Vietnam: A History of Rice Wine (Whiskey), Part 1: Family Stills, Prohibition and Colonial Bloodshed

 

Unlike Western wine, which is typically 12-16% alcohol by volume (ABV), distilled rice wine can range anywhere from 20% to 50% ABV, making it more akin to hard alcohol. (Don't know where he got this from as it's 70, 80 and 90.)

To understand this choice that hundreds of Vietnamese once faced, we must go back several centuries. While Vietnamese and their ancestors have been consuming alcohol for thousands of years, removing water from the liquid to increase its potency — a process known as distillation — dates back only to the 14^th century in Asia. Since then, rice wine has been an integral part of Vietnam’s social traditions, economy and culture. Examining its history not only provides insights into rapidly disappearing ways of life, but also French colonialism’s far-reaching and disastrous impact on the country.

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