Sacramento-area distillery opens soon with rare rice liquor. It’s the first in California

A new Sacramento-area distillery specializing in rare Vietnamese rice liquor now has an opening date.

Dao Distillery in Rancho Cordova will have its grand opening at 11460 Sunrise Gold Circle, Suite C, on Saturday, Sept. 21, business owner Binh Dao told The Sacramento Bee.

Dao is opening his business in the former location of Gold River Distillery, which closed permanently at the end of March after 11 years in business.

What is Dao Distillery?

Dao Distillery is the first in California to make Vietnamese rice liquor, known as ruou de.

Also called Vietnamese moonshine, ruou de is a hard liquor made from distilled fermented rice.

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

What’s in store for grand opening in Rancho Cordova?

According to a flier, Dao Distillery’s grand opening will feature a traditional Vietnamese dragon dance, firecrackers and free food and drink tastings.

Additionally, customers get 20% off their purchase of a bottle.

What does Vietnamese rice liquor taste like?

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

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.

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

When are Sacramento-area business open hours?

Dao Distillery’s tasting room is open 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

This story was originally published September 10, 2024 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Sacramento-area distillery opens soon with rare rice liquor. It’s the first in California."