Mahua Wine: Indian Traditional Alcohol

Why is Mahua protected by Indian Tribal

Mahua is also called Kalpavriksha कल्पवृक्ष in Central India, Mahua flowers carry a promise to fulfill all wishes and desires. Its flowers used widely as a traditional source of distilled liquor. For the tribal heartland of India, this tree is considered sacred and grown in huge orchards. Most tribals take ownership of individual trees. They would keep it clean, free from undergrowth and creepers. Nobody ever plucks the mahua pearls or flowers. They wait for it to ripen on the tree and fall down on its own. Only after that, it is collected. Mahua is strongly linked to the festivities and rituals of tribals across the central India. Hence like their traditions and practices this tree (which is central to tribals) is protected and cherished.

The more widespread a plant is, the more names it has in India. In Kerala it is called Ippa Puvvu in South India. mahwa, mahula, Mahula in Oriya and maul in Bengal, mahwa and mohwro in Maharashtra, mahuda in Gujarat, ippa puvvu (Telugu: ఇప్ప) in Andhra Pradesh, ippe or hippe in Karnataka (Kannada), illupei or இலுப்பை in Tamil, poonam and ilupa in Kerala (Malayalam) and mahula, moha and modgi in Orissa (Oriya).

Where is it Grown in India

Mahua trees are ubiquitous in Central Indian forests. It is found in abundance across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. This deciduous tree is evergreen, i.e. rarely sheds it foliage. It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height.

Is Mahua Indian Tequila?

Traditionally Mahua wine was distilled. The process of making mahua tequila is very similar to agave (a cactus grown in arid parts of South America). Also like tequila, it has a strong local following, rich culture, history. Because of these similarities, the white spirit of these flowers are compared with tequila. The taste and drinking styles of salt and lime a lot of new generation consume Feni and Mahua as Indian Tequila.

Mahua winemaking is also on the rise and also promoted by the Government of India. The sweet taste and presence of phenolics esp. gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, epicatechin, caffeic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, ascorbic acid, and tannic acids in mahua (Madhuca indica)  wines make them unique flower wines. Its succulent cream-colored corollas fall to the ground in showers during March and April which are collected and dried. These are a rich source of sugars and contain appreciable amounts of vitamins and calcium. However traditional processing of distillation leads to loss of the bulk of its aroma, volatile ingredients, physicochemical and sensory qualities.

Mahua Wine

Called Kalpavriksha in Central India, Mahua flowers carry a promise to fulfill all wishes and desires. Its flowers used widely as a traditional source of distilled liquor.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

fermentation 7 days d

Total Time 7 days d 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Bihar, Chattisgargh, Orissa

Servings 4 glasses

Calories 180 kcal

Equipment

• Cider Equipment Kit

Ingredients

  

• 5 kg Mahua Flower
• 1.5 kg Sugar adjust brix to 22
• 1 gm Campden
• 5 gm Floral Wine yeast use cider yeast also instead.

Instructions

 

• Collection of fresh flower pearls (5kgs fresh or 2.5kg dried)
• Wash them, segregate the diseased/damaged flowers by hand.
  
• Crushing the fresh flowers. (worm screw type crusher or hydraulic wine press) and dilute them with 5 liters of fruit juice (grape, litchi pairs well but you can experiment) In case of dried Mahua, please chop them into pieces and pour them in the must instead of juicing.
• Using Campden to treat wild yeast/mold and pectinase and waiting for 24 hours.
• Adding sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients. Some acid to maintain pH levels is also useful.
• Stirring the must for 4 days, straining and transferring into secondary with an airlock
• After a month, use wine stabilizers to stop fermentation and back-sweeten using (5-10% residual sugar levels to get the right balance of floral aromas).

Notes

Mahua wines have a strong fruity note (higher if you have fermented above 25 degrees Celsius) Hence infusing spices can help improve the palatability. Possible spices include Black Cardamom, citrus peels (lime/orange/sweet lime), nutmeg, etc.

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Video

Mahua Alcoholic Beverage Preparation live from Brewery - A Short Documentary

Keyword mahua wine, Traditional flower wine

Another step by step guide of Mahua wine is below.

Mahua Wine Market in India

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