Adi Apong, a traditional home-brewed rice beer of the Adi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, has been an integral part of the community’s cultural identity for generations. The heritage beverage received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in January 2024. Now, a women-led start-up is working to preserve this indigenous brew while creating livelihood opportunities for local women and farming households.
When politician-turned-entrepreneur Oter Ering Tayeng launched Siang Beverages Private Limited in December 2024, she had two principal objectives: to preserve the traditional art of brewing Adi Apong and create sustainable income opportunities for village women and farmers. Her efforts are now beginning to bear fruit.
Based in Ayeng village in East Siang district, the enterprise specialises in three traditional varieties—Píjin Apong, Po:ro Apong and Mirung Apong. Prepared using natural, locally sourced ingredients, the beverages contain no artificial preservatives.
Established to preserve indigenous Adi brewing knowledge, the start-up combines traditional fermentation practices with hygienic processing, filtration,quality control, bottling and modern packaging. Its primary raw materials include rice, millet and traditional herbs sourced from local farmers. Oter says Apong is inseparable from Adi culture and forms an important part of Adi celebrations, festivals, rituals and social gatherings.
“Po:ro Apong is our heritage wine, prepared using age-old techniques passed down through generations. It has a distinctive smoky flavour that sets it apart from many other rice-based beverages of the Northeast,” she says.
She is among the first entrepreneurs in Arunachal Pradesh to professionally bottle and package Apong.Traditionally prepared fresh Apong has a relatively short shelf life, she says.“My wine lasts six to seven months. Enhancing the shelf life of our traditional rice wine and introducing it in premium bottled packaging is a milestone. It reflects our commitment to preserving our rich cultural heritage while embracing innovation and creating new opportunities for future generations,” says Oter.
The preparation of Apong begins with cooking rice, which is then spread out and allowed to cool to room temperature. A traditional fermentation starter, locally known as ‘Siiye’, is prepared using medicinal herbs and naturally occurring microorganisms. Once the rice has cooled, it is mixed with Siiye and transferred to a clean, sanitised fermentation vessel. The mixture is generally left to ferment for more than a month. For Po:ro Apong, carefully burnt rice husk is added during fermentation to give the beverage its distinctive smoky flavour. The burnt rice husk is thoroughly removed during filtration, ensuring that the final beverage is clear and properly processed before bottling.
The GI recognition has brought increased attention to Adi Apong, which is also traditionally brewed in neighbouring Assam. “My Apong is organic. We procure paddy, rice, millet and other raw materials from women and farmers in nearby villages. I also engage some of them, along with members of self-help groups, to produce the wine, which I then purchase. After procuring it, I process the product to improve its quality and add value,” says Oter. She and her daughter-in-law, Tiyem Perme, are the directors of the start-up, which has provided direct employment to six people.
The enterprise also creates income opportunities for women and farming households by sourcing raw materials locally and purchasing Apong produced by members of self-help groups. The products have been showcased at exhibitions, cultural festivals, buyer-seller meets and government-supported events.