''Baijiu'' (), or ''shaojiu'' (), is a colorless Chinese

liquor Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through ethanol fermentation, alcoholic ferm ...

typically coming in between 35% and 60%

alcohol by volume Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as alc/vol or ABV) is a common measure of the amount of Alcohol (drug), alcohol contained in a given alcoholic beverage. It is defined as the volume the ethanol in the liquid would take if separated from the rest ...

(ABV). Each type of baijiu uses its own type of '' qū'' for fermentation to create a distinct and characteristic flavor profile. Baijiu is a clear liquid usually distilled from fermented

sorghum ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...

, although other grains may be used; some southeastern Chinese styles may employ

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

and

glutinous rice Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals. Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...

while other Chinese varieties may use

wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...

barley Barley (), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains; it was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9000 BC, giving it nonshattering spikele ...

millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...

, or

Job's tears Job's tears (''Coix lacryma-jobi''), also known as adlay or adlay millet, is a tall grain-bearing perennial tropical plant of the family Poaceae (grass family). It is native to Southeast Asia and introduced to Northern China and India in remote ...

() in their mash bills. The ''qū'' starter culture used in the production of ''baijiu'' is usually made from pulverized wheat grain or steamed rice.Rong and Fa, Grandiose Survey of Chinese Alcoholic Drinks and Beverages, 2013, Because of its clarity, ''baijiu'' can appear similar to several other

East Asia East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...

n liquors, e.g.

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

shōchū is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as chestnut, sesame seeds, potatoes, or even carrots. Typ ...

'' (25%) or

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...

soju Soju (English pronunciation: ; ) is a clear and colorless distilled alcoholic beverage from Korea, traditionally made from rice, but later from other grains and has a flavor similar to vodka. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content ...

'' (20–45%), but it often has a significantly higher alcohol content (35–60%).

History

Traditioneller chinesischer Destillationsapparat in der Brennerei Luzhou Laojiao

No exact dates are known for the invention of the modern form of baijiu as it emerged gradually with the historical development of distillery technology. * Prototypical alcohol making in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

dates back to as early as the

Neolithic Age The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wid ...

with archaeological discoveries of alcoholic beverage containers belonging to that period. * A systematic distillery process was likely developed during the

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

(202 BC – 220 AD) with archeological finds of brick arts depicting distilling scenes. * The first proto-baijiu was likely made during the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

(618–907) as the drink was described by poets

Bai Juyi Bai Juyi (also Bo Juyi or Po Chü-i; , Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin pinyin ''Bǎi Jūyì''; 772–846), courtesy name Letian (樂天), was a Chinese musician, poet, and politician during the Tang dynasty. Many of his poems concern his career o ...

(白居易) and Yong Tao (雍陶) at the time. * The flourishing of

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

(960–1279) commerce and urbanization likely popularized alcohol consumption with a boom of ''Jiuguan'' (酒馆, 'pub, bar') in major cities. * By this time the proto-baijiu was likely to be only about 15% ABV as literature from the time recorded "bowls of alcohol consumed" suggesting that it must have been weaker than the modern form baijiu. * During the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...

(1271–1368),Huang, H. T. "Science and civilisation in China. Volume 6. Biology and biological technology. Part V: fermentations and food science." (2000).Huang et al. Chinese Wines: Jiu, in Hui, Yiu H., ed. Handbook of food science, technology, and engineering. Vol. 149. CRC press, 2006. Middle Eastern distillery technology spread to China, which probably improved the existing distillery techniques, allowing for higher-degree distilled alcohol to be possible. * The distillation technology matured as baijiu began to resemble its modern form around the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

(1368–1644). Detailed description of Baijiu was recorded in ''

Bencao Gangmu The ''Bencao gangmu'', known in English as the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' or ''Great Pharmacopoeia'', is an encyclopedic gathering of medicine, natural history, and Chinese herbology compiled and edited by Li Shizhen and published in the ...

'' (本草纲目, Compendium of Materia Medica) by Li Shizhen. * Baijiu continued to evolve with the refinements of baijiu making techniques over the centuries until today. Baijiu is characterized by solid-state fermentation and distillation using a grain culture called '' qū'', which allows for simultaneous saccharification and

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

. This is a typical feature of liquors produced in East Asia. Chinese ''baijiu'' is always distilled from grain, produced in batches and blended.

Image

Outside of East Asia, baijiu is widely regarded as an acquired taste. In response to one 2015 article in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', third-party commenters compared baijiu's aroma and taste profile to "jet fuel, kerosene, poison, nail polish remover, drain cleaner, Burgundy cheeses, and salty garbage water", and the tenor of these remarks was "representative of most English-language writing about baijiu at the time". Such harsh critiques have been disputed by Western experts on baijiu, who believe Westerners are shocked and repulsed by baijiu's unexpectedly intense flavor because they expect a clear liquor to have a mild flavor similar to

vodka Vodka ( ; is a clear distilled beverage, distilled alcoholic beverage. Its varieties originated in Poland and Russia. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is ...

. These experts prefer to compare baijiu to Western liquors with strong flavors and aromas, such as peaty whisky, Scotch whisky,

grappa Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume (70 to 120 Alcohol proof, US proof). Grappa is a protected name in the European Union. Grappa is made by ...

, or

tequila Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (''Los Altos (Jal ...

. Additionally, some believe these negative judgments are reflective of broader Western attitudes toward Chinese cuisine. They argue the opinions of the hundreds of millions of people who enjoy baijiu should be given as much weight as the opinions of foreign critics.

Serving

Traditional etiquette

The Chinese traditionally serve ''baijiu'' neat at room temperature, in small cups or glasses, though drinkware varies by region. It is traditional to drink ''baijiu'' with food rather than on its own, though it is often infused with fruit or medicinal herbs and spices. The ceremonial includes the following steps: # Execute the ''

Baili ''Bailo'' or ''baylo'' (plural ''baili'' or ''bayli'') is a Venetian title that derives from the Latin term '' baiulus'', meaning "porter, bearer". In English, it may be translated bailiff A bailiff is a manager, overseer or custodian – a ...

'' (拜礼) greeting to show respect to the host. # Spill a moderate amount of baijiu in the cup onto the ground to show gratitude to nature. # Take a sip and taste the baijiu, and tell the host your opinion. # Finish the baijiu in the small glass in one go after the ''Ganbei'' (干杯, 'Cheers') and clinking of glasses. Note that the host should initiate and invite for a cup, and the guest should reply with a cup.

Modern etiquette

In modern days, ceremonial parts of the etiquettes are ignored. Commonly with a group of friends or family, the host would initiate with "Cheers for...!" (为...干杯!), and then guests would finish their cups after clinking the glasses. Tasting is also appreciated. In 2007, a report in ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine mentioned integrating baijiu into cocktails, and in the years since several bars around the world have added baijiu to their cocktail programs.

Baijiu and Chinese business culture

Chinese business culture is known to be intense. It is believed that one's true self is shown when intoxicated. Therefore, when negotiating a business partnership, there is a tradition of serving high-degree Baijiu on the dinner table, in order to judge one's trustworthiness. There are also folk beliefs, especially in rural China, that consuming alcohol excessively equates to manliness and that one should not reject a serving offered by an elderly or higher-up. Many inexperienced Chinese drinkers are persuaded to overdrink on such occasions. These experiences are commonly referred to as the reason for Baijiu's unpopularity among some. This negative association of Baijiu with extreme drinking culture can sometimes lead to fear of Baijiu in the younger generation or people who have yet to try the drink.

Pricing and the baijiu market

Although most baijiu are priced similarly to other liquors with similar alcohol percentage, some high-end baijiu can be highly collectible due to the intricate skills and traditional artisanship involved in the making of baijiu, the age of the baijiu, or the rarity of the bottle etc. With the gifting tradition in some areas of China, sometimes expensive baijiu could also be gifted instead of being consumed. There is a sizable market for high-end baijiu collection for the above reasons. For example, the highest grade of Wuliangye retails for (US$3,375). Top-tier baijiu are likely to be from traditional baijiu distillery such as Kweichow Maotai, Wuliangye, Luzhou Laojiao, Shuijing Fang etc. On the opposite side of the spectrum. Low-end ''baijiu'' can be as inexpensive as a can of

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

per volume. For example, Erguotou and Jiang Xiaobai. Although some deride the low ends for their taste, they are more casually consumed with meals, or just when drinkers want to simply get drunk.

Global baijiu market

''Baijiu'' is the world's bestselling liquor, with sold as of 2016, and 10.8 billion liters sold in 2018, more than

whisky Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...

gin Gin () is a distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients. Gin originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe. The modern gin was modified in Flanders and the Netherlands ...

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...

and

combined. As well as the most consumed liquor, with 1.2 billion nine-liter cases consumed in 2018, mostly in China – three times the global consumption of vodka.''Barron's''
accessed November 9, 2018 Outside of China it is gaining popularity, as seen with the sale of Ming River Baijiu in US and EU markets from late 2010s, a strong-aroma (nongxiang) type baijiu sourced from the Luzhou Laojiao distillery.

International production

In 2013 and 2014 an American company, Byejoe, based out of Houston, Texas won a number of awards for their Baijiu product. Byejoe used imported baijiu and distilled it in South Carolina. Good Spirits Co

In 2019, Australian sorghum exported to China accounted for approximately 78.3 percent of Australia's total sorghum export market, which was valued at 29.9 million U.S. dollars. Exports of Australian sorghum to China are largely driven by demand for baijiu manufacture.

Classification

By aroma profile

Throughout the evolutionary history of baijiu, numerous regional variations in alcohol production technique across the country have been incorporated into baijiu making. The practice of infusing alcohol with herbs, spices, fruits and other ingredients has its roots in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence ...

, but is also done purely for flavor. The practice of infusing spirits is a common practice. Baijiu has a distinctive smell and taste that is highly valued in Chinese culinary culture, and connoisseurs focus especially on its fragrance. This classification system began in 1952 and was updated in August 1979 at the third nationwide baijiu competition held in

Dalian Dalian ( ) is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China (after Shenyang ...

. Even so, during the competition, experts rated various baijiu based on their taste rather than aroma. There are 4 major categories of baijiu based on aroma profile: # Qingxiang ( 清香, ''qīngxiāng; light aroma, "Q-" is pronounced akin to "Ch-"''): #* Delicate, dry, and light, with a smooth and light

mouthfeel Mouthfeel refers to the physical sensations in the mouth caused by food or drink, making it distinct from taste. It is a fundamental sensory attribute which, along with taste and smell, determines the overall flavor of a food item. Mouthfeel i ...

. #* The flavors of this distilled liquor is contributed primarily by

ethyl acetate Ethyl acetate commonly abbreviated EtOAc, ETAC or EA) is the organic compound with the formula , simplified to . This flammable, colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell (similar to pear drops) and is used in glues, nail polish removers, ...

, ethyl lactate, and

succinic acid Succinic acid () is a dicarboxylic acid with the chemical formula (CH2)2(CO2H)2. In living organisms, succinic acid takes the form of an anion, succinate, which has multiple biological roles as a metabolic intermediate being converted into fum ...

and give the spirit a taste of dried fruit with floral notes. #* It is made from sorghum fermented in a stone vessel with ''qu'' made from wheat, barley and peas. #* The two primary styles of this liquor are '' Fenjiu'' (汾酒, ''fénjiǔ'') from

Shanxi Shanxi; Chinese postal romanization, formerly romanised as Shansi is a Provinces of China, province in North China. Its capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-level cities are Changzhi a ...

and '' Erguotou'' (二锅头, ''èrguōtóu'') from

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

, the latter of which is known as Kaoliang (高粱, ''gāoliáng'', lit. 'sorghum') in Taiwan. Formerly this style was called Fenxiang "Fen-aroma" ( 汾香, ''fēnxiāng'') after the Shanxi Xinghuacun Fenjiu Distillery (). # Mixiang ( 米香, ''mǐxiāng; rice aroma''): #* This class of liquor is exemplified by baijiu distilled from rice, such as '' Sanhuajiu'' (三花酒) from

Guilin Guilin (Standard Zhuang: ''Gveilinz''), postal map romanization, formerly romanization of Chinese, romanized as Kweilin, is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of China's Guangxi, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is situated on the we ...

Guangxi province Guangxi,; officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in South China and bordering Vietnam ( Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn, and Quảng Ninh Provinces) and the ...

. #* This fragrance has long history and is made using rice-based ''

Rhizopus ''Rhizopus'' is a genus of common saprophytic fungi on plants and specialized parasites on animals. They are found in a wide variety of organic substances, including "mature fruits and vegetables", jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts, and t ...

spp.''-type Qu starters (小曲, ''xiǎoqū'', lit. 'little ''qu''). #* It has a clean sensation and a slight aroma, dominated by ethyl lactate with lesser flavor contributions by ethyl acetate. # Nongxiang ( 濃香, ''nóngxiāng; strong aroma''): #* A class of distilled liquor that is sweet tasting and mellow, with a gentle lasting fragrance contributed by the high levels of

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...

s, primarily ethyl hexanoate, which give the spirit a strong taste of pineapple, banana and anise. #* Most alcohols of this aroma are distilled from sorghum, sometimes in combination with other grains, continuously fermented in mud pits. #* This style is formerly known as Luxiang "Lu aroma" ( 泸香, ''lúxiāng''), as it is thought to be invented in the Luzhou Laojiao Distillery in

Luzhou Luzhou ( zh, s=泸州, p=Lúzhōu; Sichuanese Pinyin: Nu2zou1; Minjiang dialect, Luzhou dialect: ) is a prefecture-level city located in the southeast of Sichuan Province, China. It is also known as the "Liquor City" (). It was named Jiangyang () ...

Sichuan Sichuan is a province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau—between the Jinsha River to the west, the Daba Mountains to the north, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau to the south. Its capital city is Cheng ...

province. Other notable examples of this type of liquor are '' Wuliangye'' from

Yibin Yibin ( zh, s=宜宾 , t=宜賓 , p=Yíbīn , w=I-pin, region=CN-SC-15; Sichuanese Pinyin: ȵi2bin1; Sichuanese pronunciation: ) is a prefecture-level city in the southeastern part of Sichuan province, China, located at the junction of the Min ...

, Sichuan; '' Jiannanchun'' from Mianzhu, Sichuan; and '' Yanghe'' from

Suqian Suqian ( zh, s=, t=, p=Sùqiān, IPA: ) is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu Province, China. It borders Xuzhou to the northwest, Lianyungang to the northeast, Huai'an to the south, and the province of Anhui to the west. History Suqi ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...

province. The Ming River Baijiu for the western market is also this category. # Jiangxiang ( 酱香, ''jiàngxiāng; sauce aroma''): #* A fragrant distilled sorghum liquor of bold character, named for its similarity in flavor to

fermented bean paste Fermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East, South and Southeast Asia. In some cases, such as the production of '' miso'', other varieties of beans, such ...

s and

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

s. #* It is made from sorghum repeatedly fermented in stone brick pits. It has large amounts of

compounds, which impart a layered

umami Umami ( from ), or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes. It is characteristic of broths and cooked meats. People taste umami through taste receptors that typically respond to glutamates and nucleotides, which are widely present in me ...

flavor. #* A highly controversial profile – like it or hate it. Not recommended for beginners but highly recommended for experienced drinkers. Some consider it as funky. It is an acquired taste, like peaty whisky. #* To the initiated, it is considered a complement for preserved and pickled foods (酱菜, ''jiàngcài''). This class was formerly known as Maoxiang "Mao-aroma" (茅香), after the best known spirit of this class, '' Maotai''. Various other niche aroma profiles: *"Chi" xiang (豉香, ''chǐxiāng; douchi /douban flavored''), or "Zhi" xiang (脂香, ''zhīxiāng; fat aroma''): ** Named after ''

douchi ''Douchi'' is a type of fermented and salted black soybean most popular in the cuisine of China, where they are most widely used for making black bean sauce dishes. Shurtleff, W.; Aoyagi, Abr>History of Fermented Black Soybeans (165 B.C. to ...

'', the popular Chinese condiment made from fermented bean, this is a savory rice-based baijiu from

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

notable for the addition of pork fat during the aging process. *Fuyu xiang (馥郁香, ''fùyùxiāng; extra-strong aroma''): ** This category refers to the liquor produced by the Jiugui (酒鬼) Distillery in

Hunan Hunan is an inland Provinces of China, province in Central China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the Administrative divisions of China, province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Gu ...

. Distilled from sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, wheat, and corn that has been fermented with big ''qu'' and medicinal small ''qu''. *"Laobaigan" xiang (老白干香, ''lǎobáigānxiāng; laobaigan aroma''): ** Similar to light-aroma baijiu, but fermented with wheat-based big ''qu'' and bottled at extremely high proof. Most often associated with the Hengshui Ruitian (衡水瑞天) Distillery in

Hebei Hebei is a Provinces of China, province in North China. It is China's List of Chinese administrative divisions by population, sixth-most populous province, with a population of over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. It bor ...

. *Yao xiang (藥香, ''yàoxiāng; medicinal aroma''): ** A pungent liquor that originates at the Dongjiu (董酒) Distillery in

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. Medicine aroma is distilled from the combination of two separate pit-fermented sorghum mashes, one fermented with wheat ''qu'' in a large pit and one fermented with medicinal rice ''qu'' in a small pit. *Jian xiang ( 兼香, ''jiānxiāng; mixed aroma''): ** A class of distilled liquors that is a blend of two or more varieties of baijiu. As such, liquors of this class vary widely in their aroma, mouth-feel, and dryness. *Feng xiang( 鳳香, ''fèngxiāng; Xifeng style aroma''): **A class of distilled liquor fermented in mud pits and aged in rattan containers. Liquors of this class have a fruity taste similar to strong-aroma baijiu, but also an earthier quality and an expanding finish. An example of this type of liquor is '' Xifengjiu'' from

Fengxiang County Fengxiang District (), formerly, Fengxiang County and its ancient name is Yong county (雍县), is a district administered by Baoji City in the west of Shaanxi province, China. The county covers an area of and as of 2004 had a population of 510, ...

Shaanxi Shaanxi is a Provinces of China, province in north Northwestern China. It borders the province-level divisions of Inner Mongolia to the north; Shanxi and Henan to the east; Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan to the south; and Gansu and Ningxia to t ...

. *Zhima xiang (芝麻香, ''zhīmaxiāng; sesame aroma''): ** A class of liquor distilled from sorghum, millet, or barley in stone pits with mud floors. Invented by the Jingzhi Distillery in the 1950s, sesame aroma employs similar production techniques to sauce-aroma baijiu, and has a charred, nutty flavor. *Xiaoqu Qingxiang (小曲清香, ''xiǎoqū qīngxiāng; qingxiang with small-batched qu''): ** A style of baijiu distilled from sorghum that has been fermented with rice-based small ''qu''. *Te xiang (特香, ''tèxiāng; Si'te distillery special aroma''): ** A rice-based baijiu fermented in brick pits with big qu, it originates from the Si'te (四特) Distillery in

Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...

, where the iconic '' Si'tejiu'' originated''.''

Regional varieties

Other than by aroma, Baijiu can also differ by styles, production methods, ingredients etc. Regional varieties of Baijiu are often somewhat unique in flavor profile and production method. Some examples of regional varieties include: * Daqujiu (大曲酒/大麴酒, ''Dàqūjiǔ''): Originally from

. This liquor is made with sorghum and wheat ''qu'' and is fermented for two to three months in mud pits. Nongxiang type baijiu. * Erguotou ( 二鍋頭, ''èrguōtóu'', lit. "head of the second pot") is a variant of Qingxiang type baijiu. It is often inexpensive and thus particularly popular amongst

blue-collar worker A blue-collar worker is a person who performs manual labour, manual labor or Tradesman, skilled trades. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involve manufacturing, retail, Warehouse, warehousing, mining, ...

s across northern and northeastern China. It is probably the most commonly-drunk ''baijiu'' in

and is frequently associated with that city.

Beijing Hongxing Beijing Hongxing Co. Ltd (), commonly known as "Hongxing" () is a baijiu distillery in Beijing, China. The distillery is best known for producing an iconic, low-cost erguotou baijiu, a variety of qingxiang (清香; "light aroma") baijiu which i ...

, more commonly referred to simply as "Hongxing" (, ''Red Star'') is a popular brand. Fen_Jiu1

* Fenjiu (汾酒, ''fénjiǔ''): Grain alcohol in Fenyang, Shanxi dates back to the

Northern and Southern dynasties The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered a ...

(AD 550). Most commonly associated with the Xinghuacun Distillery, Fenjiu is a Qingxiang type sorghum baijiu fermented with ''qu'' made from barley and peas. * Kaoliang (高粱酒, ''gāoliángjiǔ''): ''Kaoliang'' is an old Romanized spelling for the Chinese word for

, ''gaoliang'' (高粱). The liquor originates from Dazhigu (, east of

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

), first appearing in the

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

is the leading producer of Kaoliang liquor. It is a Qingxiang baijiu. * Sanhuajiu (三花酒, ''Sānhuājiǔ'', lit. "Three Flowers Liquor"):photo
/sup> a Mixiang type rice baijiu made in

that borrows techniques from local rice wine tradition. It is famous for the fragrant herbal addition, and the use of spring water from Mount Xiang in the region. * Shuangzhengjiu (双蒸酒/雙蒸酒, ''shuāngzhēngjiǔ'', lit. "double-distilled liquor") and Sanzhengjiu (三蒸酒, ''sānzhēngjiǔ'', lit. "triple-distilled liquor", formerly known as "samshu"): Two varieties of Mixiang baijiu from the area of

Jiujiang Jiujiang, formerly transliterated Kiukiang and Kew-Keang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level ...

and in

, made by distilling twice and three times respectively. Alcohol content by volume: 32% and 38–39% respectively. "Samshu" was the name by which most foreign travelers knew baijiu during the Qing dynasty.

Popular infusions

and herbology, but is also done purely for flavor. Infusing spirits is a common practice. Floral infusions: * Meiguilu jiu (玫瑰露酒, ''méiguīlujiǔ'', lit. "nectar of the rose"): A variety of baijiu distilled with a special species of

rose A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...

and crystal sugar. Alcohol content by volume: 54–55%.
* Cassia wine, Guihuajiu () is a distilled liquor flavored with ''Guihua'' (a type of osmanthus) flowers. Its alcohol content is 17–18%.
*Tuweijiu (, ''túwēijiǔ'') is a Cantonese liquor produced in Xiaolan Town near

Zhongshan Zhongshan ( zh, c=中山 ), alternately romanized via Cantonese as Chungshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province, China. As of the 2020 census, the whole city with 4,418,060 inhabitants is n ...

. It is made from Mixiang rice baijiu, with added'' Tuwei'' flowers and crystal sugar syrup. Aged for more than one year. 30% alcohol by volume.
* Chajiu (, ''chájiǔ'', lit. "the tea baijiu") is a product of fairly recent origin. It consists of baijiu flavored with

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

leaves and hawthorn berries. It is usually a light reddish-brown in color (similar to

oolong tea Oolong or Wulong (, ; ; , "black dragon" tea) is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea (''Camellia sinensis)'' produced through a process that includes withering the leaves under strong sun and allowing some oxidation to occur before curling ...

) and varieties made with oolong,

green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...

, and

black tea Black tea (also literally translated as red tea from various East Asian languages) is a type of tea that is more tea processing, oxidized than oolong, yellow tea, yellow, white tea, white, and green tea, green teas. Black tea is generally st ...

are available. ''Chajiu'' is produced by several manufacturers, primarily in the

province. Although the strength differs according to the brand and variety, ''chajiu'' ranges between 8–28% alcohol by volume. Medicinal infusions: *Wujiapi jiu (五加皮酒, ''Wǔjiāpíjiǔ''): a variety of baijiu with a unique selection of Chinese herbal medicine (including '' Eleutherococcus gracilistylus and'' ''

Angelica sinensis ''Angelica sinensis'', commonly known as ''dong quai'' () or female ginseng, is a herb belonging to the family Apiaceae, indigenous to China. ''A. sinensis'' grows in cool high altitude mountains in East Asia. The yellowish brown root of the plan ...

'') added to the brew. Alcohol content by volume: 54–55%.
*Zhuyeqing jiu (/竹葉青酒, ''zhúyèqīnqjiǔ'', lit. "the green bamboo leaf"): this sweet liquor, produced in

, is made from Fenjiu brewed with a dozen or more selected Chinese herbal medicines. One of the ingredients is

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

leaves, which gives the liquor a yellowish-green color and its name. Its alcohol content ranges between 38 and 46% by volume.
*Bilujiu (, ''bìlǜjiǔ'', lit. "jade green liquor"):photo
From

Wuhan Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...

, this liquor is infused with Chinese medicinal herbs and sugar.
*Yulian baijiu (, ''Yàlián báijiǔ''): Named "Royal Lotus", this is a variety of baijiu infused with a selection of twenty medicinal herbs. It was first produced for the Chinese royal family in 1790.

Baijiu brands

Baijiu are often distinguishable by distillery. The distinct aroma and taste profile is likely to be the specialty of that region. Therefore, often the name of the brand is the same as the name of the baijiu and the distillery. However, bigger brands tend to have a series of different types of baijiu as well as their signature baijiu. Beginners are recommended to try the signature baijiu of the brand first, to learn about their style of baijiu making. Due to its long history, almost every province in China has at least one regional specialty baijiu. However,

and

are the two biggest, particularly famous baijiu-making provinces, where numerous distilleries can be found. Below is a non-exhaustive list of relatively well-known Baijiu brands, grouped by place of origin, in descending order of popularity (semi-arbitrary and subjective). ''*Many other brands exist, but usually only produced, sold and consumed locally and therefore lesser-known and not included in the list.''

: * Moutai, Kweichow Moutai (貴州, ''Guìzhōu Máotái''): This liquor has a production history of over 200 years, and originally coming from the town of Maotai in

(formerly romanized as "Kweichow.") It is made from wheat and sorghum with a unique distilling process that involves seven iterations of the brewing cycle. This liquor became known to the world after winning a gold medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in

San Francisco, California San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...

served Moutai at state dinners during

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

's state visit to China, and

Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 56th United States secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 and the 7th National Security Advisor (United States), natio ...

once remarked to

Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping also Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Teng Hsiao-p'ing; born Xiansheng (). (22 August 190419 February 1997) was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and political theorist who served as the paramount leader of the People's R ...

that, "if we drink enough Maotai, we can solve anything". Alcohol content by volume: 53%. * Guizhou Xijiu (貴州) * Zhaiyao (摘要酒) * Guotai (國台酒, ''Guotai Spirits'') is distilled seven times to produce a crisp, clear flavor. The authentic spirit is made from wheat and a red sorghum cultivated in China's agricultural heartland. Guotai uses an ancient Chinese distillation process.

: * Wuliangye (, ''Wǔliángyè'') is a strong, aged distilled liquor produced in the city of

in southern

. Its factory includes a Liquor History Museum on its grounds. Wuliangye uses

five grains The Five Grains or Cereals () are a set of five farmed crops that were important in ancient China. In modern Chinese ''wǔgǔ'' refers to rice, wheat, foxtail millet, proso millet and soybeans. It is also used as term for all grain crops in gene ...

(sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, corn, wheat) as its raw material, hence the name "Five-Grain Drink". The water which is used to brew Wuliangye is from the Min River. It has become one of the most famous liquor in china due to its unique taste. * Shuijing Fang (水井坊) * Jiannanchun (劍南春, ''jiàn nán chūn''): Jiannanchun is baijiu produced in Mianzhu city,

Sichuan province Sichuan is a Provinces of China, province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau—between the Jinsha River to the west, the Daba Mountains to the north, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau to the south. Its capita ...

. Mianzhu in the

belongs to Jiannan zone, so-called "Jiannanchun". Liquor-making water is from Mianzhu northwest of the rare plateau water. The underground mineral water here is not affected by any foreign bacteria and surface water, forming the natural weak alkaline mineral water with excellent quality. * Luzhou Laojiao (瀘州老窖): Luzhou Laojiao is one of the most popular liquors in China, with the history extending over 400 years. It is known for the quality of its distillation along with its unique aroma and mouth-feel, the latter of which is due to the clay used within the brewing environment, which infuses the spirit with its taste. * Langjiu (郎酒) * Shedejiu (舍得酒) Vertreter der vier Baijiu Kategorien

: *

(红星, ''hóng xīng'') is an amalgamation of twelve distilleries, including the erguotou originator, Yuan Sheng Hao. It was issued the first business license in the People's Republic of China. * Niulanshan (牛欄山, ''niú lán shān'')

: * Liulingzui Jiu (劉伶醉): Liulingzui originates from Wei and Jin dynasties. The wine is made by strictly following the traditional process of Five Utensils. Liulingzui has won a lot of prizes and awards: Special Gold Award of the Paris Exposition, the first batch of China Food Cultural Heritage, the first batch of China's Time-honored Brand, National Geographical Indication Products and the National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. * Laobaigan (老白干)

: * Jiugui ( 酒

鬼 Radical 194 or radical ghost () meaning "ghost" or "demon" is one of the 8 Kangxi radicals (214 radicals in total) composed of 10 strokes. (9 strokes in Simplified Chinese) is also the 184th indexing component in the ''Table of Indexing Chine ...

, ''jiǔguǐ'', lit. "drunkard") is a clear distilled liquor made from spring water, sorghum, glutinous rice, and wheat. It is produced by the Hunan Jiugui Liquor Co., Ltd. in the town of

Zhenwu Xuanwu () or Xuandi (), also known as Zhenwu (, ) or Zhenwu Dadi (, ), is a revered deity in Chinese religion, one of the higher-ranking deities in Taoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magi ...

near

Jishou Jishou (; Tujia language, Tujia: Jiersouv) is a county-level city and the seat of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan, Hunan province, China. Located in western Hunan province, the city is bordered to the northwest by Huayuan Cou ...

in the

Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture; Tujia: ; Miao: is an autonomous prefecture of the People's Republic of China. It is located in northwestern Hunan province.) being an abbreviation for Hunan and ( zh, labels=no, p=xī) meaning 'w ...

in the western part of

. It ranges from 38 to 54% alcohol by volume.

: * Xinghuacun Fenjiu (杏花村汾酒)

: * Xifengjiu (西鳳酒)

Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...

: * Gujing-gongjiu ( 古井貢酒, ''gǔjǐinggongjiu'', lit. "Ancient Well Tribute Liquor") is a traditional Chinese liquor made from water from a well in

Bozhou Bozhou () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and Henan to the north. Its population was 4,996,844 at ...

, Anhui Province. The history began in Southern and Northern dynasty (AD196), people lived in Bozhou found that there was an old well that produced very clean and sweet, so they started using the water to produce the tea and grain wine. Then, it was famous in ancient China so people gave it to Emperor Xie Liu of Han as a tribute. It is produced by the Bozhou Gujinggongjiu Liquor Co., Ltd. at Anhui Province. It ranges from 38 to 50% alcohol by volume

: *

Site Site most often refers to: * Archaeological site * Campsite, a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area * Construction site * Location, a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere * Website, a set of related web pages, typical ...

(四特)

: * Yanghe (洋河, ''yánghé''): Yanghe Daqu began to flourish in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and was presented as the tribute to Qing royals. After the founding of the country, the liquor was able to be enjoyed by citizens across the nation. Carrying on millennia of traditional craftsmanship, Yanghe Daqu uses only the highest quality sorghum as a base and only the best wheat, barley and peas as high-temperature fermenting agents.

: * Yuk Bing Siu Zau (玉冰燒酒, ''Yùbīng Shāojiǔ'') or roulaoshao (肉醪燒, ''ròuláoshāo''): a

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

rice liquor with over 100 years of history, made with steamed rice. After distillation, pork fat is stored with the liquor but removed before bottling. Its name probably derives from the brewing process: in Cantonese, "jade" (''yuk'') is a

homophone A homophone () is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning or in spelling. The two words may be spelled the same, for example ''rose'' (flower) and ''rose'' (past tense of "rise"), or spelled differently, a ...

of "meat", and ''bing'' means 'ice', which describes the appearance of the pork fat floating in the liquor. Cantonese rice wine breweries prospered in the Northern

, when the

Foshan Foshan (, ; Chinese: 佛山) is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong Province, China. The entire prefecture covers and had a population of 9,498,863 as of the 2020 census. The city is part of the western side of the Pearl River Delta m ...

area was exempted from alcohol tax. Alcohol content by volume: 30%.

References

External links

*
World Baijiu Day
{{Alcoholic beverages Chinese alcoholic drinks