A taste of Thai

Story by CHOMPOO TRAKULLERTSATHIEN
Pictures by SOMKID CHAIJITVANIT

Researcher Cholamark Puangwerakul and local entrepreneurs Kantapon Kangvannavakul and Saharat Puangwerakul hope Thai rice wine will become a hit in the international drinks market.

Local wisdom has been bottled — into sato, a cool new drink that looks set to have a bright future in the local and international market.

Thai rice wine mixed with fruit juice is sold in eye-catching bottles sporting fun names like Fullmoon Party (rice wine with pineapple juice), Monster Drink (with grape juice), Nang Ake (with orange juice), Sabaijai (melon), and Satan Cool (mint).

The drink was in development at Rangsit University for a number of years before it debuted recently under the brand name SatoZa at the sura chae (Fermented Liquor) Fair at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, where it proved a hit with the public.

The brainchild of Asst Prof Yupakanit Puangwerakul and researcher Cholamark Puangwerakul from Rangsit University’s Faculty of Biotechnology, the rice wine is part of wider efforts to find new products made from Thai rice.

It’s also about taking a near-forgotten local drink and giving it a new lease of life.

"Most countries have their own traditional liquors which reflect their culture and traditions. Japan has sake. Germany is famous for beer. The Russians have vodka. France of course has wine. But up to now Thailand’s local liquor has remained unknown because of the lack of government support for developing it," said Yupakanit.

Traditional fermented liquor has been an integral part of local communities for a long time, said Cholamark. Different communities have long developed their own varieties, depending on available local materials and manufacturing styles, which is why the drinks have many names, including u, krachae, namtan mao and nam khao.

It took the researchers a number of years to get sato ready for the wider consumer market. Different manufacturing and production processes had to be explored and finalised. Quality-control issues also had to be ironed out, said Cholamark, who spent about four years on the work.

Traditionally, a starter culture known as look pan, a small ball of starch rich in various microbes, is used to assist in fermentation. But the process can be unstable and unpredictable, resulting in liquor of differing quality and, often, a short shelf life.

To tackle the problem the scientists investigated the different kinds of look pang made around the country to try to find the best variety. It wasn’t easy, said Yupakanit. "Different regions produce it very differently. Each community likes to keeps their formula a secret," added Cholamark. The researchers also had to identify the best rapid-growing mould and the best yeasts.

The actual manufacturing process is not difficult. Steamed rice is mixed with look pang rich in mould and yeast and kept in a fermentation tank for three days as starch in the rice changes to sugar.

Clean water is added to the tank and second fermentation takes about another week before fresh rice wine is squeezed from the material. It is then filtered and pasteurised.

Rice wine is rich in fibre, carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals and vitamins, making it more nutritious than regular wine, which provides only minerals and vitamins, said Yupakanit.

Fruit juice goes well with rice wine and adds to the nutrient content "We use genuine, not artificial fruit juice. It enhances the taste and flavour a lot, softens the alcohol content and makes the drink look more colourful and attractive," said Cholamark.

After many months coming up with the right formula and techniques, the product had to be left in a sealed glass bottle for 16 months for quality testing.

After it was shown to be stable and safe, it was ready to enter the manufacturing stage. Sato has a shelf life of eight months.

The next step was to evaluate public response to the drink. Some 2,000 people of different ages were invited to taste it. The results were overwhelming — some 95 percent of respondents liked the product. Their preferred packaging for the drink was a modern Thai-style sealed glass bottle.

At this point the scientists were ready for business. After joining hands with local entrepreneurs, a model, ultra-hygienic sato factory was set up in Ayutthaya’s Phak Hai district, using local labour.

"This is helping to give the villagers a better standard of living. They can stay at home and work in their own community rather than having to leave for the city. We’re going to expand the manufacturing process further which will mean more employment opportunities, " said Kantapon Kangvannavakul of the SatoZa partnership.

For formerly jobless Pannee Kiewpan, 31, the sato factory is a beacon of new hope. She feels very lucky to have found work there. "I was laid off from a factory in Bangkok several years ago and was depressed for a long time because I couldn’t find another job. I jumped at the opportunity to work here," she said.

Villagers in Phak Hai district of Ayutthaya province have new jobs making sato.

According to Saharat Puangwerakul, managing director of Sato Thai Rice Wine Limited Partnership, some 2,500 to 3,000 bottles of sato are now being produced daily and distributed across the country.

Yupakanit sees rice wine as a real alternative to ordinary wine. It’s more affordable because it’s cheaper to produce and is taxed at a rate of 25 percent, compared to grape wine at 55 percent.

All those involved with the new drink say they’re thrilled with the successful collaboration that has taken place between academics, entrepreneurs and villagers. Now it’s the consumer’s turn.

Said Yupakanit: "Everyone can help preserve traditional culture by buying this new Thai product."