Baijiu
Chinese liquor or Báijiǔ (Ch :白酒, White alcohol ') refers to a group of spirits that are produced from cereals and is related to grain brandy and vodka. Cereals can not only according to the Chinese definition Halmgetreide, but also beans, respectively. Mainly millet ( sorghum) will be used.
The term Báijiǔ ( single character :白= white,酒= alcohol ) is not used consistent throughout the Chinese -speaking world. In Taiwan, it means white wine.
Production
Producing Baijiu consists of the steps of fermentation, fermentation and distillation.
First is by fermenting a starter culture (麴; Pinyin: qū; jap: koji ) made , that is ripe grain is mixed with yeast and molds, where favorable conditions for activity and propagation are given. By splitting the corn starch produced sugar, which is further fermented to alcohol. For this fermentation phase is the starter culture further grains, usually sorghum, added. The result is finally distilled several times.
Different varieties Baijiu be distinguished by the type of starter culture. For the " rough cultures " (大 麴; Daqu ) are used Aspergillus molds, for the " fine cultures " (小曲; Xiaoqu ) Mucor and Rhizopus mold. Xiaoqu produces lower fermentation temperatures and especially in the humid climate of southern China used. The bulk of the liquor produced in China, including the best varieties, but comes from the north and southwest, and used Daqu.
The traditional production of millet liquor is vividly illustrated in Zhang Yimou's Red Sorghum film.
Varieties
Chinese liquor usually contains alcohol concentrations of 50-65 vol - %, some varieties have lower alcohol content. Baijiu is divided into two categories according to taste, the one with Clear (清香型; qīngxiāngjiǔ ) could transmit ( jiàngxiāngjiǔ酱香 型) and Dicker. Dicker has a heavy, robust flavor, clear, however, is rather lighter and fresher.
Thickness
- Maotai (茅台酒; pinyin: Maotai jiǔ ) is certainly the most internationally famous Chinese liquor, and his name is often used as a synonym for a total of Baijiu. It is named after the place of production of Maotai in Guizhou Province. Maotai is made from sorghum and wheat and has an alcohol content of about 55 vol - %. A bottle costs about 1500-2000 RMB.
- Jian Nan Chun (剑南 春) from Sichuan
- Long jiu (郎酒) from Sichuan
Clear
- Wuliangye (五粮液) from Sichuan
- Luzhou Laojiao tequ (泸州老窖 特 曲) from Sichuan
- Erguotou (二锅头) is a esp. in Beijing widespread liquor from wheat with 56% to about 5-10 RMB the bottle.
- Fenjiu (汾酒) from Shanxi; 63-65 %
- Xifengjiu (西凤酒) is a millet liquor from Shaanxi, be used for the starter culture of barley and peas.
Enjoyment
For most Westerners, the strong smell and taste are used to. So allegedly likened Henry Kissinger Maotai with kerosene, as he was confronted in the course of rapprochement between the U.S. and China in the context of banquets. For the Chinese baijiu on the other hand belongs to their sophisticated cuisine and many pubs spreads regularly a strong odor when a merry group opens a bottle. The drinking of liquor is, however, almost exclusively men's business and women who drink baijiu, easily fall into the reputation of moral depravity. Part of the drinking culture are often drinking games in the style of rock, paper, scissors, where the loser has to empty a glass.
History
According to Chinese legend, Yi Di (仪 狄), the wife of the founder of the Xia dynasty is regarded as the creator of the art of brewing. Undoubtedly alcohol in China has a long-lasting cultural significance that are in use in the context of rituals, such as sacrifices to the ancestors or the earth god shows, then as an economic factor in tributes or the establishment of monopolies since at least the Han Dynasty. The distillation was, however, to only in the 17th century.