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How Urak and Goan Feni Are Made: I Witnessed Goa’s Liquid Gold Being Born

You’ve probably scrolled past a dozen viral reels showing people sipping urrak on some sun-drenched Goan beach. But here’s the thing — almost nobody actually stops to ask: where does this drink come from? How is it made? And why is it so deeply woven into Goa’s soul?

I did. And what I discovered completely changed the way I look at this drink.

Today, I’m taking you behind the scenes of the traditional Urak making process in Goa — something I personally experienced at Dudhsagar Plantation. And trust me, this isn’t just a story about alcohol. This is a story about culture, craft, patience, and a centuries-old tradition that deserves a lot more respect than just being called “that cheap Goan drink.”

Buckle up. It’s going to be a good one. 🍹

What Even Is Urak? And Why Should You Care?

Before we dive into the process, let me give you a quick background for those who are new here.

Urak (also spelled urrak) is a traditional Goan spirit made from fermented cashew fruit juice. It’s the first distillation — light, fruity, and incredibly smooth. Think of it as the younger, fresher sibling of Feni, which is the more famous, double-distilled version.

Urak has around 15 to 18% alcohol content. It’s seasonal, it’s fresh, and if stored properly, its taste stays beautifully intact for up to one full year. Feni, on the other hand, goes through a second distillation, bumps up to around 40 to 45% alcohol, and — here’s the cool part — it actually gets smoother with age, just like a fine spirit. Four years? Even better.

But here’s what most tourists miss: the urrak making process in Goa is not just a production line. It’s an art form. And I got to see every single step of it live.

The Starting Point: Only the Fallen Fruits Make the Cut

Our experience at Dudhsagar Plantation kicked off with a cashew trail through the plantation. And right at the start, I learned something that completely reframed my understanding of what makes traditional Goan urrak so special.

Here’s the thing — the cashew fruits hanging on the trees? They’re not used.

Only the fruits that have naturally ripened and fallen to the ground on their own are picked up and used in the urrak making process. This isn’t laziness. This is philosophy. These fallen fruits are at their peak natural ripeness — no forced harvesting, no shortcuts. Just nature doing its thing on its own timeline.

And exactly this is what makes the urrak from places like Dudhsagar Plantation so exceptional compared to mass-produced versions. The raw ingredient itself is treated with respect.

Once the cashew fruits are collected, the cashew nut is separated from the fruit. That nut? It goes on to become our beloved dry fruit, kaju — yes, the same cashew you munch on at parties. The juicy, golden fruit that’s left behind? That’s where the magic begins.

That fruit is Goa’s liquid gold in raw form.

The Most Fun Part of the Urak Making Process: Foot Crushing!

Okay, this is where things get genuinely exciting. And a little unexpected.

The collected cashew fruits are placed on a traditional stone platform, and then — in true old-school Goan style — they are crushed with bare feet to extract the juice. Yes, you read that right. Feet. Human feet. The most traditional, most authentic method there is.

I’m not going to lie — the moment we started crushing those fruits, it stopped feeling like a process and started feeling like a celebration. The juice starts flowing, the rhythm kicks in, and before you know it, dancing has started.

Maka ite maza ali — I was having so much fun.

There’s something incredibly joyful about this part of the urrak making in Goa. It’s messy, it’s fragrant, it’s communal. It reminded me why food and drink culture is about so much more than just the final product. The process itself is an experience worth cherishing.

Fermentation: Where the Juice Transforms

Once the fresh cashew juice is extracted, it’s poured into large wooden barrels where it begins its fermentation journey.

This is where chemistry takes over from tradition, but even here, the process is beautifully simple and natural. No artificial yeasts, no additives. The natural sugars in the cashew juice start fermenting on their own. You can literally see and hear it happening — small bubbles start forming on the surface, a gentle fizzing that tells you: it’s alive.

The fermentation process continues until the bubbling completely stops. When the liquid goes quiet and still, that’s the signal. It’s ready for the next step: distillation.

This is a critical part of the urrak making process in Goa that most people skip over in conversation. Fermentation is where the flavor profile of the urrak is built. Rush it, and you lose the magic.

The Distillation Process: Traditional Copper Pots and Ancient Wisdom

This is the heart of it all.

The fermented cashew juice is carefully poured into a traditional copper pot — about 100 liters’ worth. The copper pot is then sealed using a cloth wrapped tightly around the joints to make it completely airtight. Old school, effective, and honestly, kind of beautiful.

A fire is lit underneath. The liquid starts to heat up and eventually boil, producing steam that carries the alcohol with it. This takes about one and a half hours to complete properly.

Here’s where the science gets interesting: the steam travels through a pipe that leads into a cooling chamber. Inside the chamber, the steam cools down rapidly and converts back into liquid form. This liquid then drips out from the other end — and that, my friends, is fresh urrak.

Vay urrak!

First distillation done. Fresh urrak, right out of the copper pot, with an alcohol percentage of around 15 to 18%. Smooth, slightly fruity, and incredibly light on the palate.

Now — if you take that same urrak and distill it again, what comes out the other side is Feni. The double-distilled legend. Alcohol jumps to around 40 to 45%, the flavor deepens, the smoothness intensifies. That’s why Feni has GI (Geographical Indication) status in India — it’s not just a drink, it’s a product unique to Goa.

A Drink With a Story: Why the Urrak Making Process in Goa Matters

I want to pause here for a second and say something that I felt very strongly while watching all of this unfold at Dudhsagar Plantation.

We live in a world where most of what we drink comes from a factory, in a bottle, with a label. We have zero idea about where it came from, who made it, or what the process looked like. But urrak and Goan Feni are different. Every bottle carries a story — of cashew trees, of seasons, of families who have been doing this for generations, of stone platforms and copper pots and dancing feet.

This is Goa’s culture. This is Goa’s story.

The next time someone hands you a glass of Feni or urrak at a shack in Calangute, I hope you’ll remember what went into it. I guarantee it’ll taste different.

Tasting Time at Dudhsagar Plantation: Here’s My Honest Review

Alright, now the part you’ve been waiting for. We tasted everything. Everything.

1. Plain Goan Feni — Tequila Style

First up was a shot of their plain Goan Feni, served tequila-style. Clean, sharp, with that unmistakable cashew character in the background. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but it’s authentic Goa in liquid form. This is what the locals drink.

2. Spiced Feni Iced Tea Cocktail

Next was an iced tea cocktail made with their spiced Feni — and wow, this was surprisingly refreshing. The spice notes in the Feni blended beautifully with the iced tea base. It’s the kind of drink you’d want on a warm Goan afternoon (which is basically every afternoon in Goa).

3. Oro Spiced Feni — My Absolute Recommendation

Their Oro Spiced Feni is just amazing. Seriously. If you’re heading to Goa and you want to bring back one bottle that will genuinely impress everyone — this is it. Buy it. No questions asked.

4. The Jungle Juice Cocktail — My New Favorite Drink in the World

But my absolute favorite? The one that’s now permanently etched in my memory?

The Jungle Juice Cocktail, made with the fresh urrak we had just watched being distilled. Poolside. In the middle of the forest. Let me walk you through how this masterpiece was made:

Jungle Juice Recipe:
– Fresh lemon juice — squeeze it right in the glass
– A pinch of salt
– Around 60 ml of fresh urrak
– A slit green chilli, swirled around the inside of the glass for that gentle spicy kiss
– Limca (the lemon-lime soda) — pour it in
– A splash of soda
– One more swirl of the slit chilli on top for that spicy kick finish

That’s it. That’s the whole recipe. And yet — sitting by a natural, non-chlorinated pool, surrounded by forest, sipping this cocktail made from urrak I had literally just watched being made an hour before?

Wah.

I cannot overstate how incredible that experience was. The urrak was fresh, light, and fruity. The chilli added the perfect edge. The lemon and Limca kept it refreshing. And the forest around me made it feel almost sacred.

This is my favorite drink now. Full stop.

Pro Tips If You Want to Experience the Urak Making Process in Goa

If this blog has convinced you (and it should have), here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Visit During Season
The cashew season in Goa typically runs from February to May. This is the only time you’ll see fresh urrak being made. Outside of this window, you’ll find Feni but not the fresh first-distillation urrak.

2. Head to Dudhsagar Plantation
If you want the full, immersive experience of watching the traditional urrak making process in Goa, Dudhsagar Plantation is absolutely worth it. It’s not just a tasting — it’s an education and a celebration rolled into one.

3. Buy Oro Spiced Feni to Take Home
I said it once, I’ll say it again. The Oro Spiced Feni from Dudhsagar Plantation is something else. Get a bottle (or two).

4. Ask for the Jungle Juice
If they’re offering cocktails, ask for the Jungle Juice made with fresh urrak. It will ruin all other cocktails for you permanently. You’ve been warned.

5. Respect the Process
When you drink urrak or Feni in Goa, know that you’re drinking something with a GI tag, a cultural identity, and a centuries-old heritage. Treat it with the same respect you’d give a fine whisky or a premium wine.

Urrak vs. Feni: A Quick Comparison

Final Thoughts: Urak Is Not Just a Drink — It’s Goa

Here’s what I want you to take away from this.

The next time someone dismisses urrak or Feni as just “cheap local hooch,” you tell them this story. Tell them about the cashew fruits that wait their turn to fall naturally from the tree. Tell them about the stone platform and the dancing feet and the fermentation barrels and the copper pot and the fire and the cooling chamber. Tell them about a Jungle Juice cocktail served poolside in a forest by people who have been perfecting this process for generations.

The urrak making process in Goa is not just a production method. It’s a ritual. It’s a cultural identity. It’s Goa bottled up and handed to you with a smile.

If you’re heading to Goa — and really, why aren’t you already planning your trip? — make this experience a non-negotiable on your itinerary. Skip one beach party if you have to. This is worth it a hundred times over.

And if this post was useful, informative, or just made you want to book a flight to Goa immediately — share it with someone who needs to know about this. And follow along for more experiences like this, because we’re just getting started. 🥂

Maka ite maza ali — I had the best time. And I hope you do too.

Have you tried urrak or Feni in Goa? Drop your experience in the comments below — I’d love to hear your version of this story!