I've been drinking Mavi since I can remember. The flavor is ingrained in my taste buds (or brain); I know when it tastes bad or when it's the best 'I've ever tasted. And now, my son's claim the same faculty
I admit that I'm not privy to the "original" Juana Diaz formula, but I've certainly drank it. In Puerto Rico, people have said to me, "this is the mavi champan, they make it with ginger, cinnamon, and other spices" and of course it is fermented. And you believe it's good when the foam pushes out of the little hole from the cap of the plastic gallon container. The taste is magnificent!
So here in NYC, this puerto rican is searching for that formula...ie that Taste! And I think I've got it! My 24 year old son gave me the High Five the other day saying, "you've got it, Pa!"
But I'm simply following the general formula that's all over the internet. You know: the bark; ginger; cinnamon; the five minute boil; the two sugars; and now, the 'pie'.
But I didn't always have the pie, and I didn't bother going to the BRONX and buying an already made gallon of the magic stuff. So I profoundly said to myself,"what came first, the chicken or the egg?". And so I pitched in some yeast to that first batch.
After a couple of tries, I got the thumbs up from my boys. I used a dry Ale yeast: us-05 or equivalent; and then on another try, I pitched the 1118 wine champaign yeast. I've even tried the bakers yeast which rendered a fine street-wise mavi taste. All good. [I also add orange peel and a few cloves to the boil].
I love my mavi. Now, could it be like that secret 'Champan' formula one? Hmmmm.
