Traditional Wines of Northeast
North east, comprises of eight states namely- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim popularly known as North eastern region of India, is home to many tribes like Dimasa, Kuki, Karbi, Boro, Ahom, Missing and so many, having different traditional foods and traditional drinks, cultures and so on. The Northeast is a land of diverse climates, culture, tradition, agricultural practices, etc. However, every destination has its own cultural diversity , ethnic values that reflects in its customs, traditions, languages, beliefs, and most importantly in local foods and beverages.
In this fast paced world, visitors are willing to know and experiencing the local culture, arts and crafts, delicious cuisines as well as tasting the traditional drinks. In case of Northeast India, each state has its own traditional drinks or rice beer, which you must try once in a life as the drinks are also considered as an inevitable part of culture and traditions of local ethnic communities.
In this blog we will explore the unique traditional wines of Northeast, India that made from sticky rice or certain herbs. Let embark on the journey to explore traditional drinks of Northeast India:
Let’s find out the 14 Traditional Wines of Northeast
1. Judima
Judima is a traditional home made rice wine, made by mixing traditional herbs with steamed sticky rice. It takes around week to prepare and has sweet flavour. It is the ethnic beverage associated with the Dimasa tribe of Northeast, India. In 2021, Judima has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and become the first drink from Northeast to be awarded GI tag.
2. Naara Aaba, Kiwi wine
Naara Aaba is an organic kiwi wine made from organically harvested kiwis. It is considered as the first ever kiwi wine in India made from organic kiwi fruits that are harvested in rural backyards. It is Arunachal based Indian wine served in Chinese bottle.
3. Chhaang
Chhaang is a Tibetan and Napalese alcoholic beverage with very low content of alcohol around 5% tp 7% .This beverage is made from highland barley, millet or rice and found in the eastern mountain region of the Sikkim which help in fighting with conditions like common cold, flu, fever also gives energy and provides nutrition.
4. Zutho – Traditional Wines of Northeast
Zutho is a rice fermented beverage, originating from the Northeastern state of Nagaland. It is the drink of Angami Nagas, Chakhesang Nagas and commonly consumed by all Nagas of Nagaland. This indigenous rice drink play vital role in socio-cultural life of people.
5. Zawlaidi
Zaulaidi is a grape fermented beverage, originating from the Northeastern state of Mizoram. This beverage has distinct flavor and aroma which will surely enchant you. It is grape wine famous for its bubbly taste.
6. Apong/Sai mod – Traditional Wines of Northeast
Apong or sai mod is a rice fermented beer, originating from the Northeastern state. It is a signature traditional drink of Missing tribe in Majuli and also prepared by the Missing community of Northeast, India. Apong is locally reffered as Sai mod, here’s sai means ash and mod means liquor.
7. Xaj pani
Xaj pani is a rich traditional rice beer of the Ahom community of Northeastern state of Assam. The ingredients of Xaj pani are bora, traditional gluttonous rice. However this traditional rice beer is made by mixing rare species of herbs with fermented rice and having alcoholic content around 5% to 7%.
8. Jou Bishi
Jou bishi is a fermented rice beer prepared by the Boro Community of Assam. It is a local rice beer prepared by Boros. Jou is prepare from fermented cooked rice (jumai) with locally starte east cake (Amao /angkur), is traditionally prepared from 7 plant species.
9. Chuwak
Chuwak is a popular and most expensive herbal rice beer of Tripura, used to treat several nervous disorder, constipation, common cold-flu, skin disease, jaundice, etc. The chuwak fermented rice beer is famous for its pleasant non-aggressive unique aroma taste.
10. Bitchi
Bitchi is a fermented rice beer, brewed only in Garo hills of Meghalaya. The beer is looks like- honey mixed in water, brown and golden in color, with a nice smoky-sweet flavour and an important part of every ceremony performed by Janatia and Khasi tribe of Meghalaya, Northeast.
11. Lau Pani
Lau pani is a typical beverage, which is made from fermented rice and primarily brewed by the Ahom community of Northeastern state Assam. For making lau pani , you must need rice mixing with several dried herbs like- bon jaluk, jaluk (peeper), jackfruit leaf, piper longum, guava leaf, and so on.
12. Yu
Yu is the local rice fermented beer of Meitei community of Northeastern state Manipur. It is an age-old traditional alcoholic beverage known for its mixture taste of sweet and bitter. This traditional rice beer is known to be smoothest rice fermented beer of Northeast.
13. Sujen
Sujen is a popular local traditional rice beer prepared by the oldest settlers i.e Deori tribe of Northeastern state, Assam. Sujen plays a vital role in the socio-cultural life of Deori tribe and during festivals, this traditional rice beer considered to be holy water by Deori priests.
14. Hor-alank
Hor alank is the traditional rice fermented alcoholic beverage of Karbi community of Assam. There is an age-old tradition of preparing this beverage by fermenting cooked rice with Thap (a locally prepared yeast culture). Hor-alank is an integral part of sio-cultural life of Karbi community of Assam .