10 local alcoholic beverages of India

There is something more exotic and homely about the local alcoholic beverages, especially in India. The charisma of desi daaru is unique and outstanding. Here, we present you a list of desi daaru or local alcoholic beverages found in diverse regions of the country.

#1

Bhaang

Considered as Lord Shiva’s Elixir, Bhang is the most common local beverage to get high. Popular in the northern parts of the nation, it is prepared by crushing the marijuana leaves to make a paste and combining the paste with milk, mangoes, ghee, and certain spices to get the bhang.

#2

Chhaang

Chhang is the local liquor of Ladakh and North-East region of India. It is a barley-based alcoholic beverage, also called as the ‘hot beer’. Chhaang is prepared and consumed by the local people for centuries on almost all the socio-cultural activities celebrated in Ladakh.

#3

Feni

Most popular local drink of Goa, Feni needs no introduction. Feni is prepared from cashew apple or coconut by fermenting it for four days. The beverage is used in cocktails as well to get unique taste and flavor. It is one of the cheapest options in Goa and has a major market share in Goa.

#4

Gudamba

A local beverage of Hyderabad that contains high alcohol content and caution is advised before its intake. The Gudamba is prepared from the sugarcane or raw Jaggery and few Indian spices. These ingredients are left for fermentation for a few days in homemade earthen containers to form Gudumba.

#5
Bangla

Bangla is the alcoholic beverage of West Bengal which is also offered to the Goddess Durga Maa during festivals. This local alcoholic drink is prepared by fermenting cooked rice for many days and tastes brilliantly strong.

#6
Handia

Handia also is known as Hadiya is a desi or local alcohol of Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Considered as local beer prepared by fermenting the boiled rice with a mix of about 20-25 herbs that act as fermenting agents.

#7
Zawlaidi

Zawlaidi is a famous local wine in Mizoram that contains 11-14 percent of alcohol. This mild alcohol is prepared from locally produced grapes and cheaper than other options available in the state. Its bubbly taste makes it a unique drink as compared to other alcoholic beverages in the state.

#8
Mahua

Mahua is prepared from the desiccated Mahua flowers, commonly found in abundant Mahua trees in jungles of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and West Bengal. The drink is made by fermenting flowers that grow on the tree. The beverage is highly intoxicating and should not be consumed in large portions.

#9
Lugdi

A mild and refreshing local drink prepared and consumed in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. The beverage is prepared by fermenting rice or barley.

#10
Toddy

Very popular alcohol prepared and consumed in Kerala, Toddy is one of the easiest beverages to make in the coastal areas. All it needs is to collect the flowers of the coconut trees and extract the juice from it and ferment to form a mildly alcoholic beverage with 5-10 percent of alcoholic content.

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