What is "tella"

Tella or Talla ( "säwa") is a traditional beer from Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is brewed from various grains, typically teff and sorghum. Depending on region, barley, wheat, or maize may be used, also spices can be added. Dried and ground gesho leaves are used for fermentation. Due to the addition of bread and use of a fermentation vessel which has been smoked over dried olive wood or Abyssinian rose wood, Tella may have a smoky flavour. The alcohol content of unfiltered Tella is usually around 2–4 Volume percent, filtered Tella contains about 5–6 vol%.

Tella is often home-brewed. It may be offered in tella houses (tellabet), usually in regular homes, where people meet and talk to each other.