Blue 500mL Erguotou on shelves (20200202160809)

''Erguotou'' () is a Chinese

liquor Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...

. It is a type of light-aroma ''

baijiu ''Baijiu'' (), also known as ''shaojiu'' (/), is a colorless Chinese liquor typically coming in between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). Each type of baijiu uses its own type of '' qū'' for fermentation to create a distinct and chara ...

'' made from

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

. The most famous brands are Red Star (红星, ''Hóngxīng'') and Niulanshan (牛栏山), both from

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

. It is available in various strengths, the average being 50%

alcohol by volume Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) o ...

or 100 proof. "Red Star was the first distillery formed in the People's Republic f China In 1949, many of the old distilleries had either been destroyed in the civil war or gone out of business, so it was a group of twelve former baijiu distilleries that came together to form the new 'Red Star' distillery. "Red Star master blender Wang Qiufang watered down the ''èrguōtóu'' from the standard 68 percent alcohol level to a more palatable 65...a Japanese Communist who fought against his compatriots in World War II designed the label, which also remains more or less unchanged." The name "second distillation" ��锅头indicates its level of purity. It is a clear, potent spirit and takes six months to produce. It is one of the most commonly drunk baijiu in Beijing, and thus has a deep cultural association with China's capital and beyond. According to ''Drunk in China'' author Derek Sandhaus, it is considered "the Coca-Cola of baijius".

References

Baijiu Chinese distilled drinks Beijing cuisine {{Drink-stub

See also

References