Distill Wine In Myanmar Palm Farm

Travelling in Southeast Asia you will likely cross paths with Palm Wine at some point and in my trips I’ve boozed my own frank share; from coconut arrack cocktails in Sri Lanka to Tuba and Lambanog in the Philippines. Palm Wine, or Toddy its name in Myanmar, is an impressive alcohol made from the palm trees’ sap and while originally names and distillation methods do vary the resulting alcohol will almost always be the same. On this travel it is ‘Toddy’ I am sampling at a palm wine farm and distillery of the locals in Myanmar (Burma), found in rural and arid countrysides between Mount Popa and  Bagan. I go after the manufacturing in process and even throw back a few shots with the locals.

Contents

Distill Wine In Myanmar Palm Farm

1. Collecting Palm Sap

Distill Wine In Myanmar Palm FarmFarmer scaled coconut palm trees (below), using makeshift bamboo ladders (yin) which have been roped tightly to the long body of the tree. ‘Tappers’ climb the ladders bringing pots and a clamp-like knife (below left) tied to their waist which they used to ‘tap’ the palm sap (htan) from the young coconut flower clusters at the top of the tree (below right). Slits are made, cutting the tip of the coconut flowers which are still young and then palm sap begins to flow. ‘Toddy pots’ are positioned below each incision to get the flowing palm sap. The tapper then descends the tree returning later when pots have been filled. This process is repeated daily and will often cover 50 plus trees in a farming area.

2. Fermentation to Palm Wine

Distill Wine In Myanmar Palm FarmPalm sap’s collection is a white liquid, sweet and non-alcoholic. It is not until fermentation that the palm wine is made. The proceeding of fermentation in fact is very simple as palm sap ferments immediately after collection due to its own natural yeasts (a squeeze of lime helps stop fermentation). The result of fermentation is palm wine a mildly alcoholic drink of around 4% alc. Palm sap left in the sun (heat) often takes roughly two hours to create palm wine and, while leaving longer for making stronger alcohol, the taste will be more acidic. If it is left for longer times, you will get vinegar (as used in Filipino food).

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3. Distillation of Palm Wine

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My real interest is not only in palm wine but also the distilled palm wine; an alcohol so strong it challenges the bravest of boozers. At this Myanmar distillery the distillation show in fire heated, earthen stills where the more potent toddy alcohol collects in glass bottles spanning at each side. The entire process is surprisingly simple.

4. Drinking

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The end product is a clear spirit with a taste between whisky and rum. The alcohol content is of up to 50%. While often blended or mixed in cocktails, I feel distilled rice wine is best on it’s own. On this occasion, as it was breakfast time and sweet old mum was in tow, I only stay around for 4 or 5 shots before we forward on to Mount Popa. There are a number of  local palm farms and distilleries in this area for those interested.

5. Farming and By-Products

distill-wine-in-myanmar-palm-farm-18While I was there for the booze I do find much more interest. In short the rural palm farms are self-sustainable, they make the most of limited resources which surround them, wood for huts and utensils, leaves for shelter and rope but the more interesting (and commercial) of local products has to be the cow powered mills which squeeze palm sap to create jaggery palm sugars (htanyat). These sugars are then mixed with other ingredients; peanuts, condensed milk and coconut to make a range of sugars and sweets. This will likely come as a post of it’s own. The distilled palm wine can also be mixed with local herbs and leaves to be used for skincare.

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