Chinese Entrepreneurs Are Aging Medicinal Spirits Inside Living Bamboo (5 Photos)

Literary fans might recall the fictional rogue Ostap Bender boasting a recipe for moonshine distilled from a plain wooden stool. Whether such a drink could ever exist is debatable, but bamboo-infused liquor is very real—and surprisingly healthy. This unique spirit is crafted by Chinese entrepreneur Chen Chao. And it’s no gimmick: the alcohol actually matures inside the trunk of a living plant.





Chen Chao, the innovator behind this unusual infusion, lives and works in China's Sichuan province. Oak barrels are hard to come by in the region, but bamboo is plentiful. One day, Chen decided to see what would happen if he aged high-proof spirits inside the hollow cavities of living bamboo trunks. The results exceeded all expectations, and he now boasts a loyal following of eager consumers.



The process behind Chen’s signature liquor is remarkably straightforward. He takes a high-proof spirit, such as traditional

baijiu

, and injects it under pressure directly into the trunk of growing bamboo. Chen notes that not just any stalk will do—only young plants work. In young bamboo, the liquor matures faster and develops a smoother, pleasant flavor. After a set period, Chen drills a small hole into the stalk to drain the finished product.

Yet bamboo-aged liquor is more than just an exotic novelty. As Chen Chao explains:

“As the alcohol ages inside the living plant, it blends with flavones—the natural compounds inside the trunk—and bamboo sap.”





Flavones and bamboo sap are staples of traditional Chinese medicine, renowned for their healing properties and detoxifying qualities. As a result, Chen’s liquor doubles as a wellness tonic. However—for better or worse—the living bamboo absorbs some of the alcohol during the process, leaving the final drink noticeably lower in proof.

Bamboo Battles

Producing this unusual drink requires relatively low overhead. Today, Chao’s small family business yields up to 25,000 liters a year. Recently, however, Chen gained a serious rival: He Kang, a producer from Lujiang County in Anhui Province. While He hasn't overtaken Chen just yet, he is aggressively catching up. He currently manages a grove of 4,000 bamboo stalks and plans to expand quickly.



Chen Chao believes there is plenty of room for both of them in the domestic market. The producer from Lujiang uses a slightly different technique, giving his liquor distinct qualities. Instead of using complex high-pressure injection equipment, He simply drills holes into the bamboo and pours the liquor in by hand. Six months later, he taps the trunk and harvests the infusion. For packaging, He uses custom bottles crafted from—what else?—bamboo!



There remains just one mystery in all of this: how these business owners guard their groves. Let’s be honest—in many parts of the world, even a rumor that free liquor was growing inside wild trees would lead to an ecological catastrophe overnight. Perhaps things are just different in China.