KOCHI: A dash of history, a hint of zing, and a secret code that adds extra zest. OT, short for “Other Things”, the affectionate moniker for the humble ginger wine carries all the intrigue of a colonial-era handout. Passed down like a whispered family legend, it is a sip of nostalgia that keeps old ways alive in every bubbling batch.
Come Christmas, Anglo-Indian homes in Fort Kochi still dust off this relic of the Prohibition era. OT makes its quiet appearance after lavish festive meals. Essentially a non-fermented drink—closer to a spiced juice than wine—it is traditionally served as a digestive.
The drink once served a more tactical purpose, according to writer, illustrator and cultural chronicler Bony Thomas, a founding member of the Kochi Biennale Foundation.
“During Prohibition, innovative individuals used ginger wine—strong in aroma and flavour—to disguise or cover up illicit arrack. OT is Malayalam slang translated into English, it simply means ‘other things’,” Bony explains. The code was subtle, effective and widely understood within the community, he adds.
Musician Sunno Bracken, 81, recalls Christmases when preparations began as early as November. “The feast would be heavy, and ginger wine was the perfect antidote,” he says. Meals were elaborate: green-head duck roast, pork vindaloo among other delicacies. “Digestion was the main aspect. With chicken, pork and other meats, you needed something to settle the stomach,” he says.
The recipe for ginger wine gained wider currency through “The East Indian Cookery Book”, though households adapted it freely.
A coded drink that continues to speak of history
Bracken’s sister, Rosy Bayer, still follows a family recipe that blends red chillies, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime and cloves. While the original version used raisins and yeast, Fort Kochi’s kitchens added local flair, tailoring the drink to regional tastes.
Bracken traces the coded name to a tense chapter in local history. “Fort Kochi was under the Madras Presidency, and there was prohibition for some time. People were scared. So families used a secret code, OT, for ginger wine,” he recalls.
The drink’s origins are believed to date back to the early 1900s, when ginger-based preparations travelled from England to India with the British. “The wine can be made under two hours and is a temperance drink worldwide.
Maybe it gained currency here because of the good supply of ginger and other spices,” Bony says. Despite its name, OT contains no alcohol. Its loyal followers swear by its healing powers — claims rooted more in memory and tradition than science.
Yet, for Fort Kochi’s Anglo-Indian families, OT is less about medicine and more about identity, a coded drink that continues to speak of history, home and Christmases past.