The Soul of Vietnam
Distilled in California
What is Rượu đế?
Rượu đế is a rice spirit following ancient traditions of fermentation and distillation in Vietnam — legally and illegally. It is similar to a shochu or a rice baijiu, and shares some similar history as moonshine in the US.
Rượu đế translates loosely to grass liquor and refers primarily to the tall kanza grass (similar to pampas grass) where unlicensed stills were hidden from colonial authorities. The best stuff was not available in the stores. Much like moonshine traditions around the world; if you knew the right person, the right door to knock on, the right words to say, you could walk up with an empty bottle and a little money in had hand and walk away with a liter of the good stuff.
Dr. Binh Đào
Though born in Vietnam, distillery founder Binh Đào grew up in California. He left as a child on a boat piloted by his father, carrying 58 people, mostly family. They were washed ashore in a typhoon, taking refuge in an abandoned temple on Hainan Island. The family bounced between refugee camps in Hong Kong for seven years, deported back to Vietnam, before eventually getting refugee status. He landed in eight grade in Sacramento, speaking no English, and worked his way up to not only being accept to the University of California Davis but also earning a Ph.D. there. Professor Dao teaches chemistry at Sacramento city College.
Binh grew up in the United States not knowing that something called rượu đế existed until he visited his native Vietnam to attend his oldest brother’s wedding. He took back a gift for the family -- a very nice bottle of Cognac. His grandfather told Binh he appreciated the gift but prefers to drink rượu đế.
“Rượu đế? What is this rượu đế?” He asked his grandfather, wanting to know if he could try it.
Binh was led down to the village where there was a small distillery of improvised equipment in a house where he could find the good stuff. Binh was captivated by the spirit. He loved it.
That day, Binh set a new goal: to use his knowledge of chemistry, bringing together art, science, and tradition, to make the best rượu đế possible.
Tuong Đào
Fortunately for Binh, his uncle, Tuong Đào, was a "home distiller" in Vietnam. He had learned the tricks for cooking large quantities of rice, fermenting with "men" (similar to koji used to make sake, or the qi used in making baijiu), and distilling rượu đế on rudimentary pot stills in the traditional style.
Uncle Tuong didn’t learn to make rượu đế from a textbook. His craft was passed down the old-fashioned way—by word of mouth, refined through years of trial and error. When his hard-earned experience is paired with Binh’s scientific knowledge of fermentation and distillation, the result is a perfect blend of tradition and science, working together to create the finest rượu đế.
A true jack of all trades, Uncle Tuong is a farmer, a rancher, and a distiller. In Vietnam, many families live this way, where distilling and farming are inseparable parts of a sustainable life. Nothing is wasted: the leftover mash from distilling feeds the pigs, which in turn produce the most flavorful pork. Their manure then enriches the rice fields, ensuring the next harvest. And so the cycle continues—distilling, farming, and family, woven together in harmony.
The Distillery
Binh purchased a functioning distillery in Rancho Cordova, opening as the Đào Distillery in September 2024. The Sacramento River Delta, is a major rice-growing region exporting to Asia, where California rice enjoys a reputation for high quality. Dao distillery sources Calrose and jasmine rice grown locally in West Sacramento. The distinctive rice flavors carry through into the aromas and tastes of every rượu đế that Đào makes.
The spirit's quality is indisputable and it is winning over the experts. In its first year in business, Đào’s rượu đế has garnered gold medals from San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition, as well as earning both a Gold Medal and Best of Category at the New Orleans Spirits Competition presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.
Đào Distillery brings together Art, Science and Tradition to make the best rượu đế and introduce them to the world.
Đào Distillery strives to be a zero-waste distillery by maintaining a deep commitment to responsible production practices. We are honored to be recognized with the Sustainability Leader Award by the City of Rancho Cordova for our innovative approach to eco-friendly distilling.
The byproduct from our distillation process, called “hèm,” can be repurposed into a nutrictious, non-alcoholic beverage and used as a flavorful broth for hot pot and other traditional Vietnamese dishes. Dao Distillery proudly offers free of charge to anyone interested in sustainable living and culinary creativity.
In addition, we are experimenting with the remaining rice fiber to transform it into rice paper, which will soon be used to print our own eco-friendly labels — completing our mission of turning every part of the grain into something meaningful.