Jand Nigar and Raksi

Jand is an undistilled beverage indigenous to Nepal. It's prepared by solid substrate fermentation of starchy material specially 'Kodo' (millet), rice and wheat but the good quality jand is prepared from kodo. Jand is popular among the Kirat and Newari community of Nepal. Jand is offered to fitular god. Beside this jand and raksi is the most essential in most of all the ceremony on Newar and Kirats though it's strictly prohibited in Brahmins.

Murcha is a mixed culture used in the preparation of jand. The culture contains saccharifying molds, lactic acid bacteria and fermenting yeast.

The basic step of jand manufacturing are cooking of cereals, cooling to room temperature mixing with murcha powder, leaving it for  a day to two day for a biomass development and fermenting in a tightly plugged container 'ghyampa'. Fermentation may range from a week to several months during which the alcohol content will reach 4-15% alcohol by volume.

Due to continued saccharification and ethanol production the mash gradually turns limpid. At some point, a nearly clear supernatant is observed in the fermentation vessel. This is called nigar.

The pot distilled jand is known as raksi