Vietnamese Alcoholic Beverages

Vietnamese rice wine is known under various names, but it is usually, and somewhat mistakenly, referred to as rượu - a term that is also used for other alcoholic drinks. Two main types include rượu gạo or rượu đếREAD MORE

Rượu thuốc is a type of Vietnamese rice wine that is mostly considered as a medicinal beverage used to soothe various types of alignments. The drink is usually made with different ingredients that are infused in distilled rice wine. Typic... READ MORE

Rượu cần is a variety of Vietnamese rice wine that is usually made with glutinous (sticky) rice, though plain rice, millet, or cassava can also be used as a base. Unlike similar varieties, this type is not distilled, and the rice is usual... READ MORE

Rượu đế is a traditional Vietnamese rice liquor, primarily produced and consumed by ethnic minority groups in Central Vietnam, especially in the Bình Định province. It is made from glutinous or non-glutinous rice, fermented using natural ye... READ MORE

Often dubbed as Vietnamese corn wine, rượu ngô is a unique spirit distilled from local corn varieties. The drink is traditionally produced by ethnic minorities such as Hmong and Dao people located in northern mountainous provinces. ... READ MORE

Táo mèo is a type of a liqueur that is traditionally associated with Sapa and the H'Mong ethnic group. It is made from the eponymous wild apples (Docynia indica) that are harvested and then soaked and fermented in water before they a... READ MORE

Rượu nếp cẩm is a variety of Vietnamese fermented rice wine. It is made with black rice (gạo nếp cẩm), which attains a distinctive deep purple hue. When the rice is cooked or soaked, it is combined with yeast, and it is then left... READ MORE

Rượu sim is a traditional rose myrtle liqueur that hails from Phú Quốc. It is usually made with a combination of rose myrtle berries (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa), sugar, and rice wine. Rose myrtle grows wild in the mountainous regions o... READ MORE

Mau son (mẫu sơn) is a Vietnamese rice wine that is traditionally made by Dao people who mainly live in the mountainous areas of the province of Lạng Sơn. The drink is distilled from cooked rice, spring water, and a specific type of yeast... READ MORE

Kim som is a variety of Vietnamese rice wine that hails from the eponymous region. The drink is made with fermented rice, spring water, and yeast, which usually incorporates various herbs and spices. The exact recipe and the ingredients a... READ MORE