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Summer has arrived; so has the urrak in Goa

'Urrak is a drink prepared using cashew apples, the juice is fermented and distilled to get urrak,' says Sandip Madkaikar
Last Updated 06 March 2021, 14:00 IST

So, as the first warm winds of summer lash across Goa, the changing season is synonymous with the arrival of the cultish alcoholic beverage, urrak, in the state's many local pubs and taverns.

While feni is a double distilled derived from fermented cashew apple juice, urrak is a single distillate, which packs a punch especially when it comes to the indigenous taste-buds, which have been accustomed to downing the brew, either with a simple dash of line and water or an ice-cold lemon drink to beat the heat.

"Urrak is a drink prepared using cashew apples, the juice is fermented and distilled to get urrak. The second distil will give us cashew feni. The Portuguese introduced cashew trees to Goa," says Sandip Madkaikar, assistant professor- Food Production at V M Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education, located in Raia in South Goa.

The cashew plant is believed to have been imported to Goa from Brazil by the Portuguese, who had colonised both regions in the 1700s. While Goa has been virtually synonymous with cashew nuts and feni, local residents have been toasting to urrak every summer, from March to May when the drink is brewed. Fresh cashew juice is fermented in large vats before it is distilled using traditional methods for urrak first and then feni.

"The locals prefer urrak over any other liquor brands as it is exclusively available during this time of the year and people eagerly wait for the arrival of urrak. The best way to have urrak is with lemonade or Limca and a dash of lime and chilly," Madkaikar said.

Just like in the case of wine or any other alcohol, the key to a good urrak lies in its aroma and the notes, which the drink inscribes on the palette. "Urrak has to be cloudy, about 30% (alcohol) and should have the aroma of fresh cashew," says Hansel Vaz founder of the popular feni brand 'Cazulo Premium Feni'.

Storing urrak has however been a challenge. The brew is available for just about three months a year because according to experts it lacks shelf life.
"Fine drinks like whiskey or feni have high alcohol content and spoilage is not an issue," says Clement Mark DeSylva, a master blender and a feni evangelist. "Sedimentation, which is common in urrak also leads to deterioration of urrak over time," he added.

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(Published 06 March 2021, 14:00 IST)

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