Cholai

Cholai is an illegal alcoholic beverage made in India, equivalent to "hooch" or "bootleg" alcohol.[1] Usually made from rice, it is sometimes mixed with industrial alcohol or methanol, which has resulted in several hundred deaths.[2][3]

For the 2016 film, see Cholai (film).

Preparation

The Indian encyclopedia, Bharater Adibasi, has a description of cholai as being a distilled alcohol made with two earthen pots joined together; the lower pot filled with yeast and mixed rice/jaggery; the upper pot left empty with an output tube. When the lower pot is heated, the vapour of 80% alcohol goes to the upper pot and comes into contact with cold air, which distills the vapour to become "cholai".[4]

It is locally made, and sold cheaply and illegally. In 2011, consumption of cholai adulterated with industrial alcohol resulted in the death of over 140 people.[5][6]

Cholai is also considered a local name, or a variant, of "desi dāru" (Hindi for "country alcohol"), i.e., cheap distilled liquor.[7][8]

References
  1. "1,000 litres hooch seized in Bengal". business-standard.com. 14 March 2014.
  2. Dean Nelson (15 December 2011). "130 Indian villagers die from alcohol poisoning". telegraph.com.
  3. "India doctors fight to save West Bengal alcohol victims". BBC.co.uk. 15 December 2011.
  4. "bharater adibasi"
  5. "Tainted alcohol kills scores in India". aljazeera.com. 15 December 2011.
  6. "Alcohol Rehab for Bangladeshis". thecabinchiangmai.com.
  7. Jana Tschurenev and Harald Fischer-Tiné. "Indian anomalies? – Drink and drugs in the land of Gandhi". academia.edu.
  8. "Country Liquor (Desi Daru)". allaboutdaru.com.
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