KOCHI: Though Malayalis have polarised views about politics and films, when it comes to drinks, there is only one opinion. Their affair with alcohol is well-known. In fact, it is so ingrained in popular culture that having a peg or two is a mainstay of movies here.
Among the many varieties fielded on the silver screen, it was ‘naadan vaatt charayam’ that caught the Malayali imagination. The drink, prepared in quaint little sheds and savoured with meat, was a common sight until its ban in 1996.
It’s been 27 years since. Though tidbits of local arrack remain prevalent in quiet corners of the state, the drink was far from ready to make a big comeback. Until now. Two youngsters – Ajith Padmakumar from Vaikom and Sajish Joseph from Ernakulam – have launched an arrack brand called Taika in Canada. With this, the duo is not only rekindling the spirits of the Malayali community but also quenching the fascination of foreigners.
It was Sajish, a chef, who first nursed the idea of brewing arrack. “I began my experiment during the lockdown days. In Canada, it is legal to brew in small quantities. I was inspired to try it after tasting the peach-flavoured arrack at a friend’s place. The fruity taste lingered in my mouth for a long time. I began with the traditional Kerala recipe. It was not new to me as my grandfather used to brew during Christmas and other special occasions. The recipe has stayed in our family,” says Sajish.
Ajith, who works as a project manager in an IT firm and runs many businesses, tried the preparation and was very impressed. “It had a premium quality and smooth taste,” Ajith recalls. It was he who encouraged Sajish to start a business. Retaining the authenticity of the recipe, Sajish and Ajith tweaked the ingredients to make it likeable to all taste palates. “At first, the taste of spices was too overwhelming. After several iterations, we got the note right,” Ajith says.
The drink is primarily made with spices and natural fruits. “No artificial flavours are added,” Ajith stresses. According to the founders, their product is reminiscent of whiskey and rum but more potent with fruity flavours, making it an ideal base for a variety of cocktails. Three years later, what started as a brewing experiment in Sajish’s kitchen soon made its way to a distillery. Several batches were produced. There are many varieties – fruits, dates, jaggery, spices, and jathipathiri. “It takes 50 days to form one batch of unaged arrack,” Sajish says, adding, “We don’t use grains while preparing. Dates is a one-of-a-kind addition in arrack. Also, the presence of jaggery helps prevent a hangover.”
Taika means Tiger in the Maori language. This is symbolised in the tiger logo that dons the bottle’s label. “The logo has a tribal effect. On the back, we have a picture of the Sahya mountains, elephants, coconut trees, and a design of a KSRTC bus. This is displayed to evoke a sense of nostalgia among Malayalis,” Ajith says. It is common practice for Malayali brands launched outside India to don a name boasting some regional connect. The duo strayed away from this norm as their intention is to take the brand global. The drink goes well with many varieties of food items. “Some take slow sips and munch on freshly cut chilli-infused pineapples, blueberries, and grapes. For those who seek an authentic experience, we recommend boiled egg, kappa and spicy beef curry,” Ajith notes.
Taika is now available online and is delivered in Ontario. Once the item reaches the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, it’ll soon hit bars and restaurants. It costs CAD 50. “We have plans to introduce the product to Kerala State Beverages Corporation Ltd. Talks are also ongoing for entry into the Dubai market,” says Ajith.
Local spirits made overseas
Komban
In 2016, Ernakulam native Vivek Pillai launched a craft beer named ‘Komban’ made from Palakkadan Matta rice in the UK. The beer was first formed as an answer to the question, where could one find authentic beverages from Kerala? The craft beer has two popular variants, Blonde and Premium Black.
Malayali
In 2023, Palakkad native Chandra Mohan Nallur, who is the first Malayali director of the Chamber of Commerce in Poland, launched a beer named ‘Malayali.’ The idea came to him when he found himself stuck with five containers of rice flakes that were imported from Uttar Pradesh. Due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the rice flakes didn’t have any buyers. Finally, he came up with the idea of brewing beer from the stock of rice flakes.
Maharani
In 2020, Bhagya Lakshmi Barrett and her husband Robert Barrett, launched Maharani gin in Ireland. The product is made from ingredients like pomelo fruit, spices cassia and nutmeg mace. Interestingly, words like Viplava spirit, Moksham, Alchemy, and Sargathmataka are ingrained in the bottle.
Mandakini
The brand Mandakini, also called Malabari Vaatte, is an unaged spirit from sugarcane extract. The arrack was launched in 2021 by Abish Cheriyan, Elias Cheriyan and Sareesh Kunjappan all hailing from Ernakulam. They first marketed their product in Vaughan, Ontario.