Chew Stick (Gouania lupuloides)

Family: Rhamnaceae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Gouania lupuloides or commonly known as Chew Stick is a shrub with arching branches of up to 12 m long. It can be found in Central America particularly in Panama to Mexico, and the Caribbean. The stems are bitter and aromatic and have been used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. Also, it is often chewed to clean the teeth and harden the gums. In Yucatan, root decoction is used as a gargle for sores in the mouth and throat.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Shoots

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

aromatic, bitter stems have been used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. — The aromatic, bitter stems have been used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer.; They are used to add flavour and body to a range of drinks including soda, ginger beer, root beer and root tonics.; This is a very agreeable bitter.; It is used as a substitute for hops in ginger beer, and cool drinks.

Habitat & North American Range

Dry, moist, or wet thickets or forest, most often in second-growth thickets, ascending from sea level to elevations of around 1,500 metres. (Zone 10)