Brews Going Native

by Vikram Achanta, Rohan Jelkie

Indigenous alcohol is seeking its place in the sun — and at duty free

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Image: Minal Shetty

magine a holiday in Goa without a glass of Feni, or trekking in the Darjeeling hills without a swig of Chhang. Impossible, isn’t it? Yet, ask an overseas traveller about his alcoholic beverage experience of India, or the local bottle he plans to pick up at duty-free, and you’re likely to be met with a blank stare. Or be offered the local beer/wine spiel.

But it doesn’t have to be like this. India’s indigenous alcohol count may not match its cuisines, but every region has its own unique brew. A variety of reasons has, however, constrained their growth: Forget exports, not one is widely available across India. As Mahesh Madhavan, CEO for Bacardi in India, says, “To become a national drink, [any beverage] has to be available in top bars across the country before it can aspire to be a global drink.”

Consider Cachaça, a sugarcane product, 99 per cent of which is consumed within Brazil, according to Nick Woodward, director, Northern Europe and Travel Retail, of Sagatiba Cachaça. Or Pisco, Chile’s famed wine, which is distilled from grape skins and pulp after the first pressing-production; 80 percent of this is drunk by the home market. Further up the growth curve, Mexico’s Tequila — after first nailing the domestic market — now sells an astounding 65 percent of its annual production of 200 million litres in exports, an indication of just how far local brews can go.

So what’s stopping desi alcohols from going pan-Indian, like idli-dosa, or rosogolla? Beverage consultant Yangdup Lama sums it up succinctly: “First, alcohol is not regarded as a dignified subject in India. Two, there is a general lack of knowledge about it.”

However, in spite of the lack of official patronage (with the exception of one state government), a few small beverage companies have successfully co-opted traditional categories such as whisky, rum and liqueurs, and applied uniquely Indian twists to them. Do they have the potential to go all the way and wow the world, like Tequila? Or will they score a hit with desi palates first? We pick the winners, factoring in popularity, uniqueness, history/heritage, availability, commercial prospects and the success of the cuisine that normally accompanies the brew.

Goa in a Bottle
By turns considered an aphrodisiac, a diuretic, a curative, a laxative and, finally, a must-try local product in Goa, Feni has indeed come a long way. With a base of cashew apples or coconut and bottled at 42.8 percent alcohol, Feni production is more elaborate than other indigenous alcohols’, with a fermentation time of up to four days and a double distillation process.

Its consumption, too, is more evolved than other spirits’. “Feni is a versatile drink. It’s aromatic and pungent, and so a bit powerful on the palate, but it works fabulously as a cocktail mix,” says bartender Shawn D’Souza.

In Goa, the nutty, sweet Feni is commonly enjoyed with the famous spiced-and-smoked Portuguese-inspired sausage called chouriço. The meat is squeezed out of its casing into a ceramic bowl, poured over with Feni, and lit. If it catches fire easily, the Feni is of superior quality.

Almost all Goan restaurants, now have Feni-based cocktails. Says Bonny Perreira, partner of Martin’s Corner, Salcete, “In a day, we sell around 10-15 Martin’s Corner Special Cocktails, which uses palm Feni, pineapple juice, orange juice, Grenadine and Peach Schnapps. There definitely has been an increase in the sales over the past five years, as tourists find this a palatable way to consume Feni. We contract out the Feni production to a toddy tapper in our native village to ensure product quality and consistency.”

Accentuating the ‘apartness’ of Feni is the fact that it is the first Indian alcoholic beverage to possess a Geographical Indication (GI) registration, a sign that authentic Feni can only be sourced from Goa, catapulting it to the same league as Scotch, Champagne, Cognac and, closer home (and obviously non-alcoholic), Darjeeling Tea.

“There will not be a quantum leap in exports because of the GI status, but the certification will push Feni into the limelight of the global wine and spirits industry,” says Mac Vaz, president of the Goa Cashew Feni Distillers and Bottlers Association.

Potency: 42.8 percent
Travelability: High. As a distilled product, what you drink in Calangute is essentially what you can drink in Cuttack.
Tulleeho Rating: 6/10