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Ha Giang Corn Wine – A Taste of Vietnam’s Cultural Heritage

08:04 - 03/11/2024

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Deep ingrained in the customs of the ethnic communities inhabiting this hilly area, Ha Giang Corn Wine is a staple beverage. Renowned for its unique taste and historical relevance, maize wine is a major part of social and religious events. Allow MOTOGO Tours to investigate the fascinating trip this ancient beverage takes.

An Overview of Ha Giang Corn Wine

Ha Giang, known as the land of the rocky highlands, has about three-quarters of its terrain covered in stone. The locals cultivate corn as a staple crop, planting it in the crevices of the rugged karst mountains. Together with the clear spring water and classic herbal yeast, the corn produced on these rocky hills produces an outstanding corn wine.

Enjoyed, corn wine has a strong, spicy taste that permeates the palate, a delicate sweetness, and a pleasant scent. The freshly distilled wine first has a rather high alcohol concentration—between 35 and 45%. Still, the alcohol level drops to about 25 to 35% after some time of storage, which qualifies for a larger spectrum of drinkers.

Moreover, this unique alcoholic drink is appreciated for its safety as much as for its deliciousness. Consumption of it does not result in headaches, nausea, or dyspnoea. Ha Giang maize wine is special in that the ancient yeast has medicinal qualities that assist with alcohol detoxification. This feature makes it a common present for visitors who want to bring a unique treat back for friends and relatives.

Corn wine has long been a widespread drink in the rocky highlands, closely intertwined with the daily lives of the local people. Whether during everyday meals, festivals, funerals, or weddings, corn wine is always present. It has thus become a beautiful cultural tradition for the ethnic communities in this region.

What Makes Ha Giang Corn Wine Special?

The Origins of Ha Giang Corn Wine

Actually, corn wine is a traditional drink of the H’Mong ethnic group all around, not only in Ha Giang. Ha Giang corn wine is regarded as a spiritual drink for the highlanders alongside classic meals including grilled moss, steamed cornmeal and buckwheat cake. This speciality is not limited to its source; it is rather present in many different areas.

Corn wine is a traditional drink of the H'Mong ethnic group throughout the country. — Corn wine is a traditional drink of the H’Mong ethnic group throughout the country. ( Source: Collected)

Still, only by visiting Ha Giang will visitors taste the real, intriguing taste of corn wine. From the apparently desolate rocky plateaus, where growth may seem limited, comes an amazing drink thanks to the hard-working and expert local people. The basis for Ha Giang’s premium speciality is the superior quality of the growncorn here.

Ha Giang Corn Wine – A Cultural Distinction

For a long time, brewing and enjoying corn wine have been considered essential pastimes for the locals. It is more than just a beverage; it is a cherished hobby that brings joy and fosters social bonds. Brewing corn wine is also a way to create happiness and strengthen connections among people. The residents of Ha Giang take pride in each drop they produce, viewing it as a precious gift from nature.

Ha Giang homes sometimes have multiple jars of corn wine. Apart from appreciating it at regular meals, they present it as a unique delicacy for visitors from far distances.Usually kept for important events like holidays and New Year festivities are the best batches. Thus, for guests, sampling corn wine at these times offers a fresh and interesting experience.

At Ha Giang’s conventional markets, corn wine is a staple. Anyone can enjoy this rustic drink at reasonable cost. Moreover, corn wine acts as a social glue bringing people together and creating a friendly environment. The sincere toasts exchanged over a basic cup of this potent liquor can help some couples find one other.

>>> Let’s see more: Meo Vac Mint Honey in Ha Giang: A Unique Vietnamese Specialty

The Meticulous Process of Brewing Corn Wine

1. Ingredients

Ha Giang’s residents meticulously choose superior corn varieties to create high-quality batches of corn wine, therefore guaranteeing uniform and pest-free kernels. The water used in the brewing process also has to be pure, mineral-rich, taken from deep mountain caves.

The traditional herbal yeast is a necessary component providing corn wine its unique scent. Made from a mix of more than 20 uncommon herbs along with millet flour and a little bit of both glutinous and non-glutinous corn flour, this particular yeast is unique.

The mixture is then formed into little cakes, fermented for roughly three days until white mould shows up, then dried. Ha Giang is the only supplier of this premium herbal yeast, hence the native corn wine is really unmatched in taste.

2. The Brewing Process

Completely handcrafted, the creation of corn wine is intricately entwined with human labour. The corn is meticulously selected following harvest, only the plumpest, most robust ears selected. Drying them helps de-kerneling simpler. The plump kernels are taken of their husks and germ after split, therefore leaving just the starch. After that, the corn cooks in just enough water under continuous stirring to guarantee evenness.

The corn is laid out on a mat to cool after attaining the ideal softness. The ready herbal yeast is sprinkled on top once it has cooled totally. The corn is subsequently brought together and fermented for one to two days; finally, it spends another ten days in a big plastic container.

The idea behind the subterranean fermenting technique is that the earth’s natural humidity facilitates the fermentation process, so producing a more delicious result. The corn mixture is distilled to make the wine following roughly ten days of fermentation. Using a big pot put over a fire, Ha Giang residents double-boile.

Water is dumped into the base of the pot; a cloth covers the top to keep the corn from burning or hitting the bottom. To get the perfect corn wine, the heat must be precisely controlled during distillation. While inadequate heat will inhibit the complete extraction of the wine, too strong heat may burn and provide a burned taste. Making Ha Giang maize wine is thus not just a way of life but also a kind of art.

Usually spending six to eight hours distilling, Ha Giang brewers make a superior batch of maize wine. Changing the distillation time allows one to control the strength of the wine depending on the intended result. Moreover, freshly made corn wine has to be aged under ground for several months before drinking. This ageing process raises the worth of the wine as well as improve its taste.

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Popular Types of Ha Giang Corn Wine

Baby Corn Wine

Apart from classic corn wine, baby corn wine is also a popular drink in Ha Giang. Made from soft corn kernels, baby corn wine has a cool pale yellow colour. Its taste is wonderfully sweet and crisp, enhanced by a really appealing scent.

This wine offers a mild sensation when drank devoid of any unpleasant or throat-stinging side effects. Since the primary ingredient is young corn, which lacks sufficient starch for fermentation like traditional corn wine, the process is different. Instead of fermentation, the young corn is soaked in leaf yeast wine, or simply put, it is white wine infused with fresh corn to create baby corn wine. Furthermore, baby corn wine from Ha Giang is reasonably priced at about 1,000,000 VND for a 20-liter container.

Ha Giang Purple Corn Wine

Purple corn wine is considered a unique drink loved by many in the rocky highlands. Crafted from purple corn originating from Thailand, it undergoes fermentation with leaf yeast wine, resulting in a sweet, fragrant, and sparkling final product.

This drink smells mildly of corn and has a striking pinkish-purple hue. Enjoyed, it provides the drinker with a revitalising and somewhat sedative feeling. For a 20-liter container, this delicious drink runs in price approximately 1,000,000 VND.

Traditional Leaf Yeast Corn Wine

As a traditional beverage and the essence behind various unique corn wines, traditional leaf yeast corn wine is given special attention during the distillation process. The use of a traditional leaf yeast made from 20 rare herbs is a key factor in developing the distinctive flavor of this wine. Traditional leaf yeast corn wine from Ha Giang is therefore sold for a 20-liter container between 1,101,000 VND and 1,200,000 VND.

Where to Buy Ha Giang Corn Wine?

Considered a speciality drink from Ha Giang, maize wine is quite popular among many visitors who usually buy it as a present for friends and relatives. Still, given the abundance of maize wine manufacturers on the market, here are three respectable brands visitors might want to take note:

Thanh Van Corn Wine Cooperative: Located in Ma Hong, Thanh Van, Quan Ba, Ha Giang.
Ha Giang Corn Wine Cooperative: Found in Group 2, Lung Phin Village, Vi Xuyen Town, Ha Giang.
Dacsancaonguyenda.vn: Situated in Ha Che, Ta Lung, Meo Vac, Ha Giang, offering authentic leaf-fermented corn wine.

Ha Giang’s local markets also include batches of sweet and aromatic maize wine available for visitors. Discovering these highland markets, visitors will see residents drinking this wonderful drink right there and trading things. Ha Giang maize wine’s pricing depends on its quality and the ageing technique; usually ranging from 700,000 to 1,500,000 VND for a 20-liter jar.

Ha Giang Corn Wine is a cultural emblem reflecting the history, customs and communal spirit of the area rather than only a standard drink. Whether savoured on a cultural tour, as a mark of hospitality, or at a festival, Corn Wine offers a real window into the life of the ethnic groups living in Ha Giang.

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