Baijiu
Chinese schnapps or Báijiǔ ( Chinese 白酒 - “white alcohol”), also known as Shāojiǔ ( Chinese 烧酒 - “ distilled alcohol”), describes a group of spirits that are made on the basis of grain and are thus related to grain brandy and vodka . According to the Chinese definition, grain can denote not only stalk grain, but also beans. Mainly millet ( sorghum ) is used.
The term Báijiǔ ( bái - 白 = white, jiǔ - 酒 = alcohol ) is not used uniformly everywhere in the Chinese-speaking world. In Taiwan and Hong Kong , this term is mostly used for white wine .
Manufacturing
Baijiu is typically made from three ingredients: (1) Qu, (2) water, and (3) grain. In China, for example, water is also referred to as blood, Qu as the backbone and grain as the meat of alcohol.
Qu
Qu ( 麴 / 曲 , qū , Jyutping kuk 1 ) is crushed grain that contains yeast, bacteria, and other naturally occurring microorganisms. It is the basis of all traditional fermented Chinese foods and drinks and has no translation into English or German.
Qu serves as a kind of starter package for alcohol production in China. The production of western grain alcohol is based on a two-step process of converting starch into sugar (saccharification) and then adding yeast to convert sugar into ethanol (fermentation). Qu simplifies the process to a single step: If you mix Qu directly with steamed grain, saccharification and fermentation begin simultaneously. This is then used to make fermented drinks such as huangjiu (literally “yellow wine”) or, in distilled form, baijiu.
To produce Qu, alcohol producers moisten the crushed cereal grains into a paste, which is then formed into lumps and incubated in a carefully controlled environment - typically dark, damp rooms. Qu reaches very high temperatures during the incubation period, which vary between 45 ° C and 60 ° C (high temperature).
The Qu is then cooled and dried. The process takes about a month and results in a solid lump of grain saturated with fungi, enzymes, and other surrounding microorganisms. Before Qu is mixed with the steamed grain to initiate fermentation, it is pulverized into a fine powder.
Because each Qu is essentially an ecosystem in itself, each Qu is unique. The specific mix of microorganisms extracted from the air depends on geography and climate. Thus, in principle, Qu is similar to the western terminology of terroir in viticulture: Even a small difference in the environment can produce surprisingly unique results. As a result, Qu recipes are some of the best-kept trade secrets in the Baijiu industry. No major distillery will ever let an outsider into their Qu production facilities.
water
Water is used in every step of the Baijiu production process:
- Water cushions the grain and breaks down its cell structure.
- Liquid residues support the fermentation process.
- In the distillate, steam flows through the fermented grain and turns into a spirit.
- When this distillate has finished maturing, water is added again to dilute the distillate to optimal strength.
Every well-known distillery is located on a high quality and protected water source. In southwest China e.g. B. the water is neutral and contains relatively high amounts of magnesium and calcium. The minerality of the water ensures a more acidic and therefore more productive mash.
Grain
Baijiu can be made from any grain, but is most commonly distilled from sorghum . A drought-resistant member of the grass family and a relative of corn, millet, and sugar cane, sorghum is 100% gluten-free. Sorghum came to China from Africa about 5000 years ago. The sorghum bicolor plant is grown as a grain in Africa and Asia and used as a raw material worldwide. It has large, high-sugar stems that are dark red or yellowish-white in color with dense clusters of starch kernels. Sorghum has a bitter taste, but once distilled it appears fruity with a complex, slightly nutty scent.
The production of Baijiu consists of the following steps: steaming , fermentation , distillation , maturation and blending. In the following, the process is explained in more detail using the example of Starkaroma Baijiu. Other Baiji varieties use different processes, especially fermentation and maturation:
Steaming
Crushed sorghum is loaded into a traditional Chinese “pot still,” which consists of a large pot with a slotted bottom. The principle corresponds to that of a dim-sum steamer: the vessel, which is open at the bottom with slits, is placed over a tub of boiling water and the steam flows through the grain. Steaming gelatinizes the sorghum and breaks its outer membrane. This process supports fermentation. After steaming, the grain is unloaded and placed on a flat surface to cool.
fermentation
When the sorghum has cooled to a temperature suitable for the addition of yeast, it is mixed with the powdered Qu and water and formed into piles. As soon as the distiller has determined that fermentation has started by monitoring the temperature, the grain is poured into the fermentation pits, which are sealed with clay. The grain is fermented for about two months. During this time, the clay shell is regularly moistened so that it does not dry out and crack.
During fermentation, the starch in the grain is broken down into ethanol and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). As the CO 2 escapes through the pits' seal, the grain turns into an alcoholic mixture called a mash. In contrast to western alcohol, this process is carried out in a solid state. This means that the mash remains a solid throughout the process and the liquid ethanol is not collected separately. The mash is shoveled into the pit at room temperature (around 18-21 ° C), but can reach temperatures of up to 35 ° C during fermentation. The alcohol content of the mash is around 3.5% and is therefore much lower than in western spirits production.
It is commonly said that the age of the fermentation pit correlates with the complexity of the Baijius. An old and "mature" pit has been in continuous use for at least thirty years.
distillation
The solid mash is then poured into a traditional Chinese pot still, which works similarly to a dim sum steam pot: hot steam drives the ethanol out of the solid mash into a condenser, where the steam cools to liquid. The average alcohol content of the distillate is approx. 61% vol. Alk. Each layer of the solid mash is distilled individually. Pre-run and post-run are discarded. Only the middle run is used for the further production steps.
maturation
The maturation vessels used are clay vessels, terracotta, ceramics or the more modern stainless steel tank. While western distillers often refine their products in wooden barrels to give them an oak flavor, Baijiu ripening is mainly done to change the chemical composition of the distillate. A certain mild minerality comes to the fore through clay. The reason for using clay is that it is highly porous and allows the distillate to interact better with the air. The oxidation of the distillate helps to break down aldehydes , which can have a strong astringent (tart) effect when enjoyed. The maturation makes the distillate milder and more digestible.
Blending
The entire production process is characterized by batch production. Each layer of the firm mash is distilled and matured separately after fermentation. The master blender of a distillery plays a decisive role in ensuring stable quality in a final product. The blender assesses the character of the different matured distillates and mixes them in such a way that the complexity and balance of different Baijius is achieved. Baijiu raw distillates can contain alcohol levels of 60% and more, so a blender is often responsible for diluting the baijiu with filtered water in order to achieve the desired strength.
Different types of Baijiu are differentiated according to the type of starter culture. Aspergillus molds are used for the “coarse cultures” and Mucor and Rhizopus molds for the “fine cultures”. Xiaoqu produces lower fermentation temperatures and is mainly used in the warm and humid climate of southern China. Most of the liquor made in China, including the best varieties, comes from the north and southwest and uses Daqu .
The traditional production of millet brandy is vividly illustrated in Zhang Yimou's film Red Cornfield .
Categories
While there are officially more than a dozen different types of Baijiu, the majority of the market is divided into four broad categories that could be translated as (1) strong flavor, (2) light flavor, (3) sauce flavor and (4) rice flavor.
- Strong Flavor Baijiu is by far the most popular type of Baijiu in China today. Strong Flavor Baijiu comes from western Sichuan Province , where it was invented in 1324 in Luzhou City , the hometown of one of the most important Baijiu distilleries, Luzhou Laojiao. Hence the style is also known as Sichuan Baijiu. The style is also very popular in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong in the east of the country, where it has traveled across the Yangtze River over the past centuries. The best known and most popular strong flavor brands come from Sichuan and are called Luzhou Laojiao and Wuliangye. This type of Baijiu gets its unique taste from the fermentation process, which often takes place over months in special earth pits. Strong-aroma Baijius often have a sweet, overripe nose and a deep, strong taste.
- Light flavor baijiu is the second most popular type of baiijiu in China. They are very popular in Shanxi , Beijing , the northeastern provinces and Taiwan. Light aroma refers to the taste of the drink, but not to its alcoholic strength, which, at over 50%, cannot necessarily be considered light. Typically, millet is fermented for a short time in clay pots for light-flavored Baijiu. After distillation, light-flavored Baijius are often matured in ceramic pots. Light-flavored Baijius are usually delicate and dry in aroma and taste. Light-flavored Baijius are divided into Erguotou and Fenjiu.
- Sauce Flavor Baijiu comes from Guizhou Province and is very labor-intensive to make. It takes about a year to make a batch of Sauce Flavor Baijiu as fresh grain is regularly added to brick-built fermentation pits and the mash is distilled over and over again. The best-known representative of this category is the Moutai brand , which is also the official state spirit of China . Sauce Flavor Baijiu has a piquant aroma, similar to soy sauce .
- Rice Flavor Baijiu comes from the southeast of Guangxi Province . Rice Flavor Baijius are made entirely from rice, so they taste similar to Japanese sake or Korean soju . Due to the distillation process, this Baijiu has a much higher alcohol content than sake. Rice-flavored Baijius have a sweet, flowery nose and a slightly smoky finish.
enjoyment
In China, they say, “You can't set the table without alcohol,” which means that there is no meal without baiijiu. Traditionally, Baijiu is served neat at room temperature as an accompaniment to meals. It is poured into thimble-sized shot glasses that are drunk in a series of toasts. Since one always drinks with others in order to maintain relationships, Baijiu is associated with sometimes rough, but also festive drinking parties. A bottle of Baijiu is often on the table at business meetings, weddings, and holidays.
China does not have an indigenous cocktail culture, but many Chinese enjoy Baijiu with fruits, spices, herbs and traditional Chinese medicine. These ingredients are associated with health and wellbeing, but are usually not part of ritual drinking. In recent years, many bars in China and elsewhere have started experimenting with Baijiu in cocktails. Its unusual character promises enormous untapped potential for brave and adventurous bartenders.
For most westerners, the strong smell and taste take getting used to. For example, Henry Kissinger allegedly compared Maotai with kerosene when he was confronted with it at banquets in the course of the rapprochement between the USA and China. For the Chinese, on the other hand, Baijiu is part of their highly developed eating culture and in many pubs a strong smell regularly spreads when a cheerful group opens a bottle. Drinking games such as scissors, stone and paper are often part of the drinking culture , in which the loser has to empty a glass.
history
According to Chinese legend, Yi Di ( 儀 狄 / 仪 狄 ), a man or woman at the court of the founder of the Xia dynasty , is considered to be the inventor of the art of brewing. There is no doubt that alcohol has a long-standing cultural significance in China, which is evident in its use in rites, such as sacrificial ceremonies for ancestors or the earth god, as well as an economic factor in tributes or the establishment of monopolies since at least the Han Dynasty . However, the distillation of alcoholic beverages was still unknown in ancient China. It probably appeared during the Jin Dynasty in the 12th century and was already widespread during the subsequent Mongol rule.
literature
- Derek Sandhaus: Drunk in China: Baijiu and the World's Oldest Drinking Culture. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln 2019, ISBN 978-1-64012-097-6 .
Web links
- Everything you need to know about Baijiu: history, culture, production, cocktails
- English-language introduction to Baiji drinking
- Chinese / English language list of brewing science articles on Baijiu
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Ingredients - Drink Baijiu. Retrieved June 26, 2018 .
- ↑ a b c d e f Derek Sandhaus: Baijiu: The Essential Guide to Chinese Spirits . Viking, New York 2014, ISBN 978-0-14-380013-2 .
- ↑ Home - Drink Baijiu. Retrieved June 26, 2018 (American English).
- ↑ How to Make Baijiu - Drink Baijiu . In: Drink Baijiu . ( drinkbaijiu.com [accessed June 26, 2018]).
- ↑ Kai Strittmatter: China: Baijiu schnapps is the most popular schnapps in the world . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin . December 7, 2016 ( sueddeutsche.de [accessed on May 23, 2018]).
- ^ The Manual Guide to Baijiu . In: The Manual . May 17, 2016 ( themanual.com [accessed May 23, 2018]).
- ^ Baijiu, the National Drink of China, Heads West . In: The New York Times . December 29, 2015, ISSN 0362-4331 ( nytimes.com [accessed May 23, 2018]).
- ↑ Stephen G. Haw: Marco Polo's China, A Venetian in the realm of Khubilai Khan. London and New York 2006, 148.