TL;DR
- Grade A and Grade B are trade labels, not official grades. Neither BIS nor FSSAI defines them.
- Every ENA lot used in Indian liquor should meet BIS IS 6613:2002: at least 96% ethanol, methanol no more than 50 g per 100 litres of absolute alcohol, and a permanganate reaction time of at least 30 minutes.
- FSSAI defines ENA as alcohol made by distillation and rectification with a minimum strength of 96%.
- Grade Ausually means ENA that beats IS 6613 by a wide margin, often grain-based, with very low methanol, aldehydes and higher alcohols. It goes into premium vodka, gin and whisky.
- Grade B usually means ENA that meets IS 6613 but with less headroom. It suits value IMFL and country liquor blends.
- Buyers should ask for the actual numbers on the Certificate of Analysis, not just a pass, and write the target specs into the contract.
Two suppliers quote you ENA. One calls it Grade A, the other calls it Grade B, and the price gap is a few rupees per litre. Which one do you need, and how do you know the Grade A tag means anything?
That question comes up often among IMFL makers, contract bottlers and blenders across India. The honest answer is that the grade name on a quote tells you very little on its own. What matters is the test data behind it.
What Is Extra Neutral Alcohol?
Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) is highly purified ethyl alcohol with a strength of at least 96% and almost no taste or smell of its own. It is the base spirit for most Indian Made Foreign Liquor, including whisky, vodka, gin, rum and brandy.
The BIS standard for this product, IS 6613, calls it neutral spirit and notes that the trade also knows it as silent spirit. Indian distilleries make it from sugarcane molasses or from grains such as rice, maize, wheat and sorghum. If you are new to the product, our guide on what Extra Neutral Alcohol is and how it is made covers the basics. For how it differs from other alcohol grades, see ENA vs rectified spirit vs absolute alcohol.
Are Grade A and Grade B Official ENA Grades in India?
No. Indian law and Indian standards do not define a Grade A or Grade B for ENA. Two documents set the rules:
- BIS IS 6613:2002, Neutral Spirit for Alcoholic Drinks, sets one list of requirements for neutral spirit used in alcoholic drinks. An amendment in March 2011 removed the separate vodka column, so the same limits now apply across the board.
- The FSSAI Alcoholic Beverages Regulations, 2018 define neutral spirit or ENA as a product made by distillation and rectification with a minimum alcoholic strength of 96%.
So where do the grade names come from? Partly from habit, and partly from an older standard. IS 323 covers rectified spirit for industrial use and does have numbered grades. The foreword of IS 6613 states plainly that Grade 1 rectified spirit under IS 323 is not good enough for making alcoholic drinks. Over time, the trade started using letter grades for ENA too, as shorthand for quality tiers.
As a result, one supplier’s Grade A can be another supplier’s Grade B. Treat the label as a starting point for questions, not as a specification.
What Grade A and Grade B Usually Mean in the Indian Trade
Usage varies, but most suppliers and buyers draw the line similarly.
Grade A ENA
- Meets IS 6613 with wide headroom on impurity limits
- Often grain-based, though well-run molasses plants can also produce it
- Very low methanol, aldehydes, esters and higher alcohols
- Long permanganate reaction time, a sign of very few oxidisable impurities
- Clean nose and palate when diluted, with no harsh or solvent notes
- Used for premium and super-premium vodka, gin, whisky and some pharma and flavour work
Grade B ENA
- Meets IS 6613, but closer to the limits
- More often molasses-based
- May carry a faint odour that shows up on dilution
- Used for regular and value IMFL, blends where flavour masks the base, and country liquor
| Factor | Grade A ENA (typical) | Grade B ENA (typical) |
| Legal status | Trade term, must meet IS 6613 | Trade term, must meet IS 6613 |
| Common feedstock | Grain (rice, maize, wheat) | Molasses, sometimes grain |
| Impurity headroom | Well below IS 6613 limits | Close to IS 6613 limits |
| Sensory profile | Neutral, clean on dilution | Mostly neutral, may show faint notes |
| Typical end use | Premium vodka, gin, whisky | Value IMFL, country liquor |
| Price | Higher | Lower |
The Benchmark: IS 6613 Limits Every ENA Lot Should Meet
Whatever the grade name, the lot should pass IS 6613. The key limits are below, with the EU rules for ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin shown for reference. Many Indian exporters and premium brands use the EU figures as an informal Grade A target.
| Parameter | IS 6613:2002 (as amended) | EU reference* |
| Ethanol, % v/v at 20°C, min | 96 | 96 |
| Methyl alcohol, g/100 L AA, max | 50 | 30 (10 for vodka) |
| Higher alcohols, g/100 L AA, max | 30 (as iso-amyl alcohol) | 0.5 |
| Aldehydes, g/100 L AA, max | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Esters, g/100 L AA, max | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Acidity as acetic acid, g/100 L AA, max | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Residue on evaporation, g/100 L AA, max | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Furfural | Not detectable | 0.5 max |
| Permanganate reaction time, min | 30 minutes | Not specified |
*AA = absolute alcohol. EU figures from Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1303Â and Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Units converted from g/hl to g/100 L, which are equal.
Look at the higher alcohols row. IS 6613 allows up to 30 g per 100 litres of absolute alcohol, while the EU limit is 0.5. That gap is where Grade A and Grade B ENA most often differ in practice. A lot can pass the Indian standard and still carry enough fusel alcohols to affect a light spirit like vodka.
How Feedstock and Distillation Shape ENA Quality
Grain vs molasses
Grain ENA starts from starch. The grain is milled, cooked, broken down into sugars with enzymes, then fermented. Molasses ENA starts from a by-product of sugar making that already contains sugar, along with minerals and other compounds.
Both can reach IS 6613. Grain wash tends to give a cleaner start, which is why premium vodka and gin makers often prefer grain ENA. IS 6613 itself asks producers to name the feedstock, so you will see terms like grain neutral spirit and molasses neutral spirit on proper documentation.
Distillation design
Feedstock is only half the story. The column setup decides how well impurities come out. Modern plants use multi-column systems that strip out methanol, aldehydes and fusel oils at different stages, often with multi-pressure operation to save steam. How tightly the operator draws off the heads and tails cuts also matters. You can see how one integrated plant handles this in AABL’s grain-to-glass distillation process.
What Buyers Should Check Before Buying ENA
A short, firm checklist protects your product and your licence. Here is what experienced procurement teams ask for.
- A full Certificate of Analysis for each lot: It should show real values for every IS 6613 parameter, not a single line that says complies. Ask whether the lab is NABL-accredited.
- Methanol and higher alcohols as numbers: These two figures separate a true premium lot from a borderline one. Set your own maximums in the contract.
- Permanganate reaction time: IS 6613 needs at least 30 minutes. Premium buyers often expect well above that.
- A sensory check on dilution: Dilute a sample to drinking strength and smell it next to a reference sample. Off notes show up fast.
- Declared feedstock: Get it in writing. Grain or molasses changes both flavour and price.
- Batch-to-batch consistency: Ask for CoAs from the last several lots. Steady numbers matter more than one good sample.
- Tanker and storage hygiene: IS 6613 warns against old or rusted containers and recommends checking hoses and gaskets so the spirit does not pick up odours.
- Labelling and permits: FSSAI rules require bulk containers to carry the label For Manufacturer of Alcoholic Beverages only. State excise transport permits must match the consignment. Our guide to excise duty and liquor licensing rules explains how these differ by state.
- Correct tax treatment: Since 1 November 2024, ENA supplied for making alcoholic liquor for human consumption sits outside GST and falls under state excise and VAT. ENA sold for industrial or other uses still attracts GST, so state the end use clearly on the purchase order.
Which Grade Fits Your Product? Three Common Scenarios
A premium vodka launch: Vodka has nowhere to hide flaws, so the base spirit is the product. A brand in this position should buy grain ENA and set contract limits close to the EU vodka figures, especially on methanol and higher alcohols. Our piece on how vodka is produced in India shows why the base spirit matters so much.
A regular whisky blend: Malt, grain spirit, caramel and flavour carry much of the profile. A good Grade B lot that comfortably meets IS 6613 can work well and keep costs in check. The buyer should still track methanol and sensory results lot by lot.
A contract bottling run: When a brand owner hires a plant to produce under its label, the ENA spec is usually fixed by the brand owner. The bottler needs a supplier who can hold that spec across months, not just one tanker. Read more on contract manufacturing in the liquor industry.
ENA Market Context for Buyers in 2026
Grain prices remain the biggest swing factor for ENA cost. India’s ethanol blending programme competes with potable alcohol for the same rice and maize.
- The Food Corporation of India supplied about 6.35 million tonnes of rice to distilleries between June 2025 and June 2026, according to a government reply in the Rajya Sabha.
- The same reply put the price at Rs 2,320 per quintal from November 2025 to October 2026.
- Larger maize crops in states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have given distilleries more choice between grains this year.
For buyers, this means grain ENA prices can move with policy decisions on FCI rice and ethanol pricing. Locking in quarterly or half-yearly contracts with clear spec clauses gives more stability than buying spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Grade A and Grade B ENA?
Grade A ENA usually has much lower impurity levels and a cleaner taste than Grade B, and it is often made from grain. Grade B usually meets the BIS standard with less margin. Both are trade terms, so buyers should compare test results rather than labels.
Which BIS standard applies to ENA in India?
IS 6613:2002, Neutral Spirit for Alcoholic Drinks, applies to ENA used in liquor. It sets limits for ethanol strength, methanol, aldehydes, esters, higher alcohols, acidity and permanganate reaction time.
Is grain ENA better than molasses ENA?
Not always. Grain ENA usually starts cleaner and is preferred for vodka and gin. A well-run molasses plant with good columns can also produce high-quality ENA. The test data matters more than the raw material alone.
What is the minimum alcohol strength for ENA?
Both FSSAI and BIS IS 6613 set the minimum at 96% alcohol by volume.
What does permanganate reaction time show?
It shows how many easily oxidised impurities are in the spirit. A sample keeps its pink colour longer when it is cleaner. IS 6613 requires at least 30 minutes.
The Bottom Line
Grade A and Grade B are useful shorthand, but they are not standards. The safe approach is simple. Make IS 6613 the floor, set your own tighter limits for the parameters that matter to your product, and judge every supplier on lot-by-lot data.
Associated Alcohols & Breweries Ltd has run grain-based distillation near Indore since 1989, supplying ENA for its own brands and for other IMFL makers.
