Step three: Saccharification and fermentation of the ingredients This rice is a long-grain, or glutinous, depending on the manufacturer's taste preference. Small Qu is made from rice, as opposed to grain, giving baijiu a lighter taste. It depends on which province the qu is being prepared in, and which grains are available. Barley, peas and the husks of grain are also used.

Rice Aroma baijiu and Light Aroma baijiu will instead use small qu.īig Qu is made from grain. Sauce Aroma baijiu and Strong Aroma baijiu uses big qu. There are two kinds of qu big qu (大曲 Da qu) and small qu (小曲 xiao qu). The qu is then mixed with spring water and takes the shape of a solid ball (aka xiaoqu) or a brick (daqu). The process is pulverizing the grains and occasionally complimented by popular herbs. Without qu, there would be no form of Chinese liquor. The purpose of qu is essential for the saccharification of the baijiu. Qu, also known as jiuqu and pronounced as 'chew', is referred to as the flesh of baijiu. All the ingredients are pulverized, boiled, and steamed. Hongyingzi sorghum is a kind of organic glutinous red sorghum. Maotai only uses hongyingzi sorghum that only grows in the Maotai town area. High-end baijiu chooses their ingredients very carefully. Wuliangye brand uses all of them but Maotai uses just sorghum. Different distilleries and brands of baijiu use different grains, depending on what is grown in their area. The ingredients consisted of one or more of the following grains: sorghum, wheat, rice, glutinous rice, and corn. Step one: Choose and prepare baijiu ingredients The production process is similar to all the baijiu brands. In many cases, the recipes for a particular baijiu are passed down from generation to generation. Every distillery produces its own, distinct form of baijiu. Just like Chinese dishes, the flavor is different from different chefs. Almost every city and village that made baijiu began to form their unique characteristics, therefore in time it became more and more adept at developing the many varieties that baijiu inhabits to this day. It wasn't until the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644CE) that shaojiu 'burnt wine' was refined as Baijiu and the liquor spread in popularity – initially with farmers and laborers and then to all corners of Chinese society.Īs baijiu traveled throughout China it began to take on different characteristics that define the varying aromas. Some scholars hold that foreign distillation techniques were introduced to China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368CE). There is a possibility that shaojiu's distillation techniques and ingredients were similar to baijiu, but that is unclear today.Ī Song Dynasty (960-1279CE) text dated 982 CE describes a distillation method using wheat and barley that also exactly resembles the modern-day approach to making baijiu. The bronze still is housed in the Shanghai Museum.ĭuring the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), poets such as Li Bai mentioned a spirit called 'shaojiu' in their writings. The evidence is that we can still use the Eastern Han dynasty bronze to get baijiu at 20%-26% alcohol by volume. In terms of technology, methods for distilling alcohol into spirits have existed as early as the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 CE). In addition to yielding the world's oldest wine and some of the oldest rice and earliest playable musical instruments (bone flutes), it may have also yielded the earliest examples of Chinese writing.

It is one of the oldest known findings of alcohol distillation. Analysis of the pottery revealed traces of residue of alcohol made from grapes, honey, hawthorn fruit, and rice. In 1983, archaeologists unearthed artifacts from the Jiahu site (circa 7000-5700BCE) in China's central Henan Province. But one thing is certain: The invention of alcohol predates recorded history in China. It's a family of drinks, with a variety of different brands, flavors, and scents. It's a drink not taken on its own, but often at meals. A single sip is often likened to swallowing a mouthful of flames. It is as clear as mineral water.īaijiu is typically between 40% to 60% alcohol by volume, with a strong aroma that is complex and aromatic. Other Uses of Baijiu (Besides Drinking)īaijiu, literally means white liquor, is distilled from one or more of these raw materials in varying amounts: sorghum, wheat, rice, glutinous rice, and corn.Top 10 Baijiu Brands and Prices: Maotai, Wuliangye.

Bijou liquor