You may have tried exotic drinks from around the globe, but your experience is incomplete if you haven’t stocked these homegrown brews. These local spirits are found in specific regions in the country, and made with assorted ingredients.
Chhaang: A popular drink in the North East and Nepal, this beverage is made from barley, millet (finger-millet) or rice grains. This brew is fermented for a minimum of seven to ten days. Once fermented, hot water is added to the brew. This drink is served hot in brass bowls or wooden mugs when the weather is cold.
Mahua: Typically an alcoholic summer drink, this spirit is derived from the Mahua tree — the flowers are fermented for alcohol. The tree holds a sacred significance for tribes because of their medicinal values. Though the drink is popular among local tribes, it is illegal in Jharkhand, and is often sold locally in small glasses.
Toddy: Mildly intoxicating and sweet, the juice collected from the flowers of coconut or palm trees is fermented. When distilled and fermented for a longer duration, it produces a much stronger alcohol called arrack.
