Cereal based Traditional alcoholic beverages of Lahaul and Spiti area of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

251-257Some cereal based traditional alcoholic beverages, Chhang, Lugari, Aara and Chiang consumed by people of Lahaul and Spiti area of Himachal Pradesh were documented and explored microbiologically. All these beverages were made by cooking their grains and then inoculating them with inocula called Phab/ Dhaeli. Chemical analysis of these products showed an acidic nature with pH in the range of 3.31-4.02 in undistilled samples, and 3.95-5.17 in distilled samples. Total soluble solids in all the undistilled samples were in the range of 14.58 to 18.56˚B, whereas in distilled samples these were in the range of 7.19-8.0˚B. Ethanol contents (%v/v) were 5-12 % in undistilled and 13-19% in distilled products. A wide variation in certain other chemicals constituents’, viz. acetaldehyde, methanol, ester, n- propanol, etc. was observed in the distilled alcoholic beverages. Microbiological examination of these beverages and their source of inocula revealed the dominance of yeasts mainly from genus Saccharomyces and Endomyces. Bacteria encountered in these beverages were from genus Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, and Bacillus