Rượu thuốc

"Rượu thuốc" (literally "medicinal liquor") or "rượu dân tộc" (literally "traditional liquor"} is a kind of Vietnamese distilled liquor ("rượu") with herbs and medical animals, considered by traditional medicine as good for health. This drink is a mixture of alcohol mixed with herbs or animals which are used as drink and medicine in Vietnam. In Vietnam, "rượu thuốc" is widely believed by to help drinkers improve their health and virility.

Production

Raw herbs like ginseng, jujube, or raw animals like seahorses, snakes, or termites are placed into a large earthenware jar of alcohol and kept for days to let the expected medical sustances in these herbs or animals to dissolve in liquor before the mixture is served. Distilled liquor must be strong enough, with alcoholic concentration of 45% or more.

Drinking

"Rượu thuốc" is typically drunk before a meal, a small cup each time. It's believed among Vietnamese that drinking "rượu thuốc" may treat several diseases (not diseases caused by viruses or bacteria), also "rượu thuốc" is seen by female drinkers as local Viagra.

ee also

*Snake wine
*Rượu đế
*Rượu nếp
*Rượu san lùng
*Rượu cần
*Rice wine
*Cơm rượu