Rice wine
In Viet Nam, expensive scotch, imported whisky, French wine and even Russian vodka may be gaining popularity among urbane tipplers, but most Vietnamese men still prefer local liquor commonly known as ruou (rice wine).
The local liquor, traditional tonic or medicinal wine can be a concoction of awk rice, corn, herbs, cassava or fruit, and even animals like snakes, geckos, sea-horses, goats or crows.
Despite the low price, the local liquors are often nothing to turn your nose up at either. Foreigners served a local home brew liquor called quoc lui (country spirit) are often surprised at the high quality.
For beginners, Vietnamese liquor can be broken into three general categories: quoc lui of the Hong (Red) River Delta; ruou can in the Northwest and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) and ruou de (rice wine) in the Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta.
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