Feni

SANJAY_DEL

Pardon me my ignorance, but cud someone plz answer: How is the Goan cashew Feni?
Is it like beer?
What is the approx. alcohol content?
Is it safe to drink? (In terms of some local brews which can possibly contain methanol).
What does a bottle of feni cost?

ananda2193

Feni is rocket fuel. A homemade distillation from cashews or coconut, with lime or lemon and possible other flavors infused. It tastes pretty nasty to me, but when mixed with limca it's not too bad. Drunk many a bottle, as it's real cheap. 1 liter costs from 40-70 depending who you get it from. I used to get a 1 1/2 liter bottle for 70.
It's about as strong as any distilled drink.
As far as safe. I wouldn't drink it everyday for long periods. I know of some locals who drank alot of it and their not the same anymore.
But occasionally I would say no problem. It's surely safe to try it as long as it's made by a reputable person.

Here's a link of how they make it.

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel...-Goa-BR-1.html

SANJAY_DEL

Thank you, for the info.

cyberhippie

The coconut version is made from the toddi or Coconut Palm sap!! Which is then distilled, Doesn't taste anything like coconut I may add!!
There are also many varients such a ginger, lemongrass, jeera (which was suprisingly nice)

Shame I'm not in Goa, my landlord, Juan Miguel, makes it in the shed out the back!! I could have given you a guided tour of the tapping process and distillation!!

If you're a couple, make sure you both drink it's because it makes you sweat feni, yuch!!

GoanCanuck

Also makes your mouth stink. Using a mouthwash is of no use.

SANJAY_DEL

I read somewhere that feni has 40% alcohol content. Is that true?

crvlvr

I found the coconut feni quite pleasant, when mixed with Limca. The best ones were those offered at the shacks that came out of strange containers that lead me to belive that they were distilled in the backyard.

But, then I heard that the local distillers were using all sorts of chemicals like quick lime (calcium hydroxide) to improve the yield, I stopped.

One thing I did learn, was that if I mixed drinking it with any kind of alcohol, it gave me a bad headache that lasted for days.

sanjay, you'll find the answers to some of your questions here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenny

New-South-Welshman

40%? That isn't as strong as I expected. Never had it, but I will soon, I got the feeling that it was over 60%, because that's what Absinthe is, at least.

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cyberhippie

Yeah it's around 40%, and it also has a kind of ambience to it, rather like Absinthe!!

SANJAY_DEL

Yet they keep comparing feni to beer, which has just 8% alcohol.

SANJAY_DEL

According to Wiki, feni is 42% alcohol, and "Big Boss" is the 'best brand'. So which do you think, are the good brands of feni? What does a bottle of Big Boss cost in Goa?

cyberhippie

Find a local distiller of note, I'm convinced this is where you will find the best Feni!!
Try Jeera Feni, sounds strange but it works!!

Nattusbs

Sanjay

You are right. In 2002 April-May I visited India and spent a week at the Marriott Resorts in Goa. I got to know the staff, especially the chef doing the BBQ grill. I wanted to buy a bottle of Fenny. One of the waiters took me on his motorcycle to a particular store and asked for Big Boss (it has a green label) - he said, that was the best and he was a local. I believe it costed about Rs100 or so.

Cheers

Nattusbs

New-South-Welshman

Which beer is 8%? Over here the norm is around 5% for a full stength beer.

cyberhippie

Haywards 5000, Knockout to name just a couple are all at least 8% alchohol. Even Kingfisher now make a stronger beer which is at least 8% if not more!!