Goa’s All About Alcohol Museum, which is home to hundreds of artefacts related to the traditional liquor feni, illustrates the long history of the Indian spirit.
Created by local businessman Nandan Kudchadkar, the museum has opened in a small town in the western Indian state of Goa. It houses hundreds of artefacts relating to feni, including traditional shot dispensers, mud pots and glass garafaos (vats), some dating back to the 1500s.
According to CNN, the museum is divided into five rooms, with each telling different stories about the feni manufacturing and distilling processes. For feni enthusiasts, an in-house feni tasting and pairing session is also available.
"The objective behind starting the museum was to make the world aware of Goa’s rich heritage, especially the story of feni and the legacy of the alcohol trail from Brazil to Goa," Nandan Kudchadkar told Indo-Asian New Service.
Feni is either made from the fermented juice of cashew apples or the sap of coconut palm. Cashew feni earned the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2013, meaning cashew feni is protected legally like tequila or Champagne, according to Business Standard.
Nandan Kudchadkar, who is passionate about collecting antiques, wants to preserve Goa’s heritage and culture – and tell the story of feni to the world. And he has the support of local politicans. “Goa gets its first alcohol museum, which will support indigenous breweries, and even project the history of world-famous feni. It will promote local manufacturers, and will empower the business,” member of parliament Vinay Tendulkar shared on Twitter.
