Local Alcohols of India That You Can Plan An Entire Trip Around

Local Alcohols or desi Daru have a charm of its own. Get intoxicated with local alcohol the next time you take yourself to a destination. Try and hunt down the Desi ones because they say there’s no parallel to them. There are all kinds of local alcohol - extremely soft, relatively mild and even tastefully drunk. Kick back and check these local alcoholic drinks out:

1. Chaang

A good substitute to beer in the hilly regions of India, Chaang is a very strong but satisfying liquor. It is widely found in the North and North Eastern region of India. It originated in the Tibetan and Nepalese region regions. Home preparations of Chaan are also worth giving a try.

Cities/States it is Found in: Jammu and Kashmir regions, Ladakh and Assam
Contents: Millet, barley, rice, and yeast.
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: It is rumored to be a drink of the Yeti.

2. Poro Apong

Another rice beer preparation of North East India, Poro Apong is a drink that you will relish but don't drink too much because this local beer can get to your head after only a glass or two and it will be difficult for you to head home alone.

Cities/States it is Found in: Arunachal Pradesh and Assam
Contents: Rice beer preparation which is green in colour.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: Belongs to the Mishing tribe of Assam.

3. Goan Feni

This local alcohol belongs to Goa and they take great pride in it. It is a perfect drink for a coastal getaway and it tastes heavenly if one is to believe other travelers. If you head to Goa, try to hit the unconventional drink by ditching the local beers and vodka choices.

Cities/States it is Found in: Goa
Contents: Cashews, ripened cashew apples.
Status after Two Drinks: Moderately Trippy
Quirky Fact: You can only find it in Goa as selling Feni outside the state is prohibited.

4. Chuwarak

A substitute for your high-end whiskeys is Chuwarak, a distilled variety of liquor. It's a premium local whiskey made with a lot of effort and ingredients. There is a variety in the availability of Chuwarak. The whiskey does well for itself amongst the locals and yes it will get you tipsy after a peg or two. So drink wisely but definitely take a sip when you are in the area.

Cities/States it is Found in: Tripura
Contents: Rice, pineapple or even jackfruit.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: The land of Fourteen God's takes great pride in this home production.

5. Gudamba

Gudamba is a recommended try from South India. It is highly addictive if you take an interest in this drink. It is a local produce of Hyderabad but off late, the government has to do away with this one due to mass consumption, Of course, you still get it! But make to not get caught while you indulge in this extremely strong alcohol.

Cities/States it is Found in: Hyderabad
Contents: Raw mangoes, jaggery, and few Indian spices.
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: Gudamba is so intoxicating that the government reduced the local beer prices to divert people from it.

6. Judima

Calling out to wine and dine fans! There is a local substitute for your branded wine. Judima is a popular production in the North East primarily and is not so strong in nature. It is again a rice wine which has a rich yet satiating taste to it. So smell the aroma and drink it to the lees. It is a must-try!

Cities/States it is Found in: Assam
Contents: Prepared with rice (white wine).
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: The wine is fed to newborns in Assam as it's said that it has the power to ward off evil.

7. Bangla

The drink of the Bengali's- Bangla is a favorite and preferred alcohol brand in Eastern India. It is a very popular local alcohol which is considered the drink of the lords. It is highly consumed during festivities to celebrate the coming of the Goddess Durga.

Cities/States it is Found in: West Bengal
Contents: Rice fermentation.
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: It is offered to Durga Maa during the time of festivities.

8. Kiad

Exclusively produced in the North East, this alcohol is quite famous and popularly consumed there. Jadoh stalls are the prime sellers of Kiad. It is a variation of rice beer. The locals have a way of drinking Kiad. They put a piece of charcoal in the liquor to balance out the drink due to its excess sweetness and tartness.

Cities/States it is Found in: Meghalaya
Contents: Rice preparation.
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: It is served in bamboo containers with charcoal.

9. Handia

This one's probably the only alternative local liquors with the least alcohol content. It is a well-known drink in the North and North East of India. It has herbal qualities and is a rice preparation. The drink is consumed frequently by people and in good quantities as the alcohol content is minimal.

Cities/States it is Found in: Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh
Contents: Fermented rice with Hadua Tablets (a mix of 25 herbs).
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: it is consumed by the locals to ease them from physical pain as it contains herbs.

10. Zawlaidi

Another one for the wine lovers. This is again a splendid local preparation and is also produced in household breweries of North- East regions of India. It is low on alcohol content but definitely delivers a lip-smacking taste. Zawalaidi is a premium quality wine of Lubrusca which specializes in the grape wine with an alcohol content of 11-14 percent only.

Cities/States it is Found in: Mizoram and Manipur
Contents: Grapes are crushed and fermented to perfection.
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: 80% of the population of Mizoram is engaged in producing Zawlaidi in the local breweries.

11. Zutho

Again, a fine produce of the North East, Zutho is a regional beer which is nothing short when compared to a high-end brand. Zutho has an incredible taste and it is a rice beer preparation. It is one of the most popular local beer in the region.

Cities/States it is Found in: Nagaland
Contents: Rice fermentation.
Status after Two Drinks: Moderately Trippy
Quirky Fact: The locals have different ways of fermenting it and Zutho can sometimes taste different from another bottle due to it.

12. Xaj

Assam's fine beer produce has traditions attached to it. It is served in copper containers only and it also has medicinal properties. Xaj is quite a hit among the locals and is consumed at a very regular basis.

Cities/States it is found in: Assam
Contents: Fermented rice and herbs.
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: Assamese dip their newborns in Xaj to bring good luck.

13. Lugdi

Himachal's favorite Lugdi is a well-known name to all of us (Movie buffs can relate). Himachal is a chilly region with extremely cold winters and to keep one warm, Lugdi is the solution. Again it has a rice preparation and just a step below Chaang as an alcoholic drink. It is a strong drink which is necessary to keep you warm in the freezing weather.

Cities/States it is Found in: Manali, Kullu valley and other parts of Himachal Pradesh.
Contents: Rice or millets and yeast for fermentation.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: You get a taste of wine if it has been well kept and rested before consumption.

14. Mahua

The name seems familiar as it stands for a flower too. But the taste of the flower is also incorporated in this local wine prepared from the same flowers from Central India. The tribals of the state put in a lot of labor to perfectly deliver Mahua.

Cities/States it is Found in: Jharkhand
Contents: Contains Mahua flowers which are fermented in a barrel.
Status after Two Drinks: Moderately Trippy
Quirky Fact: It has medicinal qualities to cure specific ailments.

15. Toddy

Todd is a drink regionally produced in South India. Consumed mostly by the local villagers, they look forward to drinking it after a long tiring day of work as it has qualities to cool and calm one down. It is not too strong a drink.

Cities/States it is Found in: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
Contents: contains the sap of coconut tree which is fermented a night before consumption.
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: the climber ( Gouds) harvest directly from the Palmyra tree.

16. Kesar Kasturi

As the name suggests, Kesar is a prime ingredient of it. If you relish scotch, then snooze the high-end brands that you drink. With a blended aroma of Saffron and Indian spices in your alcohol, get drunk off this super satiating drink.

Cities/States it is Found in: Rajasthan
Contents: Contains 21 Indian spices and Kesar in good quantity.
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: It was made for the Maharajas of Rajasthan to keep them high and buzzing.

17. Khodo ko Jaanr

A hot variant of local beer, Khodo Ko Jaanr is consumed with boiling water. It is famous in the North Eastern region of India and produced there too. It is a mild beer so you can drink quite a lot of it to get absolutely drunk!

Cities/States it is Found in: Assam
Contents: Made with finger millets.
Status after Two Drinks: Relatively Sober
Quirky Fact: It is named after the common name given to alcohol in Nepal which is Jaanr.

18. Kinnauri Ghanti/ Chulli

This one's a very flavourful and unique regional drink famous in Himachal Pradesh. It is for those who have developed or relish the taste of cognac as it is very similar to it. It tastes best with a fizzy drink or you can also drink it with water as per your taste. It also has medicinal qualities so it is good for consumption too.

Cities/States it is Found in: Kinnaur
Contents: Apples and apricots.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: It is consumed to release pain.

19. Sekmai Yu

A North Eastern wine, Sekmai Yu is a strong drink produced with a lot of effort and ingenuity of the North Easterns. It is a variant of rice wine. It is a common tradition to sip it around the Loktak Lake region.

Cities/States it is Found in: Manipur
Contents: Unpolished rice and hamei.
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: It is said that the person who makes it should not touch fruit otherwise the whole preparation is spoilt.

20. Raksi

A North Eastern preparation, Raksi is quite similar to vodka. It tastes close to Japanese Sake. It is a common home preparation and it plays a very important part of marriage ceremonies. It is said that the boy's side of the family takes Raksi in an offering to the girl's side so it has ceremonial qualities attached to it. It is a strong liquor which sends a velvety sensation down the throat.

Cities/States it is Found in: Sikkim
Contents: Rice or millets.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: it is said that Limoo priests drink this before participating in a ritual of soul possessions.

21. Arak

Arak is an unsweetened distilled drink which originated in the Mediterranean region of the world. It is a unique but super strong drink containing 60-90 percent of alcohol contents. It is a common homemade preparation and is completely colourless.

Cities/States it is Found in: Ladakh
Contents: Grapes and aniseeds which is fermented for three weeks.
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: Arak is a treasure trove and very rare to get your hands on.

22. Sonti

Sonti is again a rice based liquor resembling the Japanese Sake in alcohol contents. This one's famous in Central and Eastern India. It is high in alcohol content and has a long procedure. It is the perfect drink to beat the hot summers and to quench your thirst.

Cities/States it is Found in: Jharkhand, Orissa and Karnataka
Contents: Steamy rice fermentation.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: It is called Nihonshu in Japanese.

23. Tharra

It is a common North Indian alcohol preparation and the name might be familiar to many. It is a deadly drink which when consumed leaves you in a state of complete ecstasy and transports you to another world, not knowing if you may even wake up after a day. It is an illegal brew but widely prevalent.

Cities/States it is Found in: States of North India
Contents: Sugarcane and wheat husk with yeast fermentation
Status after Two Drinks: Decently Hammered
Quirky Fact: Bootleggers often cut higher quality liquor with tharra and the drinkers can't tell the difference.

24. Tongba

A preparation of the Nepalese origin,Tongba is found in Nepal's neighboring states in India. The drink is a Millet based drink. Offering this drink to the guests is marked as giving respect. It also plays an important role in festivities and celebrations. It is indigenous to the Limbu tribe of Eastern Nepal.

Cities/States it is Found in: Darjeeling and Sikkim
Contents: Whole grain millets which is prepared by fermenting in khesung.
Status after Two Drinks: Tastefully Drunk
Quirky Fact: Tongba is actually the vessel in which the drink is prepared. It is actually called Mandokpenaathee.

25. Sosyo

This drink is of Indian origin and popular in North-Western parts of the country. It was a product of the Swadeshi movement of the Indian independence struggle. It is a tasteful liquor with good flavours. It is called an aerated drink because it is sold in dry states of India.

Cities/States it is Found in: Surat- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
Contents: grapes and apple cider with some ingredients imported from Germany
Status after Two Drinks: Moderately Trippy
Quirky Fact: This drink was initially called Whisky No to attract people in the dry state of Gujarat as an alternative.

So here's the list that will enlighten you about the local alcohol of different regions of India and you dare not miss out on them if you are an alcohol buff and are travelling to these particular regions. Drink away and have fun with this local liquors to keep you tripping!

Are you excited to explore these drinks in India? Let us know about the drinks you've tried in the comments below

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