Long ago, ancient people learned to brew medicinal wine using alcohol and Chinese herbs. Medicinal wine can both promote health and treat diseases, making it a dual-purpose beverage. Brewing medicinal wine is a technical skill, and mastering the correct brewing and consumption methods can enhance the efficacy of the wine. Today, let's learn the correct method of brewing medicinal wine from traditional Chinese medicine.
Medicinal wine is a combination of alcohol and medicinal herbs with strong health-promoting effects. The alcohol enhances the efficacy of the herbs, improving the therapeutic effect. Depending on the nature of the herbs, medicinal wine can be classified into animal-based, plant-based, animal-plant combination, and mineral-based. Commonly used herbs include ginseng, snake, wolfberry, deer antler, deer penis, cordyceps, and American ginseng.
Medicinal wine has dual effects of alcohol and medicine, but its primary purpose is medicinal. There is a saying that "alcohol is the best medicine," as alcohol itself also has medicinal properties. Moreover, alcohol can fully dissolve the lipid-soluble and water-soluble active ingredients in herbs, significantly improving the efficacy. "Alcohol enhances the potency of medicine, and medicine enhances the power of alcohol." Alcohol and medicine can enhance each other's effects. If the efficacy of medicine alone is considered to be three units, it can reach six to eight units when used in medicinal wine. Additionally, after mixing with alcohol, the potency of the alcohol increases. If one can normally drink half a cup of alcohol, with medicinal wine, they can only drink a sip.
Use Baijiu (Chinese white liquor), and herbs as whole roots or slices
Different types of alcohol have little impact on the efficacy. Generally, the degree and aroma of the alcohol are selected based on personal preference. For those who consume less alcohol, they can choose low-alcohol liquor, around 38 degrees. For those who consume more alcohol, they can choose high-alcohol liquor, around 52 degrees. Rice wine is usually not chosen because it is fermented from rice, and the rice wine aroma mixes with the smell of the herbs, creating an unpleasant odor. Old Baijiu or yellow wine is often chosen, as the mixture of alcohol and herbs has a mild and enticing aroma.
The advantage of Baijiu is that it is not easily spoiled and can be stored for a long time. However, in the southern regions, fruit wine is occasionally used to make medicinal wine, as it has a lower alcohol content and is less irritating to the body. When using fruit wine, a boiling method is generally used - the herbs are boiled and the herbal residue is removed. Then, an appropriate amount of the herbal liquid is mixed into the fruit wine for consumption.
The herbs can be used as whole roots or cut into 3-5mm slices, but grinding them into particles is rare. Granules can easily make the liquid cloudy and reduce its transparency, and granular drugs dissolve quickly and have a high concentration. Large granules are only used when rapid dissolution is required.
Glass bottles with ground mouths are commonly used for storing medicinal wine, as they are easy to seal and prevent oxidation of the herbs. Dark-colored bottles are preferable, and if transparent bottles are used, care should be taken to avoid direct sunlight. The ratio of herbs to alcohol is also important. Generally, the soaked herbs should occupy about one-third of the total volume of the medicinal wine.
Consume one to one and a half liang (a Chinese unit of measurement)
Soak the herbs in the alcohol, and store at room temperature. However, attention should be paid to sealing and avoiding light. Shake the bottle several times a day. This is called the "cold soaking method" and is the most commonly used method. There is also a "hot boiling method" - putting the herbs in the alcohol and heating it, which can have a warming and surface-resolving effect. However, this method causes the alcohol to evaporate easily, resulting in a lower alcohol content, so it is not suitable for long-term storage and is only suitable for short-term consumption.
When the color of the medicinal wine no longer deepens, it indicates that the active ingredients of the herbs have stopped permeating and the concentration of the medicinal wine has reached its maximum. It can then be consumed. Generally, animal-based medicinal wine can be consumed after soaking for 1-2 weeks, while plant-based medicinal wine only requires 3-5 days. For some precious herbs, they can be soaked repeatedly. When there is about one inch of liquid left before finishing, they can be soaked again in new alcohol for further soaking.
If the following conditions occur, do not consume the medicinal wine: if the texture of the wine becomes turbid, there are obvious flocculent substances, the color becomes dark, there is an oily film on the surface, the alcohol flavor becomes weak, or there is a clear sour or spoiled taste.
When consuming, drink one to one and a half liang each time. Those who are not accustomed to alcohol can dilute the medicinal wine in yellow wine or cold water and drink it according to the dosage. There are no time restrictions for consuming tonic medicinal wine, but for medicinal wine used for treatment, it is best not to take it on an empty stomach or during meals. Sedative medicinal wine is suitable for consumption 1-2 hours before bedtime.
The above article introduces the correct method of brewing and consuming medicinal wine in traditional Chinese medicine. Both the brewing and consumption of medicinal wine have their own rules. Only by learning the correct methods can the medicinal wine exert its maximum efficacy.
