PRODUCTION BAIJIU
Baijiu is the most drunken spirit in the world, but it is still almost completely unknown outside of China, although it is gaining more and more fans. This is of course also the case with the legislators, which is why it has to be “listed” as a grain spirit. In the United States of America, they are a little quicker, where it can be called Chinese Baijiu.
Translated from Chinese, baijiu simply means white alcohol. Baijiu has only 3 ingredients, wheat, water and sorghum. The special feature of these ingredients lies in the geographical location of the growing areas. The fact that the province of Guizhou is located on a high plateau over 1070 meters above sea level, as well as the subtropical, warm and humid climate and the spring water of the river “Chishui” – which has pushed through limestone – give our products an unmistakable and clear taste.
As previously mentioned, the production process is unique! The connoisseur will already notice this in one of the most important steps, namely in the preparation of the ingredients, the production of the “qu” – for which, incidentally, there is no translation in other languages. The sorghum millet and wheat are crushed and mixed with water. Equal-sized rectangles are formed from the resulting pulpy mass. These “blanks” are then stored in a warm and humid room for several weeks. The resulting “Qu” is enriched with enzymes, fungi and microorganisms.
The resulting solid “Qu” mass is crushed, mixed with water and filled into clay pots. This fermentation process, which takes a long time, produces the clear taste.
The distillation process may also surprise you, because the solid mash is exposed to steam – this guarantees a gentler distillation. The distillation process is carried out a total of seven times, then it is filled into clay vessels to mature, up to 30 years are currently available. The maturation is also responsible for the name, because unlike a wooden barrel, clay does not give off any color to the alcohol, it remains colorless, Baijiu. Before bottling takes place, the alcohol content is reduced to 53% vol. with water. The now actually finished Baijiu is also mixed with older vintages.
When making Baijiu, the production methods and ingredients have changed somewhat regionally over the centuries. It is offered in four different categories:
− Light aroma
− Strong aroma
− Sauce aroma
− Rice aroma
Our products belong to the category of “ sauce flavor,” which is considered particularly complex to produce. Its flavor is similar to that of soy. It is served pure in shot glasses at room temperature. It is preferably used to decorate the table at meals in convivial company. If you want to enjoy the full flavor and clarity, cool it down a bit. You can also add it to cocktails to give them a special touch.
References to my two “dragons” can be found under the following link….