Goan Feni – Celebration of Life

Just as Scotch is synonym to Scotland and Champagne with France Feni is associated with Goa.
Fenny or Feni is the name given to the Indian liquor that is made exclusively from the juice of coconut or cashew apple. A native of Goa, the Goan Feni is considered to be of the most superior quality. Made by crushing the cashew apples, the juice is collected in Kodem (an earthen pot) and is buried in the ground. The traditional method of obtaining this drink involves the use of Coimbi (a rock on the hill carved like a basin with an outlet for the juice), where the pulp is arranged in shape of a cake and a cobblestone is used to extricate a juice called Neero, which is believed to be having medicinal properties that proves helpful in combating constipation.
Watching the production of this liquor on the hills is an absorbing and interesting experience. Bhann, a huge vessel is used to collect the juice and it acts as a closed boiler. The circular copper or earthen pot is an essential vessel. The process of distillation and vaporisation is continued and the juice is collected in the smaller pot. This process of distillation and vaporization is continued for at least three times to collect the puissant feni. This process takes up around 8 hours to complete and the entire surrounding is fused with the tantalizing aroma of the drink. Besides cashew feni, there is coconut feni which is distilled form the toddy that is collected of the coconut trees.
Feni is the pure fermented juice of the cashew apple and is used in cocktails. The liquor that is produced can be sorted in three categories. The first distillation gives the Urrac, which has the strength between 14 and 16 grao. It is light in comparison and is said to go well with orange and lemon. The second distillation gives Cazulo, which is comparatively stronger. However, the production of this has become anachronistic. The third and the final distillation marks the production of feni, whose quality is par excellence.
The high grade feni is considered to have 42% of alcohol and in Goa, they are available in excess. The most popular brands of feni are Cashyo, Reals and Big Boss. Superking is also one of the superior brand of feni.

The author of this article has tried to highlight the popular drink of Goa. In this article she has reflected upon the method of the preparation of this liquor which is very popular and rampant drink of the Goans. To read more of her works on Feni go to site

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