Sticky Rice Wine

Our stay at the eco-lodge/labor camp did afford one unique pleasure: sticky rice wine (lao hai) made by some local villagers.

The presentation of the wine

Removing the cover from the wine

Adding water

Putting the straws into the surprisingly hard fermented sticky rice and rye husks

Tasting the wine

As the waiter said, "to make sure it won't make you blind."

Indulging in the wine

Savoring the wine

After the initial novelty wears off

It certainly wasn't a fine French wine but it is fun drinking from a communal jar. We also started a trend because soon after we started drinking our wine, the table of Europeans near us also ordered their own. Lights out at the lodge came well before we could ever hope to finish the wine so we will always wonder what is at the bottom of the jar.