Alcohol in India

[lisasian86]

What kinds of alcohol are served in India? I know you can get beer but I was wondering if there are any traditional types of alcohol there, forgive me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming most Indian people don't drink alcohol so was just curious about it.

 

[briannagodess]

Yes, there are actually lots of traditional alcohol types in India. A few worth mentioning are:

• Handia. You can find this traditional alcohol in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand. It is made of rice with rank tablets, of about 20 plus herbs.

• Apong. You can find this one in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It is made from fermented rice as well.

• Kallu. Found in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, this is made from fermenting the sap of palm trees. It tastes a bit sweeter as compared to other local drinks.

• Coconut Toddy. This one is made from fermented coconut sap, usually overnight. It can be found in Kerala.

• Chhaang. If you find yourself in the Himalayas, make sure to try out this local drink. It's made from fermenting millet and served hot.

• Feni. This is found in Goa mainly. It is made from cashew apple. It tastes pretty strong though.

• Kinnauri Ghanti. This can be found in Himachal Pradesh. It is made by combining apples and apricots. It's a pretty mild tasting alcoholic drink which some locals even drink on a daily basis.

I hope this helps you!

 

[OursIsTheFury]

Lots of local stuff if I am not mistaken. Several types of fermented wine, as well as fruits that would really tickle your fancy if you tried it. Lots of strong stuff as well, and I think if you are a traveler and you have a curiosity for the different drinks around the world, you gotta try and be more versatile and daring when ordering drinks, and not trying to just stick with what you know. Just my two cents though.

 

[jnorth88]

Most seems to be local wines produced from fermenting any sorts of fruits they have available. The list above is pretty decent, but there are more with with very local names. Just be open minded and give them all a try. Some are even good.

 

[Eminrac]

I was under the impression that Alcohol is banned in certain parts of India. I believe this is in effect in the states of Gujarat, Nagaland, and Manipur. I also think that Bihar banned the sale of alcohol sometime earlier this year.

 

[CaptainOblivious]

It is somewhat incorrect to say that most people in India don't drink alcohol, especially for the younger generation. The only downside is that there is a small social stigma attached to consuming alcohol (which, thankfully is declining rapidly). And to answer your question, yes, you can get almost any sort of alcohol you want in India, even predominantly Western liquor.

Hope I helped!

 

[Bonzer]

I tend to agree with the previous poster. It's incorrect to assume that Indians don't drink. But, yes some degree of social stigma is still present and some indifference to drinking(which I'd say, unfortunately, is fast eroding).

What kinds of drinks are served? Answer: Pretty much everything.