Lao khao
Country of origin | Thailand |
---|---|
Alcohol by volume | 28%–40% |
Colour | Clear |
Ingredients | Molasses, rice, jasmine rice, glutinous rice, maize, sugarcane juice, adlay, sorghum bicolor, etc. |
Raon khao or lao khoa (
History
According to Chinese source “
“But as in hot Countries the continual dissipation of the Spirits, makes them desire what encreases them, they passionately esteem
Aqua Vitae, and the strongest more than the others. The Siameses do make it of Rice, and do frequently rack it with Lime. Of Rice they do at first make Beer, which they drink not; but they convert it into Aqua Vitae which they call Laou, and the Portuguese Arak, an Arabian word, which properly signifies sweat, and metaphorically essence, and by way of excellence Aqua Vitae. Of the Rice Beer they likewise make Vinegar.”
In 1790, during the reign of
Distilling lao khao in Thailand must be licensed, under the Criminal Activities Act which was introduced in the 1950s. This regulation was passed after a spate of lao khao of poor quality being produced, which resulted in methanol related poisoning. The methanol was produced as a by-product of the spirits reacting with tin and aluminium stills used. The metals were switched out with stainless steel when the government took over all distilleries by 1960. The distilleries were then returned to civilian control as the government could not operate all of them. By 1984, only twelve distilleries were left. ThaiBev then took control of these twelve distilleries in 1985, forming a monopoly. In 2003, Thaksin Shinawatra fulfilled an election promise made during the 2001 Thai general election to let people produce the spirits with licenses, thus breaking the monopoly. However, licenses are hard to come by.[7]
Most modern lao khao is distilled from molasses instead of rice to reduce production costs.[8]
See also
Notes
References
- ISBN 0521010322.
- ^ de La Loubère, Simon (1693). "CHAP. IX. Of the Gardens of the Siameses, and occasionally of their Liquors". A New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam. Translated by A.P. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
- ^ Ministry of Commerce and Communications (1926). "Siam Rice-industry". Bangkok Times Press. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ISBN 9781483374383.
- ^ Leonowens, Anna Harriette (1873). "The English governess at the Siamese court : being recollections of six years in the Royal Palace at Bangkok, 1834-1914". Boston : J.R. Osgood. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ บทที่ 4 วัฒนธรรมการบริโภคเหล้าขาวของคนไทยภายใต้แนวคิดชาตินิยม [The consumption culture of Thai people under the concept of nationalism] (PDF) (in Thai), retrieved March 25, 2021
- ^ "Moonshine's Lustre: the story of Thailand's lao khao". Chiang Mai Citylife. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
- ^ Charan Chettanachi. "การหมักเหล้าขาวญี่ปุ่นโดยใช้ข้าวดิบ" (PDF) (in Thai). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
External links
- Thai Beverage Plc
- Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association
- The study of physical and chemical properties of Thai distilled spirits.
- ‘เหล้าขาวไทย’ ดีกรีไกลระดับโลก กับ Moon Seeker (English: 'Thai white wine', world-class degree with Moon Seeker)
- Thai Beverage Company
- แจกสูตรคอกเทลอโยธยาที่คุณพี่หมื่นสายเมาชอบไปดริงค (English: Give away Ayothaya cocktail recipes that Khun Pee Muen Sai Drunk likes to drink)