Spirits of the Mountains
January, 2025
One of our passion projects has been to document the techniques of brewing and distillation used by mountain communities. Late in 2024, we were joined by Aniruddha Mookerjee, an expert on indigenous brewing techniques. Aniruddha played a part in enabling tribal self-help groups of Madhya Pradesh manufacture, brand and market their Mahua-based liquor.
Travelling through Kinnaur and Spiti, we were amazed at the diversity of local brews. A small cluster of villages around Ribba in Kinnaur distil a unique blend of angoori made from grapes that only grow here. Little is known of how and when these grapes were introduced here – It’s a gift of our Gods, said one of the village elders. A few miles away, the village of Nesang is famous for Nesang brandy. The most popular product from Kinnaur though is moori, distilled from fermented apple and apricots that carries a unique flavour.
Higher up in Spiti and Lahaul, barley remains the primary grain used to brew chaang and distil arrack. Of late, rice is used after its arrival thanks to an effective public distribution system. However, barley, the most climate-adapted crop for these regions, is losing out to cash crops despite the risks. Without a market or any value-addition, Himalayan barley is fighting a losing battle here.
Is there scope for local Himalayan brews to also reach the market? Like Mahua, can Himalayan blends cater to drinkers in India and abroad? Maybe. But it’s unlikely until a few policy-level hurdles can be sorted. Watch our interview with Aniruddha where he shares his experience of Mahua and explains the intricacies of trying to entre this market space.
And, if you haven’t wached our compilation on brewing techniques yet, you can watch them here.

Living Lightly showcases the rich history and culture of pastoralists, and the challenges they face. The festival will be made up of several events, centred around a dynamic exhibition. The exhibition, with 11 immersive sections, is created by acclaimed artists and pastoral artisans from various communities.
Dates: February 1-16, 2025.
Venue: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Bengaluru.

Living Lightly - Futures for Grasslands and Pastoralism in India. A conference exploring pastoralism and grasslands in India, organised bythe National Centre for Biological Science with the Centre for Pastoralism (CfP).
Conference Dates: February 6-7, 2025.
Venue: National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru.