Secrets of FENI : More than an alcoholic beverage

Talking of Goa,  A well known drink of the beaches, “FENI” cannot be ignored. The drink has recorded itself as the Geographical Indicator of India( GI tagged) , i.e. it has its typical taste, flavor and aroma which cannot be found anywhere else in the WORLD. Feni is classified as a "country liquor", and is therefore not allowed to be sold outside the state of Goa. But going beyond the general knowledge,  Its is just not an alcoholic beverage but has numerous other benefits also.

How its made :

Feni or Fenny is made by fermentation and distillation of juice of cashew apples and hence is colorless. It has a strong fruity flavor, peculiar taste, strong aroma and astringent smell. The Feni is well known for its unique fruity flavor and traditional medicinal properties. Normally, the cashew apples, which have fully ripened and fallen on the ground, are distilled without the addition of any foreign ingredient to obtain Feni. Basically, Feni production is undertaken for a period of three months only, as the apples are available only during the months of March, April and May.

Goa is the only place where cashew apples are used for the production of the liquor called Feni.  Feni has a strong flavor and aroma which is unique as also the cashew apple. The production process is also unique as it requires skilled workers and the production secrets are not shared beyond the community, which is engaged in traditional production of Feni. 

How it’s named :

Feni is named after state of Goa, the place of its production and the word “Feni” is derived as such due to the fact that when the liquor is shaken in a bottle or poured in a glass, some froth/feena is formed which in the local Konkani language is known as “Feni”. Reportedly, Feni is being produced at least for the last 450 years. Crushing, fermentation and distillation are still practiced by the traditional method all over the state and thus gives employment to thousand of local people.