The Alcoholic Liquors of India

Sura is also mentioned in the Institutes of Manu, a work which, according to most Sanskrit scholars, was written about 2,000 years ago. In the Ordinances of Manu, the text of which, as it now stands, dates by the latest estimate between 100 and 500 A.D., there are frequent references to the drinking of spirituous liquors to excess, so that it is evident that this must have been a common offence, and the twice- born (Brahmans) are often urged to avoid the temptation. Three kinds are described, that made from sugar (molasses), from ground rice, and the flowers of the honey-tree, Mdhud (Cassia latifolia)?liquors which down to the present day are those most commonly consumed by the natives of India. Dr. U. C. Dutt, in his Materia Medica of the later writers Hindus, says that the Sanskrit describe thirteen kinds of distilled liquors, one was used in their or other of which widely time. In Sanskrit works a spirit distilled from is from that grapes, Mdddhika, distinguished from rice from sugar-cane (called Sidhu), (called Sura), from barley (Koliala), from wheat (MddhulikA), etc., while Vdruni (translated Institutes lecture brandy) occurs in the of Mcijiu, kinds of lire distin- THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS xi, 147, and three spirits xi, 05 OF INDIA. guished in lecture In of the Khordn prohibition of alcohol spite ot By P. W. O'GORMAN, D.P.H. Cantab., to Mohammedans, in the reign Akiiar, spirit- was Hot uncommon among* the court i.m.s. drinking Captain, Block- grandees (Abul Fazl in Ain-i-Akbari, Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Health. man's trans., i, G0-70). From the .above and other sources, and from multitudinous substances our knowledge of the It has been in certain ot the for contended, quarters, employed in various parts country the that the natives of India have learnt Ave see the vice preparation of alcoholic liquors, that of drunkenness from That and not an Europeans. this is drinking customs were widespread an error founded on insufficient habit. We knowledge can adoption of an European may also be easily made clear. Passages in the Maha- conclude with Dr. Watt that the means bharata with rightly a or (an epic poetn dealing events 1200 of fermentation in saccharine B.C., but about procuring put together 1,000 years later), I malted liquor are and have been for long much etc., show that drunkenness was common in India than in in more extensively understood ancient India; and this be also Diet. E. vol. may gathered Europe generally (see Watt's P., from the old Hindu law which books, forbid iii, pp. 331, 332).* the use of wine vi, pt. (e.g. Mandva-Dhdrma-Sdstra, How far, however, the undoubted present xi., 1-46 ff). In the Abhila-Shithdrata-Cintd- increase of intemperance in the majority of our tnemi, a Sanskrit manual for kings and prince- Indian cities, towns, cantonments, markets and a.d. 1128, lings, though most indecent and and other where multitudes foolish amusments are fairs, gatherings allowed, drinking spirits assemble in vaster numbers than are known in etc., is prohibited ; but several different kinds may be traceable to our modern me- of spirits are referred to (see Dr. Europe, Watt's Dic- thods of licensing public houses, thus giving tionary of Economic Products, vol. v, pp. 500, the latter, as it were, the stamp of Government 51.0). and un- Tavernier, in the seventeenth approval, thereby bringing temptation century (Travels der the immediate of the people in India), mentions a palm-wine cognisance spirit largely otherwise known to be abstemious, drunk by the idolators of India at their remarkably feasts. and that in forms of much more from and from moreover, Spirits palm juice rice are (Sura) alcoholic than were known to alluded to by John van potent strength Huyghen Linschoten a to as their fathers, is entirely foreign having been largely consumed in Southern question and the purpose of this paper. Western India 300 years ago, and he of the * complains Portuguese soldiers acquiring Indeed, th* nborieinnl and wild tribes of India, tlio habits of from the most inaco29sible to oivilising' influences, nro notorious drinking spirits natives. drunkards. LIQUORS IN INDIA?O'GORMAN. 201 June 1899.] ALCOHOLIC drink of the ancient the was in use at the present Aryans, Soma, The alcoholic liquors beer The divided into three probably the most ancient known. in India may be usefully day beverages beers known in India may be divided into classes: (1) Beers?fermented great or unmalted four sections or varieties. either from malted grain prepared from 1. Malt Wines?fermented liquors European Liquors.?British,German, (cereals); (2) Austrian and Italian malt liquors or other of imported fruits, flowers, sap, parts plants; obtained distilla- prepared from malted grain (chiefly barley)* and by (3) Spirits?liquors of the other and hops, as ale, beer, porter, stout, cooper. of of the preparations to be tion any fer- 2. The Pilsener Beers, which appear There is a fourth class?a two classes. are innocent of from animal sub- manufactured from rice, hops, mented "wine" prepared to of the and may owe their bitterness and colour such as Koumiss, the drink stances, some substance. Circassians and Eastern Russians, foreign Tartars, now 3. Indian-made Malt mare's milk, and European Liquors.?? made from fermented the breweries in from cow and Indian-made European beers of in Europe and America and prepared But it, as the Neilgherries, Rawalpindi milk for medicinal purposes. Himalayas, goat to be Quetta, etc. It is said that in order to prevent as its appears well congener, Kephir, beer sour in a hot climate the alcohol in India. Neither is any special turning unknown as is in excess of that found in home- of such commingled liquors generally notice needed the brewed and reaches as as five and six etc. Of course ales, high sherry-whey, cent. vol. in vol. Scotch milk-punch, the same in all, per (Hehir's Hygiene). of fermentation is but principle or con- ales, however, were formerly very alcoholic, a saccharine substance, " " via., original more scientific methods of brewing have of verted from starch, etc., as sucrose, glucose, of con- late years reduced the strength. lactose, fructose, etc., capable greatly dextrose, of an Most of the of these three sec- alcohol in the consumption version into presence tions is and its extent be this alcohol being by Europeans, may enzyme-yielding yeast;* judged from the extract from Mr. with other volatile agents, goes following distilled over, or O'Conor's Financial and Commercial Statistics to constitute the third class, the" strength" on the of British India, fourth issue, 1897: "During of which depend intoxicating powers at the the last five the of beer import- water which comes over }^ears quantity proportion of ed into India 3,000,000 gallons and which be reduced by repeat- averaged nearly same time, may of and the brewed in India one or more times. An}' annually, quantity the process ing with certain during the same period averaged nearly these, howevei', may be combined etc. 6,000,000 gallons, the local production being or fermentable barks, spices, narcotic of thus double the imported. Last year to be noted that, although many quantity It ought were brewed in this are named (1896) 6,313,946 gallons intoxicant specifically was the beverages ()f of which more than half bought the Urdu name country, in the vernacular, generic the The or Madliu in by Army Commissariat Department. Shdrdb the Persian), Mddli of the (from Arabic and Army drinks fifty-four per cent, country- and Arrak or Darn (from and a considerable Bengali, from the made beer under contract, in as well as Sura, Persian) Hindi, alcoholic portion of the remainder is also consumed by are .to all Sanskrit, frequent^ given con- soldiers outside the Army contract." in and are to cause liquors general, apt 4. Native Beers.?These appear to be of two when of them individually. fusion speaking kinds: those from raw or are available first, prepared soaked, In the text whenever specific titles pre-malted grain, fermentation being either spon- are under each description. thej* given taneous (i.e., without special addition of a yeast) I.?Beers. or from the unwashed jars containing ferment alcoholic of former brews ; and those from cook- Among the most extensively used secondly, in India, beers take the most promi- ed (boiled) grain, fermented with a yeast gene- beverages their and with the nent and this mainly because of rally specially prepared varying place, in this in its Thus in certain ease in and also because, locality ingredients. parts preparation, handed of in the commonest domes- conservative country, the^y have been Bengal (as Nadiya), tic the lower classes is Amani, down from former ages. The sacred sacrificial beverage among a cooling drink in the hot weather, prepared by has * of sugur by yeast * The alcoholic fermentation and III British breweries 50 per cent, of as associated with, many nearly been directly is or other substance hitherto regarded of the cell, but beer made from sugar, rice, maize, the living action yeast dependent upon, has succeeded in extract- than barley (mangel-wurzel has been suggested) ; and, a chemist, Dr. Buchner, German are now from the after thorough filtration, moreover, five barrels produced quarter from a which, and these five ing yeast liquid fermentation under practi- of malt instead of four, as formerly, have only is of exciting alcoholic This fluid about half the of that were before used for capable as the living quantity hops the same conditions yeast.

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