Food & dishes · Nepal
Raksi: Nepal's Distilled Spirit
Clear, potent and home-distilled from millet or rice, raksi is Nepal's most widespread traditional spirit, central to festivals, rituals and hill hospitality.
Raksi is Nepal's signature home-distilled spirit — a clear, fiery liquor made from fermented millet or rice that appears at nearly every hill festival, wedding and funeral. Where tongba and chhyang are mild and milky, raksi is the strong drink, taken in small measures and offered as a serious gesture of hospitality.
The short answer
Raksi is a clear, potent spirit distilled from fermented grain, most often finger millet (kodo) or rice. It is made in homes across Nepal without standard measures, so strength and flavour vary from batch to batch. Drink it in small amounts, ideally warm or at room temperature, and only from a trusted host or reputable kitchen. Think of it as Nepal's country liquor — rustic, strong and deeply traditional.
How raksi is made
Raksi production begins with fermentation, just like chhyang: cooked millet or rice is mixed with a traditional starter (marcha) and left to ferment. The fermented mash is then distilled over a fire using a simple home still — typically two stacked pots with a cooling vessel on top, so the rising alcohol vapour condenses and drips into a collecting cup.
Because there are no instruments measuring strength, the first run of the distillation is strongest, and skilled brewers judge the result by taste, smell and a traditional trick of lighting the spirit to gauge potency. The clear liquid is served fresh or stored in bottles.
How strong is it
Raksi is considerably stronger than chhyang or tongba, which are fermented but not distilled. Strength varies widely between households and regions, so the polite and sensible approach is to taste a small measure first and judge before drinking more. It is usually served neat in small cups or glasses, sometimes slightly warmed in cold weather.
Cultural role
Raksi is woven into the social and ritual life of Nepal's Janajati (indigenous) communities — Tamang, Gurung, Magar, Newar, Rai, Limbu and others. It is poured at weddings and funerals, offered to deities and ancestors, and shared to welcome guests. During festivals like Dashain and Tihar, home-distilled raksi flows freely in many hill households.
It belongs to the same family of traditional drinks as the milky fermented chhyang beer it is distilled from, the hot millet tongba of the eastern hills, and the Newar community's own aila distilled liquor of the Kathmandu Valley. Our traditional drinks of Nepal collection sets them all in context.
Regional variations
Across Nepal you will find raksi distilled from different base grains and known by local names. Mountain communities often use millet, lowland and valley households may use rice, and the flavour shifts with the grain, the starter and the still. Newari aila is essentially the valley's refined, ritualised version of the same distilling tradition.
Tips for travellers
Because raksi is unregulated and strong, caution matters. Accept it from a trusted host or a well-run restaurant, drink modest amounts, and never sample unknown batches sold cheaply on the street. Pair it with food, sip slowly, and remember that hospitality here values graciousness over quantity. For broader advice on what is safe to eat and drink, see our drinking water and food safety in Nepal guide. Tried respectfully, raksi offers a genuine taste of rural Nepali life and the warmth of hill hospitality.
Frequently asked questions
What is raksi?+
Raksi is a clear, strong traditional spirit distilled in Nepali homes, usually from fermented millet (kodo) or rice, sometimes from other grains. It is the most widespread distilled drink in Nepal, served at festivals, weddings, funerals and as everyday hill hospitality.
How strong is raksi?+
Raksi is potent. Because it is home-distilled without measurement, alcohol content varies widely, often roughly comparable to other clear spirits and sometimes stronger. Strength differs from one household and one batch to the next, so it is wise to taste a small amount first.
What is the difference between raksi and chhyang?+
Both start from fermented grain, but chhyang is the milky, mildly alcoholic fermented beer drunk as is, while raksi is distilled from that ferment into a clear, much stronger spirit. Chhyang is sipped like beer; raksi is taken in small measures.
Is raksi safe to drink?+
Raksi from a careful home or established eatery is enjoyed widely and safely, but because it is unregulated, both strength and quality vary. Drink small amounts from a trusted source, avoid unknown batches, and never overindulge in an unfamiliar brew.
