Ho Shou Wu Wine (何首烏酒)

[TheGreenPhantom]

Recipe adapted from:

Chinese Tonic Herbs
by Ron Teeguarden
1985, p. 155

Ingredients:

• 1 liter 30%–34% a.b.v. Rice Wine
• 10g Ho Shou Wu root / 何首烏根 / Polygonum multiflorum
• 10g Bai Shu root / 白朮 / Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma
• 10g Goji Berries / 枸杞子 / Lycium chinensis wolfberry
• 10g Tien Men Dong / 天門冬 / Asparagus cochinchinensis

Instructions:
Put the whole herbs without grinding or chopping into a jar with the rice wine. Allow to stand for one month before consuming the resulting amber-colored wine.


Taste: sweet, cloying, with the drifting aroma of cabbage.

(Might add in Calamus Root or 5-Flavor Berry next time to combat the aromatic taste of the asparagus.)


Effects: Within 20 minutes of consuming 30+ml, there's a noticable change in headspace, almost as if stoned. Colors are slightly more vivid. Drifty. Dreamlike. Energy has also increased.

(Ho Shou Wu is supposed to prevent gray or white hairs from forming; I have yet to confirm this.)

 

[bezevo]

sounds great

 

[blacksarcophagus]

Would love to read more recipes like this!

A few years back i was in thailand, studying thai massage under well-known teacher who also specialized in chinese traditional medicine (he had chinese granfather).

I caught a terrible cold, sneezing constantly and could barely breath... he gave me a couple of pack of home made traditional medicine, no idea what herbs were inside, but one pack was enough... the next day the cold was GONE!

there's so much power in traditional herbs medicine

 

[TheGreenPhantom]

Very true. You get the right herbal formula, and it'll work as good or better than a pharmaceutical drug.

I've been experimenting with tonic herbal wines as of late, and I figured I'd share one that has palpable tonic effects....