Many Nepali communities brew their own traditional drinks, served at festivals, weddings and in village homes. Trying them is part of experiencing local culture.
Quick answer: raksi is a clear distilled spirit, usually made from millet or rice; tongba is fermented millet in a wooden vessel, topped with hot water and sipped through a straw, popular in eastern Nepal; chhyang is a cloudy, mild rice or millet beer.
Raksi
A strong, clear spirit distilled at home, often served warm in small cups at festivals and special occasions.
Tongba
Fermented millet is packed into a wooden or metal vessel, hot water is poured over it, and you sip the warm, mildly alcoholic drink through a bamboo straw, topping up with more hot water. It is especially associated with the Limbu and other communities of eastern Nepal.
Chhyang
A milky, mildly alcoholic beer made from fermented rice, millet or barley, common in the mountains and in Newar and Sherpa communities.
Drinking responsibly
- Avoid alcohol while acclimatising at altitude; it can worsen altitude sickness and dehydration.
- Home brews can be strong; pace yourself.
- Remember that some communities and religious sites prohibit alcohol.
See also Nepali tea and our food guide.
Traditional drinks at a glance
| Drink | Made from | Strength | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raksi | Distilled millet, rice or other grain | Strong spirit | Across the hills, Newar and many other communities |
| Tongba | Fermented millet with hot water | Mild, increasing with refills | Eastern Nepal (Limbu, Rai), Kathmandu |
| Chhyang / jaand | Fermented rice, millet or barley | Mild beer | Mountains, Newar, Sherpa, Tamang and Gurung communities |
| Aaila | Distilled Newar spirit | Strong | Kathmandu Valley Newar communities |
| Thwon | Newar rice beer | Mild | Kathmandu Valley |
| Apple brandy | Apples | Strong | Marpha and the Mustang region |
How raksi is made
Raksi is traditionally made at home. Grain, usually millet or rice, is cooked and mixed with a starter culture called marcha, made from rice flour and herbs, then left to ferment for several days. The fermented mash is heated in a large pot fitted with a still, and the vapour is condensed into a clear spirit, which drips into a small vessel. The first runnings are the strongest. Raksi is often served warm in small clay or brass cups, and its strength and flavour vary greatly from house to house.
How to drink tongba
- The tongba vessel, traditionally made of wood with brass bands, is filled with fermented millet.
- Boiling water is poured over the millet and left to steep for a few minutes.
- Sip the warm liquid through the bamboo straw (pipsing), which has a filter at the bottom so the grains stay in the vessel.
- When the liquid is finished, ask for more hot water; the millet can be refilled several times.
- The drink gets weaker with each refill, so it's a slow, social drink, perfect for cold evenings.
Tongba is especially associated with the Limbu and Rai peoples of eastern Nepal and the hills around Dhankuta and Ilam, and is also served in some restaurants in Kathmandu. See Hile and Dhankuta.
Chhyang in the mountains
In the Everest region, Langtang, Manang and other mountain areas, chhyang is made from fermented rice, barley or millet. It is milky-white and slightly sweet and sour, and is drunk at festivals, weddings and gatherings, often from wooden or brass cups. In Sherpa homes, guests may be offered chhyang as a sign of hospitality, with the cup refilled as soon as it is empty; the custom is to drink a little each time and leave some in the cup when you have had enough.
Drinks in Newar culture
In Newar communities of the Kathmandu Valley, aaila (a strong distilled spirit) and thwon (rice beer) are an important part of feasts and festivals. Aaila is poured with great skill from a height in a long, thin stream from a special jug, a performance in itself. During festivals such as Indra Jatra, rice beer flows from the mouth of the Seto Bhairav mask at Hanuman Dhoka. See Newari food and Indra Jatra.
Commercial drinks
Nepal also produces commercial beers such as lagers brewed in the Kathmandu Valley, and the country has a growing craft beer scene, with small breweries in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Locally made rum, whisky and gin are also widely available, and Marpha in Mustang is known for apple brandy and cider. In Thamel and Lakeside, bars serve imported and local drinks.
Alcohol and the law
The legal drinking age is 18. Alcohol is widely available in cities and tourist areas, but sales may be restricted on certain days, such as election days and some religious holidays. Bars in Thamel and Pokhara generally close around midnight. Drinking and driving is strictly enforced, with police checks in Kathmandu. Home-brewed drinks can vary greatly in strength and occasionally in safety; drink them only where you trust the source.
Alcohol at altitude
Alcohol and altitude don't mix well. Alcohol can worsen dehydration, disturb sleep, depress breathing at night and mask the early symptoms of altitude sickness. Most guides advise avoiding alcohol completely while ascending above about 3,000 m, and waiting until you are descending to celebrate. A small glass of local raksi or chhyang to mark the end of a trek, at lower altitude, is a much better idea. See altitude sickness.
Drinks and culture
In many Nepali communities, alcohol plays an important role in rituals and hospitality. Among the Newar, Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Sherpa and Thakali peoples, home brews are offered to ancestors and gods, shared at weddings and funerals, and given to guests as a sign of welcome. In other communities, particularly high-caste Hindu Brahmin and Chhetri families, alcohol is traditionally avoided. So whether a family offers you raksi, and how they feel about drinking, depends on their community. Follow your hosts' lead, and never feel obliged to drink.
Etiquette when offered a drink
- Accept with your right hand, or both hands, as a sign of respect.
- It is fine to take a small sip and leave the rest, especially if you don't drink much.
- Hosts will often refill your cup immediately; leave it partly full if you don't want more.
- If you don't drink alcohol, politely decline and ask for tea instead; nobody will be offended.
- In Sherpa homes, the host may insist three times as a custom; you can accept a little the third time.
Non-alcoholic traditional drinks
If you don't drink alcohol, there are many traditional alternatives: masala chiya, lassi (a yoghurt drink), fresh lime soda, sugarcane juice in the Terai, sea buckthorn juice in the mountains, and buttermilk (mohi) in the hills. See Nepali tea.
Where to try traditional drinks
- Kathmandu: Newari restaurants in the old town and Patan serve aaila and thwon; some restaurants offer tongba.
- Eastern hills: Dhankuta, Hile and Ilam are the heartland of tongba.
- Mountain villages: chhyang and raksi in Sherpa, Tamang and Gurung homes and lodges, ideally after your trek.
- Marpha: apple brandy and cider in the Kali Gandaki valley.
- Homestays: often the best place, as part of a family meal or festival.
Our advice
Traditional drinks are a window into Nepal's cultures, and sharing a cup of tongba or chhyang with a family can be one of the warmest experiences of a trip. Enjoy them in moderation, preferably at lower altitudes or after your trek, from sources you trust, and always respect the customs of the community you are visiting.
Craft beer and modern drinks
Alongside traditional brews, Nepal's drinks scene is changing fast. Small craft breweries in Kathmandu and Pokhara make pale ales, stouts and lagers, some using local ingredients such as timur, honey or Himalayan herbs. Cocktail bars in Thamel and Jhamsikhel experiment with raksi and tongba-inspired drinks. Local gins and whiskies are improving too. If you enjoy beer, a tasting at a Kathmandu taproom is a fun evening.