A coil carries the distillate to a large container below ground level. This coil is immersed in cold water to condense the distillate. The first distillation yields urak, a mild alcoholic drink. It has a shelf life of about four months, is sold for around Rs. 100 a litre, and is in much demand among local tipplers. The urak is then poured into the next pot along with some more of the fermented first press. Left over a slow fire again, the feni is collected in yet another large plastic container.
Right: This year, because the cashew apple crop was good, the family expects to produce 1,000 litres of feni . It is sold for Rs. 1,200 for a kowso (an old way of measurement; one kowso is 20 bottles of approximately 750 ml each). The Fernandes family does not sell the product to stores and taverns or to larger distillers. Inacina, Luis and Bostiao have a dedicated clientele of Goan families who stock up on their annual supply before the monsoon.