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Maotai, a Town of Wine
On our way from the city of Renhuai to Maotai, we could smell the fragrance of wine becoming stronger as we drew nearer. We found wine jars and large wine containers in front of every house on both sides of the road. A local official who accompanies us said that the wine made by households here is mainly sold to wine factories in neighboring Sichuan province. If a family can produce two tons of wine, they'll have more than enough money to support themselves for the rest of their lives.
Xifeng Wine
Xifeng wine, produced in Fengxiang County of Shaanxi Province in Northwest China, has a long history of more than 2,700 years. It originated during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC). As one of eight great famous wines in China, Xifeng wine was ranked as a rare product as early as in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and became an article of tribute to the imperial family. During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), the wine business boomed, workshops surpassing 80.
On what occasion do Chinese people drink alcohol?
Alcoholic beverages have inspired many writers resulting in thousands of poems and other works relative to 'the magic elixir'. People drink it when they are joyous and for fun and although we are aware that an over indulgence can harm the constitution, nevertheless drinking in moderation is considered beneficial. No banquet would be complete without it, while a toast can seal a business enterprise, send troops into battle with a prayer for victory as well as endorse a wish for the health and happiness of family and friends. One of the classic examples of the ceremonial use of alcohol is...
White Liquor
Baijiu, or shaojiu is a Chinese distilled alcoholic beverage. The name baijiu literally means "white liquor," "white alcohol" or "white spirits". Baijiu is often mistakenly translated as "wine" or "white wine," but it is actually a distilled liquor, generally about 80 to 120 proof, or 40-60% alcohol by volume.
Chinese Alcohol, Chinese Spirits
In Chinese the word for alcohol "jiu" is used to mean all types of alcoholic beverages, from 'pijiu' (beer) to liquors (just called 'jiu') to grape wine ('putao jiu'). The same character is used in Japanese and Korean, for that matter. This lumping together of all intoxicating beverages gives us great insight into the traditional use for alcohol, intoxication. Even in modern China alcoholic beverages are generally classed by the general population by how much intoxication it delivers for the money. From this point of view table wine is at the bottom rung of the consumer preference list,...
Huangjiu, A Chinese Traditional Alcoholic Beverage
Huangjiu (literally "yellow wine" or "yellow liquor") is a type of Chinese alcoholic beverage brewed directly from grains such as rice, millet, or wheat. Unlike baijiu, such liquors are not distilled, and contain less than 20% alcohol, due to the inhibition of fermentation by ethanol at that concentration. These wines are traditionally pasteurized, aged, and filtered before their final bottling for sale to consumers. The various styles of huangjiu may vary in color from clear to beige, yellowish-brown, or reddish-brown.
Beer in China
Qingdao Beer MuseumBeer in China (中国啤酒) has become increasingly popular, first in China in the last century, and then internationally in the last few decades. While most Chinese beers are pale lagers, other styles are occasionally found, such as Tsingtao Dark Beer.
The Chinese style cocktail
The Chinese style cocktail is made up of traditional Daqu liquor (a kind of liquor with high alcohol content) and nutritious fruit juice, which keeps not only the savory and mellow aroma of the Daqu liquor but also the nutrition and flavor of fruit juice. Besides, it is easy and simple for people to make the cocktail according to their own requirements and tastes.
The oldest signboard - the wine banner
Traditional Chinese signboards, which began to decline during the early 20th century, may be traced to the later period of primitive society. At that time, humankind had developed from the fishing and hunting stage to the farming stage, with small amounts of surplus products. When coming to fetch water in the mornings, people would bring their limited surplus along to the well, for display and for trade....
Drinking Barley Wine
The Tibetan people are very hospitable. When guests come from afar, the Tibetans traditionally offer barley wine to them. The wine, dubbed “Tibetan Beer” by foreign guests, is slightly yellow in color and a bit sweet in taste. It is made through fermenting cooked highland barley mixed with wine. The fermentation is carried out in a sealed pottery jar. When drinking, the host fills up a cup and the guest takes a sip. Then the host tops it up and the guest takes another sip. They then repeat it for the third time. After that, the guest empties the cup. The ritual is commonly known as...