A truly Malayali cocktail guide for the perfect buzz
- 03 Jul 2017
- Sunaya
- Features
To each their own cocktail
In recent news, 77 bars have been reopened in Kerala, out of which 23 of them are in Kochi alone. In true Kerala style, bars were reopened with a lot of enthusiasm and celebrations, that ranged from crackers to full on chendamelam. On the downside, the age limit has been changed from 21 to 23. Anyway, in light of the recent development. Here’s a handy guide of cocktails that every Mallu swears by!
Scotch Whisky from Duty Free
Every Malayali household is sure to have a bottle of unopened scotch whisky that’s expensive, probably a gift from someone who’s from the Gulf. It’s in the cupboard, waiting for a grand occasion to be opened.
Rum and Coke
Even though Old Monk Rum is not readily available in Kerala, there are several other brands you can choose from and pretend it’s OMR so that you can also try out the evergreen combo of rum and coke with a side of banana chips!
Beer and Wine
No, this isn’t the beer and wine parlours you see, or saw, now that bars have reopened. This is a technique used, probably only in Kerala to get high. Go to a beer and wine parlour, order the strongest beer around, accompanied by a glass of the cheapest wine available. Mix them both. Stir well. Down it. Stay buzzed!
Whisky and touchings
To be fair, it’s not just whisky that goes with touchings. Anything and everything does. BDF, Peanut Masala, tapioca chips, cutlet, fryums, these are just several options from the sea called touchings. If you notice, you’ll see that every bar/BEVCO will have a small thattukada nearby that serves snacks, ranging from omelette to fried delicacies. Case in point, there is a shop called ‘Touchings’ near the Gandhinagar Bevco. PS: nothing beats the state approved touchings, that is the achar!
Barley Water
Barley water, or beer is something every alcohol consuming mallu loves to sip on a hot, summery day! There are BEVCO outlets that serve only beer. The surge in cold beer sales happened after bars were shut, serving only beer and wine, and wine was still a foreign concept to many.
What is your favourite?
Text: Devika V Menon Photos: Various Sources Featured image source
