Heritage Drinks of Myanmar

Luke J. Corbin
Burmese Translation by Su Mon Thant
Photographs by Shwe Paw Mya Tin

Heritage Drinks of Myanmar takes the reader on an anthropological journey through emerald misty mountains and rust-red river valleys to showcase fourteen of the myriad alcoholic drinks made in this unique and fascinating country. In Myanmar, freshly brewed and distilled beers, wines and spirits are integral parts of village economies, providing health, communal and financial benefits. Rice whiskeys infused with insects and fresh beers made from a cornucopia of grains await eager drinkers, brewed as they have been for generations by village residents with their own individual unique customs and traditions. Drinking has long been interwoven with diverse human expression, ritual, relaxation and desire, and Myanmar’s heritage drinks are here exquisitely photographed and detailed through exhaustive interviews with village producers. Pick it up, drink it in, put it down and enjoy an imbibe as your mind wanders to lands far and favoured, to the Golden Land. 

The Team

Research and photography for this book was undertaken by a three-person team. Author Luke J. Corbin is a brewer, researcher, and holder of multiple degrees from the College of Asia & the Pacific at the Australian National University. He has lived in Myanmar 2016–2021. Researcher Su Mon Thant is a Master’s degree graduate of Keele University, UK and specialises in research related to Myanmar’s political and social diversity. Photographer Shwe Paw Mya Tin is a Yangon-based freelance photographer who provides photographs for NGOs, INGOs, local and international news agencies.