej, which share honey as their central element. By exploring Tej’s unique backstory, brewing process, and cultural significance, you’ll discover an incredible connection between this ancient drink and the modern meads we create. From a royal drink to a treasured cultural icon, Tej reminds us of the magic honey brings to fermentation.

It is not known exactly when honey, water and gesho were first mixed together to create tej. However, excavations at Beta Samati, ancient Aksumite site, have found evidence of the consumption of wine, suggesting the existence of tej for many centuries.

The earliest written record of t’ej in Ethiopia was found on a tablet by Dutch archaeologist A.J. Drewes in the early 1960s. He dates the writing to the middle of the third century A.D., which makes t’ej around 2,000 years old (at least).

The ancient Greek historian Strabo (63 B.C. - 24 A.D.) wrote about Troglodytes living in ancient Ethiopia. Strabo doesn’t specifically say that the Ethiopians fermented this drink. But gesho, the fermenting agent of t’ej, is a species of buckthorn, so fermentation may well have taken place. This may be the earliest suggestion of Ethiopians fermenting honey water with gesho.

Traditional Ethiopian t’ej ferments naturally, without the use of added yeast, and it’s flavored with a plant called gesho (Rhamnus prinoides), a native Ethiopian species of buckthorn. Most Ethiopians use gesho inchet - that is, the woody sticks and branches of the plant. Sometimes they’ll use gesho kitel, the plant’s dried leaves.

You can also order a printed copy of the book, which pays homage to t’ej, as well as honey wine in general, tracing its history back for thousands of years.

The Rise of Commercial Tej

While homebrewing remains prevalent, commercial brands of t’ej have emerged over the years, catering to both local and international markets. Here are some notable commercial brands of t’ej:

Read also: Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine

Agew Medir: One of the earliest brands, appearing in Ethiopia in the 1940s. The word medir means “earth,” and the term agew medir refers generally to the most exceptional t’ej, so calling your brand Agew Medir implies that it’s the best you can buy. The Agew (or Agaw) are a tribe in Ethiopia’s northern Tigrinya-speaking region, the birthplace of t’ej some 2,000 years ago, and also considered to be the source of the finest honey in Ethiopia.
Saba Tej: Produced in the 1960s by Mesfin Selashe and served on Ethiopian Airlines.
Axum Tej: A signature variety made by Araya Yibrehu, co-owner of Sheba, the first Ethiopian restaurant in New York City.
Time Traveler Tej: Launched in 2014 by Robertson and Associates Winery of Parker, Colo.
Bee d’Vine: Ayele Solomon’s honey wine subtly incorporates elements of ancient Ethiopian culture.
Lost Tribes Tej: Made by Lost Tribes Brew of New York, with a portion of sales benefiting the Beta Israel community.
Yamatt Tej: Created by Menkir Tamrat and sold in the Bay Area of California.
Begena Tedj: Europe’s premier t’ej, created by Wilhelmine Stordiau.
Agazen Tej: Named after the Amharic word for the mountain nyala.
Enat Tej: Based on an Ethiopian mother-in-law’s recipe.
Seifu’s Tej: Made for sale at Blue Nile restaurant in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Sheba Tej.
The Queen’s Honeywine: Made by Nigisti Abraha, an Ethiopian-born woman in Denver.
Regal Tej and Meskerem Tej: Marketed by Easley Winery of Indianapolis, Ind.
Tej: A “golden dry” product from Honeycomb Sweden.
Tankara T’ej: A home winemaking kit sold by Brewer’s Apprentice.

These brands and others can be found in big cities with large Ethiopian populations, and some are available in restaurants and markets.

The Berele: A Vessel with History

Ethiopians drink t’ej from a vessel called a berele (see photo). It has a round bottom and long neck with a hole at the top. This is very practical: In hot Ethiopia, insects swarm to the sweet aroma of t’ej, and a berele allows you to put your thumb over the mouth of the vessel when you’re not drinking.

On a recent afternoon in Addis Ababa’s Friendship Park, rows of glass vessels glimmered under museum lights. Round-bodied, long-necked, and unmistakably Ethiopian, the Berelé once carried honey wine to emperors, warriors, and wedding guests. Today, it sits in a museum case-its curves recalling centuries of feasting, ritual, and memory.

The bulbous, vase-shaped glass vessel, has long been an enduring emblem of Ethiopian heritage. Once central to communal gatherings and ritual celebrations, it is most closely associated with tej-the country’s traditional honey wine.

The Berelé’s distinctive shape is not merely decorative: its wide bowl and narrow neck are thought to concentrate the wine’s floral aroma, turning a simple sip into a ceremonial act. “It was more than just a drinking vessel-it was part of a traditional Ethiopian living,” said Abel Assefa, director and curator of the Yimtubezina Museum and Cultural Centre.

Imported over centuries from glassmaking centers across the world, the vessels carried with them layers of symbolism. Some were decorated with political emblems, others with royal insignia, only to be repurposed as power shifted in Ethiopia. “During the reign of Haile Selassie I, several Berelés now in the museum featured the image of the Italian royal family,” Abel said. “These were later altered by etching a cross over the glass.”

The same pattern of revision followed the tides of politics: vessels adorned with the Imperial Crown were subsequently reworked by the Derg regime to display its ruling committee.

Making Tej at Home

While commercial brands offer convenience, many Ethiopians still prefer homebrewed t’ej, often enjoyed in t’ej bets (honey wine houses).

My other site, All About T’ej, features detailed, step-by-step instructions for making t’ej in your home, although I have done a post on this blog that shows you how to make t’ej. Or you can watch my eight-minute video, Making Tej, which more than 11,000 people have visited. (It’s also at the bottom of this page.)

Here’s an easy recipe to start your adventure into Ethiopian honey wine.

Ingredients:

63 oz (1 gallon) spring water (don’t use distilled water)
2 oz dried gesho leaves or sticks (available online or in specialty markets)
1 gallon glass jar with a lid
Optional: raisins for added sweetness

Instructions:

Sterilize Your Equipment: Make sure all your tools and the glass jar are thoroughly sterilized.
Mix Honey and Water: Pour the water into a large, sterilized glass jar or fermenter. Stir in the honey until it’s completely dissolved.
Add Gesho: Submerge the dried gesho leaves or sticks into the honey-water mixture. Loosely cover the jar with a lid or cloth to allow gases to escape during fermentation.
Ferment: Place your jar in a warm, dark area where the temperature stays between 70-80°F. Allow the mixture to ferment for 2-3 weeks. Check occasionally, and skim off any foam or sediment that forms on the surface. This is part of the natural process.
Strain and Adjust: After fermentation, carefully strain out the gesho and taste your Tej. If it’s too bitter for your liking, you can stir in a bit more honey or toss in some raisins to enhance the sweetness.
Bottle and Age: Transfer your Tej to sterilized bottles and refrigerate for an additional week or two. This aging period allows the flavors to mellow and harmonize, giving the wine a smoother, more refined taste.

Celebrate your success and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Because making t’ej is a simple, natural process, not much can go wrong. Scientists have found numerous species of yeast in t’ej, but the dominant one is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Any wine can turn “bretty” if the unwelcomed yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis finds its way into the mix. Even professional winemakers have to watch out for Bret. You might also find biofilm forming on top of your t’ej: These are micro-organisms in the air that dive into the sugar-rich mixture and begin gobbling up the nitrogen, thus choking off t’ej yeasts. There’s an easy fix for both of these: Just add the tiniest bit of D-47 commercial yeast, and that’ll overpower the biofilm and the Bret.

Cultural Significance and Modern Interpretations

Tej is more than just a beverage; it’s an integral part of Ethiopian culture, playing a central role in social gatherings, religious ceremonies, and everyday life. It’s a reminder that the Berelé-once a vessel for honey wine-remains, in form and spirit, a vessel for memory.

But with shifting social practices and the spread of modern customs, the Berelé slowly receded from everyday life. Today it is more often prized as a cultural symbol than as a household necessity.

When you buy crisp clear t’ej from a winery, it’s been thoroughly filtered and refined. But in an Ethiopian t’ej bet, the wine is raw and unrefined. Ethiopians call this defres (unfiltered) or lega (young).

Finally, when you drink your t’ej, be sure to make the Ethiopian toast: Letenachin.

Whether it’s through Tej’s centuries-old recipe or our modern meads, there’s something timeless about honey-based beverages. They tell stories of culture, history, and global connection-all in one sip.

By the way, you may notice that I sometimes write t’ej and other times tej. The “t” at the beginning of the word is an explosive consonant, spoken with a slight burst of air, which the apostrophe represents. When I first created All About Tej, I decided to keep it simple and write t’ej. I made the same choice in naming Ferenj Tej. For this blog, I chose to be more “authentic” and write t’ej. In English, either is OK.