Kaoliang

Gaoliang is a redirect to this article. For the nationality community Gaoliang (高 良 壮族 苗族 瑶族乡) in the Chinese province of Yunnan, see Gaoliang (Shizong) ; for the Gaoliang (高 良镇) community in Guangdong, see Gaoliang (Deqing) .

Kinmen-Kaoliang

Entrance to the Kaoliang distillery in Kinmen

Statue of the founder of the distillery in Kinmen, Ye Huacheng

Kaoliang made in jugs on the Chinese island of Hainan

Kaoliang or Gaoliang ( 高粱酒 , gāoliángjiǔ ) is a high-proof clear liquor made from fermented millet , especially in the People's Republic of China and in the areas controlled by the Republic of China (Taiwan) Kinmen and Matsu .

Production and enjoyment

Kaoliang is one of the Chinese Baijiu brandies. To make it, ripe millet is fermented using yeasts and molds . The resulting sugar is then fermented into alcohol , with more millet being added to the mixture. The product of this process is then distilled several times . The alcohol content is between 38 and 63%. Some varieties are stored for years to mature.

Kaoliang is drunk both chilled and heated, depending on the season. It is also used in cooking. In the meantime, especially in Kinmen , there are products such as "Kaoliang noodles", "Kaoliang cakes", "Kaoliang sausages", "Kaoliang eggs", fruits pickled in Kaoliang and many other specialties that have been developed in response to tourist demand.

Popular brands

The most famous kaoliang brand is the Kinmen kaoliang ( 金門 高粱酒  /  金门 高粱酒 , Jīnmén Gāoliángjiǔ ), named after the island on which it is made. It is produced by the former state-owned company Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor , founded in 1952, and exported all over the world. Since Kinmen was officially opened to tourism in 1993, schnapps has also been a popular souvenir for visitors to the island.

Another well-known Kaoliang brand is the Tunnel88 ( 八八 坑道 高粱酒 , Bābā Kēngdào Gāoliángjiǔ ). It is produced on the Matsu island of Nangan and takes its name from a former military tunnel in which it is stored for at least five years to mature.

Trivia

The film Red Cornfield by Zhang Yimou (1987) is set in a rural Kaoliang distillery in China.

See also

• Baijiu

literature

• 楊 天 厚, 林麗 寬 Yang Tianhou, Lin Likuan: 金門 高粱酒 鄉Jinmen Gaoliangjiu xiang . 台北 ： 稻田 出版 有限公司 Taipei: Daotian chuban youxian gongsi (2001).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Encyclopedia of Taiwan (chin.) ( Memento of the original from November 22, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ^ Website of the Union Chinese Corporation

Web links

• The website Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc.
• Article "Kaoliang liquor" in the Encyclopedia of Taiwan