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Chinese baijiu is a type of distilled liquor unique to China, and is known as one of the world’s seven major distilled liquors, along with whiskey and vodka.
역사적 기원
Early Period: China was the first country to invent distillation technology, which originated from alchemy and was applied to the production of liquor to create distilled liquor. Liquid distilled spirits originated in the Han Dynasty, while solid-state distilled spirits originated in the Tang Dynasty, as evidenced by extensive historical records and excavated artifacts.
Development Period: The traditional large-grain fermentation and pot still distillation techniques of Chinese baijiu reached maturity during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The discovery of a Jin Dynasty copper distillation pot from Qinglong, Hebei Province, indicates that specialized distillation equipment had already been developed, with the process becoming increasingly refined.
Modern Era: Starting in 1956, China began to summarize and improve its baijiu brewing techniques. For example, experts were organized to compile traditional brewing techniques for Maotai wine, proposing operational methods such as “using yeast as the mother culture, rational ingredient ratios, low-temperature fermentation in pits (pools), and controlled-temperature distillation,” ushering baijiu production into a new era with standardized procedures.
Raw Materials and Processes
Raw Materials: The primary raw materials are grains such as sweet potatoes, sorghum, wheat, barley, corn, peas, and rice. Other starch- or sugar-containing fermentable substances can also be used. High-quality baijiu primarily uses sorghum as its main raw material, with some formulations incorporating corn, wheat, and other grains.
Process: Fermentation agents such as large-grain malt, small-grain malt, bran malt, and yeast are used. The process involves steaming, saccharification, fermentation, distillation, aging, and blending to produce the final product. Based on production processes, baijiu can be classified into solid-state baijiu, semi-solid-state baijiu, and liquid-state baijiu. Among these, solid-state baijiu is the traditional production method in China, where fermentation and distillation are conducted in a solid state, resulting in better quality.
Classification Methods
By saccharification and fermentation agent: baijiu can be classified into large-grain baijiu, bran baijiu, and small-grain baijiu. Daqu liquor has superior quality, with most premium brands produced using daqu; fuqu liquor has a shorter fermentation time, lower costs, and higher production volumes; xiaqu liquor is primarily produced in southern regions, using rice as the main ingredient.
By aroma type: The main categories include soy sauce-aroma type, fen flavor type, strong-aroma type, and rice-aroma type. The soy sauce-aroma type is represented by Guizhou Maotai liquor, characterized by its soy sauce aroma, smoothness, and richness; Fen flavor type is represented by Shanxi Fenjiu, characterized by a clear aroma, sweetness, and smoothness; strong-aroma-type is represented by Sichuan Luzhou Laojiao Daqu wine, characterized by a fragrant aroma, sweetness, and harmonious flavor; rice-aroma-type is represented by Guangxi Guilin Sanhua wine, characterized by a honey-like aroma, elegance, and smoothness. Additionally, there are other aroma types such as Phoenix-aroma-type and Bean-aroma-type, each with its unique flavor.
Taste and Flavor
The Chinese baijiu is colorless (or slightly yellow) and transparent, with a pure and fragrant aroma. It has a smooth, sweet, and clean taste upon entry, containing alcohol and aromatic substances, as well as components such as acids, esters, and aldehydes. After aging, it develops a complex aroma dominated by esters. Different aroma types of baijiu have their own unique characteristics in terms of taste and flavor.