Kerala’s most beloved and well-known arrack, Charayam, was banned on April 1, 1996, during the government led by A.K. Antony. Now, 30 years later, this iconic spirit is making a comeback - not in India, but in the heart of Europe. Yes, you read that right! The once-forbidden spirit of Kerala is poised for a high-profile global revival, as announced by Poland-based entrepreneur Midhun Mohan. Here’s everything you need to know!
Midhun Mohan, an entrepreneur based in Poland and originally from Kerala, has announced the launch of Kerala’s beloved arrack, Charayam. Arrack is an alcoholic spirit made from rice or the sap of the coconut palm. Midhun aims to introduce a premium version of this drink on the same day it was banned in 1996.
He plans to transform the once-banned local beverage into a premium international brand, maintaining the original alcohol content of 33 per cent. This revived version will also preserve the same taste, aroma, and color as the original arrack. Midhun intends to retain the classic "podi kuppi" 90 ml bottle and the old label.
The plan is to launch Charayam in as many countries as possible, starting with Poland as the main launch location. Ahead of this launch, Credence Connections, the primary distributor in the United Kingdom, has already begun accepting advance orders.
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Many have attempted to capture the true essence of this drink but have failed to replicate the authentic DNA of that particular arrack. One such label was "nadan vattu."
To address this, Midhun engaged in extensive fieldwork in Kerala, meeting with former arrack enthusiasts and shop owners. He also consulted retired excise officials to gain a deeper understanding of the original brew. Midhun imported multiple samples from Poland to Kerala for verification and blind testing.
All these efforts are aimed at accurately capturing the essence of Charamyam. He wanted to ensure that this Polish-made beverage did justice to the original Charayam and served as a fitting tribute.
The biggest challenge was that the original recipe included fermented and distilled molasses, but Poland lacked sugarcane plantations. Therefore, Midhun had to import molasses to adhere to the original recipe.
He sent multiple batches to Kerala for tasting sessions. After numerous trials and errors, with veterans from 1996 sampling the Polish-made brew, they finally identified a single batch that perfectly matched the aroma, taste, and soul of Charayam.
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Midhun Mohan hails from Kodungallur in Kerala and has been living in Europe for over 12 years, working in the alcohol industry. He recently received global acclaim after launching AyurVod, which blends Polish vodka with Indian ayurvedic flavors.
He said that the revival of Charayam is very personal, as many livelihoods were deeply affected when Charayam was banned. His uncle was one of those thousand workers whose lives were adversely affected by the ban.
Midhun mentioned how local traditional drinks like Feni, Champagne, Tequila, and Scotch whisky are celebrated as a part of their country’s culture. He aims for the same for this Malayali spirit and wishes to introduce its potency and amazingness to the world.
Midhun Mohan has finally cracked the formula and is now all set to revive Kerala’s traditional arrack on April 1, 2026. The story of its revival is very inspiring as Midhun has taken a lot of effort to make sure that the tribute is genuine and perfectly matches the original brew.
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