First California distillery to make rare Vietnamese rice liquor is opening in Sacramento

A new Sacramento distillery is vying to become the first California company to produce Vietnamese rice liquor.

Dao Distillery plans to open to the public this summer at 11460 Sunrise Gold Circle, Suite C, in Rancho Cordova.

It’s replacing Gold River Distillery, which is closing permanently at the end of March after 11 years in business.

Currently, only one company produces Vietnamese rice liquor, known as ruou de, in the United States: SuTi Craft Distillery, based in Kennedale, Texas.

That business opened in November 2020, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Why bring Vietnamese rice liquor to California?

Ruou de is hard liquor made from distilled fermented rice and is also called Vietnamese moonshine, according to D Magazine, a publication covering Dallas and Fort Worth.

Binh Dao, owner of Dao Distillery, told The Sacramento Bee that he and his friends are excited to produce the alcohol in Sacramento.

A chemistry professor at Sacramento City College, Dao has taught and studied the process of distillation, and enjoys making beer and wine in his free time.

He’s also a fan of ruou de.

Dao immigrated to Sacramento from Vietnam with his family in 1998. About 10 years ago, Dao visited Vietnam and tried ruou de for the first time with his grandfather.

“I could not believe how good it was,” he said.

Although it’s a traditional drink, the liquor is difficult to find in the U.S., Dao said.

“I want to help ... introduce the rest of the world to ruou de because I think it’s a great product that we have that not a lot of people know about,” he said.

Dao noted that many spirits from other countries have found followings in the United States.

There’s sake from Japan, soju from Korea, vodka from Russia and tequila from Mexico, he said.

“The Vietnamese have our ruou de,” Dao said. “But nobody knows about what ruou de is.”

What does ruou de taste like?

Ruou de has a concentrated body with a very smooth and sweet aftertaste, Dao said.

The liquor has a floral aroma reminiscent of budding rice flowers, he said.

Dao described ruou de as “hien,” which means kind or gentle in Vietnamese.

“It’s very kind to your body, compared to other liquor,” he said.

When will Dao Distillery open in Sacramento?

Once Gold River Distillery officially closes on March 30, Dao said he will begin renovating the building and remodeling the tasting room.

He’ll also add more equipment suitable for making ruou de.

Dao said the distillery is in the process of getting its permits and will soon finalize its formulation for the liquor.

He expects to have products out and to open the tasting room by the summer.

“I take immense pride in the richness of the Vietnamese culture and the numerous invaluable contributions it has made,” Dao said. “My goal is to continue highlighting ruou de to America and the global community, and hope it will be embraced and savored like the beloved dish, pho.”

This story was originally published March 22, 2024 at 5:00 AM.