WASHINGTON – Like vodka?
If the answer is yes, and you have some backbone, you may want to try this Japanese beverage.
But, be warned. It has some bite. Or rather, some sting.
The trend involves infusing the Japanese liquor “shouchuu” with wasps.
The alcoholic beverage is becoming popular and supposedly helps the drinker stay awake and clear their skin, The Huffington Post and RocketNews24 report.
Making the drink is a bit complicated. Wasps need to be trapped in a jar and filled with the shouchuu alcohol. As the wasps die they release toxins that flavor the drink.
And what’s more, it needs to ferment for three years.
The reporter from RocketNews24 had this to say about the libation:
“Let’s be frank. It stinks, it tastes bad and it looks like crap. I can’t say that I would ever want to drink this stuff again. Sure, the benefits are things that I could get behind, but that’s not the problem here.”
Would you try it?
WTOP’s David Burd contributed to this report. Follow @DavidBurdWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
