Bamboo liquor: a new approach to a plentiful resource
By Weiwei Guan
October 10
Villagers in Longji County, Guangxi, have found a way to use bamboo to make alcohol. This naturally produced alcohol has become quite well known locally and is popular with tourists.
Villagers in Longji County, Guangxi, have found a way to use bamboo to make alcohol. This naturally produced alcohol has become quite well known locally and is popular with tourists.
Villagers in Longji County are trying to put rice wine into bamboo. [Photo: VCG]Villagers in Longji County, Guangxi, have found a way to use bamboo to make alcohol. This naturally produced alcohol has become quite well known locally and is popular with tourists.
Located at the Longji Terraced field Area, Longji County is well endowed with plenty of bamboo. The region’s forest coverage is at 79 percent.
Villagers in Longji County are carrying bamboo filled with liquor. [Photo: VCG]“Why not make full use of the bamboo?” said Zhao Fuqian, local resident and inventor of bamboo liquor. He uses special processing equipment to put rice wine into bamboo shoots, after which it is left to mature for four months. The liquor has turned out to be surprisingly popular.
The maturation period in the bamboo imbues the rice wine with a pure, fragrant aroma. In addition, bamboo liquor contains vitamins and minerals from the plant, which are good for health.
Local villagers in Longji County are collecting liquor from a bamboo. [Photo: VCG]The road to success is not easy. Before the idea of putting rice wine into bamboo, Zhao had tried several different types of alcohol without success. The bamboo died when he used high proof alcohols, and went bad when he used low proof alcohols.