The most popular and famous drink in Goa is called Feni. It is served in many of the bars, restaurants and four star hotels. Goa is known for its Feni production, sometimes referred to as Fenny. This is one drink that has a very high alcohol content, and those not familiar with the effects should be very careful as it is quite easy to become pretty intoxicated in a short amount of time. There are two different kinds of Feni , one is made from cashews and the other from coconut juice. Both are made by fermenting the fruits. Many cities in India produce Feni, but the Goan fenis are considered to be superior to those produced in other regions.

The distillation process is very tedious and requires a lot of time and effort. With the cashew Feni, the nuts are manually crushed and the juice is collected in a ceramic pot. This is buried far under ground to allow for the fermentation process. Just about four percent of the juice will become alcohol. This is then distilled in large copper basins. When the juice is boiled, the alcoholic steam that rises is collected and put into a condenser for the cooling process. This whole process is done three separate times, with different kinds of Feni being produced each time. The first drink, Urrack, is very low in alcohol content. The second, produces a drink called Cazulo, which is a bit stronger. The third, and the most popular is the true Feni. This is the intoxicating liquor that is most popular. Many drink Feni straight up, but some prefer to mix it with soda and lemons, or just regular cola. Just as with fine wine, Feni’s main attribute that distinguishes the various qualities, is the aroma. Just as many visit the wine countries of California, France and Italy, many connoisseurs travel to Goa for a bit of tasting and quite a lot of fun.

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