The quality of home brewed beverages (e.g., ogogoro) in Nigeria has been a source of concern for some time. However, the composition of these beverages remains largely unknown. In this pilot study samples of surrogate alcohol from the southeastern parts of Nigeria were analyzed for alcohol concentration, composition of volatile and non-volatile components and water quality. The results showed that the samples contained concentrations of alcohol that were in agreement with those previously reported for ogogoro. However, the concentrations of other components (e.g., methanol, lead) were well below those associated with acute toxic effects. One sample contained an unknown additive and was being sold as an ‘antimalarial’. The implications of these findings are discussed.