Zutho Naga Rice Beer Kohima Nagaland

Zutho is the traditional fermented rice beer brewed by Angami Naga women in Kohima district of Nagaland — a mildly alcoholic (4 to 8 percent ABV), cloudy, slightly sour grain beverage central to Angami Naga ceremonial and social life. The brewing uses locally grown sticky glutinous rice (or a mixture of regular and sticky rice) combined with a dry starter cake (hwanhi) that contains naturally occurring Saccharomyces and Aspergillus mold cultures propagated on dried rice paste with specific local wild herbs. Brewing begins with steaming the washed rice until fully cooked, cooling to ambient temperature, crumbling the dried starter over the cooked rice, and packing the mixture into large sealed earthen pots or wooden barrels. Fermentation proceeds at ambient temperature for 3 to 7 days. The liquid is pressed out through woven bamboo sieves for fresh zutho; longer fermentation and distillation using a simple clay pot still produces a stronger spirit (apong in Ao Naga; various names across Naga tribes). Zutho is served at the Sekrenyi purification festival of the Angami Naga (February), at harvests, marriage ceremonies, and as welcome drink for honoured guests — refusal to drink is considered disrespectful. Different Naga tribes have distinct rice beer traditions: Sumi Naga brew Rohi, Lotha Naga brew Tsü, Ao Naga brew Apong. The craft of starter preparation is passed from mother to daughter. Commercial bottling of Naga rice beer for tourism and urban market explored by Nagaland Tribal Beverage Enterprise project supported by state government.