Sulai

Last updated

Sulai is a rectified spirit brewed in the Northeast Indian state of Assam. [1] [2] A clear, colourless alcohol, Sulai is known as tharra in north India, handia or pheni in Nepal, and referred to as country liquor in colloquial parlance. It is generally brewed from fermented molasses or occasionally rice.

Contents

Preparation

In the traditional method, molasses or unrefined treacle are first fermented in a large tin or drum. This is an anaerobic process carried out under controlled conditions of temperature and pH, wherein reducing sugars are broken down to ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. [3]

The fermented molasses are then distilled in a large cylindrical metallic vessel continuously over firewood in an earthen oven. Above the main cylinder, a perforated container is placed, inside of which is a metallic collector kept on an iron tripod. The metallic collector is where the distillate sulai is collected. The bottom of the condenser vessel is plastered with mud to prevent excess ventilation during distillation.

Apparatus by which Sulai is distilled from fermenting molasses Sulai Distilling Apparatus.jpg
Apparatus by which Sulai is distilled from fermenting molasses

Water is replaced three to five times after it is heated. Condensed Sulai is collected in a small metallic vessel. The strength of the brew is determined by the number of times water is replaced, with the amount of untreated alcohol being higher when this is done fewer times. [4]

Sulai is generally stored in clear, glass bottles. It has a strong pungent odour and is therefore often brewed in fields or away from people's homes. As the brew does not undergo multiple distillation, it has a very high alcohol content and is considered a rectified spirit. [5] Alcohol content can be as much as 40-45%. [3]

History and political economy of manufacture

Sulai is frequently referred to as country spirits, a term that was introduced by the East India Company in 1856 in reference to native modes of liquor preparation. [6] The company began to levee a tax, known as abkaree, for the manufacture and retail of Sulai. Under this monthly tax system, the holder of a license (mahaldar) for country spirits could not brew more than ten gallons per day. [6] Licensed distilleries were both private and government-owned. To each distillery was attached an excise establishment consisting of a daroga and a few peons. The spirit manufactured was tested with a hydrometer and measured by the daroga without whose knowledge no spirit could be removed from the distillery. [6] This regulation of manufacture meant that the brewing of sulai without a permit was illicit, a law that continues to hold in Assam today.

Although illegal, certain rural people in Assam are economically dependent on sulai, which is commonly sold in liquor stills (sulai bhatti) and private retail units.

Consumption and cultural references

Sulai is generally drunk directly without addition of water. Fried meat or any other curry is a frequent accompaniment. Traditionally, sulai is consumed by people from lower caste ethnic groups. Significant stigma is associated with consuming the brew, and scholars have argued that elites have historically constituted it as a drink of the 'lowly' classes. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

Vodka Clear distilled alcoholic beverage

Vodka is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is made by distilling liquid from fermented cereal grains. Potatoes have been used in more recent times, and some modern brands use fruits, honey, or maple sap as the base.

Whisky Distilled alcoholic beverage

Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are often old sherry casks or may also be made of charred white oak.

Brandy Spirit produced by distilling wine

Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with caramel colouring to imitate the effect of aging, and some are produced using a combination of both aging and colouring. Varieties of wine brandy can be found across the winemaking world. Among the most renowned are Cognac and Armagnac from southwestern France.

ThaiBev Thai beverage company

Thai Beverage, better known as ThaiBev (Thai: ไทยเบฟ), is Thailand's largest and one of Southeast Asia's largest beverage companies, with distilleries in Thailand, UK, and China. It is owned by Thai Chinese billionaire business magnate Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi. Listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, Thai Beverage plc has a market capitalization in excess of US$13 billion.

Ouzo is a dry anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece. It is made from rectified spirits that have undergone a process of distillation and flavoring. Its taste is similar to other anise liquors like rakı, arak, pastis, and sambuca.

Pot still Distillation apparatus for flavored liquors

A pot still is a type of distillation apparatus or still used to distill flavoured liquors such as whisky or cognac, but not rectified spirit because they do not effectively separate congeners. Pot stills operate on a batch distillation basis. Traditionally constructed from copper, pot stills are made in a range of shapes and sizes depending on the quantity and style of spirit desired.

Column still Apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures consisting of two columns

A column still, also called a continuous still, patent still or Coffey still, is a variety of still consisting of two columns. Column stills can produce rectified spirit.

Feni (liquor) Alcoholic spirit produced in Goa, India

Feni is an alcoholic spirit produced in Goa, India. The two most popular types of feni are Cashew feni and Coconut feni, depending on the original ingredient; however, many other varieties are sold. The small-batch distillation of feni has a fundamental effect on its final character, which still retains some of the delicate aromatics, congeners, and flavour elements of the juice from which it was produced.

<i>Baijiu</i> Chinese distilled liquor

Baijiu, also known as shaojiu (烧酒/燒酒), is a colourless liquor typically coming in between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). Each type of baijiu uses a distinct type of for fermentation unique to the distillery for the distinct and characteristic flavour profile.

Pálinka Central European alcohol

Pálinka is a traditional fruit spirit in Eastern and Central Europe with origins in Hungary, more exactly known under several names, and invented in the Middle Ages. Protected as a geographical indication of the European Union, only fruit spirits mashed, distilled, matured and bottled in Hungary, and similar apricot spirits from four provinces of Austria can be called "pálinka", while "Tótpálinka" refers to wheat-derived beverages. Törkölypálinka, a different product in the legal sense, is a similarly protected pomace spirit that is commonly included with pálinka. While pálinka may be made of any locally grown fruit, the most common ones are plums, apricots, apples, pears, and cherries.

Arrack Distilled alcoholic drink typically produced in South and Southeast Asia

Arrack is a distilled alcoholic drink typically produced in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, made from the fermented sap of coconut flowers or sugarcane, and also with grain or fruit depending upon the country of origin. It is sometimes spelled arak, or simply referred to as 'rack or 'rak. It is not to be confused with the anise-flavored distilled spirit called arak or araq.

History of alcoholic drinks

Purposeful production of alcoholic drinks is common and often reflects cultural and religious peculiarities as much as geographical and sociological conditions.

Indian whisky Type of distilled liquor produced in India

Most distilled spirits that are labelled as "whisky" in India are a form of Indian-made foreign liquor, commonly blends based on neutral spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky, usually about 10 to 12 percent. Outside India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum. According to the Scotch Whisky Association's 2013 annual report, unlike the European Union (EU), "there is no compulsory definition of whisky in India, and the Indian voluntary standard does not require whisky to be distilled from cereals or to be matured. Very little Indian 'whisky' qualifies as whisky in the EU owing to the use of molasses or neutral alcohol, limited maturation and the use of flavourings. Such spirits are, of course, considerably cheaper to produce than genuine whisky." Such molasses-based blends make up 90 percent of the spirits consumed as "whisky" in India, although whisky wholly distilled from malt and other grains, is also manufactured and sold.

Rum Distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane

Rum is a liquor made by fermenting then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Most rums are produced in Caribbean and North and South American countries, but also in other sugar-producing regions, such as the Philippines and Taiwan.

Alcoholic drink Drink containing alcohol (ethanol) derived from fermentation of sugars

An alcoholic drink is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar that acts as a drug. The consumption of alcoholic drinks, often referred to as "drinking", plays an important social role in many cultures. Most countries have laws regulating the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Regulations may require the labeling of the percentage alcohol content and the use of a warning label. Some countries ban such activities entirely, but alcoholic drinks are legal in most parts of the world. The global alcoholic drink industry exceeded $1 trillion in 2018.

Moonshine is a generic term for distilled alcoholic beverages made throughout the globe from indigenous ingredients reflecting the customs, tastes, and raw materials for fermentation available in each region. The term commonly applies to small-scale production, which is often illegal or tightly regulated in many countries.

Desi daru Type of liquor

Desi Daaaru, also known as Desi Sharaab is a category of liquor made in the countryside of the Indian subcontinent, one of whose variants is tharra. It is traditionally prepared from a procedure that has been passed down for centuries. It is the primary and most popular alcoholic beverage in most of northern India particularly the rural parts. It is fermented and distilled from molasses, a by product of sugarcane. Desi liquor is a broad term and it can include both legally and illegally made local alcohol. The term desi daru usually refers to legal alcohol while other types of desi liquor may be categorised as moonshine alcohol. It has been consumed in India since ancient times and is known by different names in different parts of the country.

Intoxicants in Sri Lanka are legal in certain contexts. One can legally buy most alcohols, tobaccos, and certain herbals through licensed ayurvedic shops, who are provided the raw materials by the Ministry of Health and then compelled to produce solutions/products that are then sold to the public. It is also possible to purchase tobacco from convenience stores and alcohol from several licensed stores.

Outline of whisky Outline of the knowledge of whisky

Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used in different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak.

References

  1. http://www.xobdo.org/asm/চুলাই [ dead link ]
  2. Barua,M. (2013). "Volatile ecologies: towards a material politics of human-animal relations". Environment and Planning A. 46 (6): 1462–1478. doi:10.1068/a46138. S2CID   144550925 . Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 Satyawali Y., Balakrishnan M. (2010). "Wastewater treatment in molasses-based alcohol distilleries for COD and color removal: A review". Journal of Environmental Management. 86 (3): 481–497. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2006.12.024. PMID   17293023.
  4. Tamang, J.P. (2010) Himalayan Fermented Foods: Microbiology, Nutrition, and Ethnic Values. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida
  5. Tamang J.P. (2012) Plant-Based Fermented Foods and Beverages of Asia. pp. 49-92 in Y.L. Hui editor. Handbook of plant-based fermented food and beverage technology. Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, Florida.
  6. 1 2 3 Goswami S. (1987) Aspects of Revenue Administration in Assam, 1826-1874. Mittal Publications, New Delhi
  7. Chatterjee P (2003). "An Empire of Drink: Gender, Labor and the Historical Economies of Alcohol". Journal of Historical Sociology. 16 (2): 183–208. doi:10.1111/1467-6443.00201.