What is Snake Wine and everything you should know about it

If you are a spirit lover, you might have heard or consumed different types of alcohol, but have you ever heard of snake wine? Imagine drinking a wine that has been poured straight from a bottle that has a snake in it. That is exactly what snake wine is.

The origin of Chinese snake wine is said to date back to the Western Zhou dynasty (1046-771 BC), where it was used for medicinal benefits. Read on to know what snake wine is and whether it is safe to consume or not.

Snake wine is prepared in many different ways, however, the most famous one is putting an entire snake in a jar of rice wine or any other alcohol. Many times an alive snake is stuffed in a jar and is left to ferment for months together. Some special herbs and spices are also added to the wine jar to infuse some peculiar flavours into it.

Another way in which this snake wine is prepared includes the actual blood of the snake. After killing the snake, its blood and bile are mixed with alcohol, which has to be drunk immediately by the customer on the spot.

Yes, snake wine is completely safe to drink when bought from an authentic source. Even though venomous snakes are used in the preparation, the ethanol content in the rice wine denatures the snake’s venom.

In rare cases, snakes might go into hibernation mode and might be still alive after months of being soaked in wine. One such case was reported in 2013, when a snake bit a woman after she opened the jar of snake wine. The video of the incident went viral on the internet, as the snake was preserved for three months but was still alive.

Snake wine is quite popular in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and Southern China. It can be found in old markets and traditional snake restaurants as well. It is advised to avoid buying homemade wines or from suspicious vendors, as their method of preparation might be unsafe or dangerous for health.

The taste of the wine is quite strong and gives an earthy, sweet taste. The presence of snake in it adds a fish or chicken-like flavour to it.

Snake wine is mostly prepared and sold for its medicinal benefits. It is consumed in the form of a shot and is said to treat several illnesses. The use of snakes has been an age-old practice in Chinese medicine.

Snake meat is used for skin-related diseases, while the gall, bones and snakeskin are used to cure ailments such as migraines and joint pain.

Snake venom, which is referred to as ‘divine medicine’ in China is associated with the treatment of leprosy, low eyesight, hair loss and is even said to be an aphrodisiac.

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