White Devil
Getting acquainted with baijiu, China’s national wine
EVEN IF YOU CAN KEEP THE CHINESE from shaking down Japan’s cherry blossoms, you can’t stop them from brewing their national drink. Baijiu (白酒), pronounced “bye Joe” if you’re affecting a heavy mainland Chinese accent, literally means “white liquor”. It’s a pervasive spirit that runs wild during weddings and festive seasons, and is almost a requisite for sealing business deals.
For something that claims to make up a third of the world’s alcohol production, and stands as the most widely consumed spirit on the planet, it’s a real mystery why baijiu hasn’t garnered a bigger fan base here.
The spirit usually presents itself as a crystal clear fluid, which can reek of rotten cheese, sweat and gas to the uninitiated. “It’s vile,” is what some of my friends have said.
Maybe so, but hey, I’m inclined to think not all baijiu is created equal. In China, you could buy some for as little as 40 cents a bottle. These sorts will give you a high for sure, and also a vicious hangover the next day.
A typically high-proof alcohol at 40 to 60 per cent is potent stuff. (Apparently it killed a two-year-old in China last year, with the help of three inebriated men). Legend has it that the first baijiu dates back to the Xia Dynasty between 2100 and 1600 BCE. It was an accidental discovery when steamed sorghum seeds were forgotten and left to ferment. There are now many recipes based not only on sorghum but also glutinous rice, barley and millet.
WHAT MAKES BAIJIU DIFFERENT
Also called “white devil” (no prices for guessing why), it is made via solid-state fermentation. It involves qu, or rather, fat slabs of damp, compressed grain where airborne microscopic particles are present to convert carbohydrates to sugars before immediately fermenting the sugars to alcohol. It is unlike the production of whisky, where these two steps are distinct. After the mix is left to ferment underground (in a muddy ditch or clay vessel), the resulting “yellow wine” is distilled and then aged in terracotta urns from six months to a good several years.
HOW TO DRINK IT
Take it warm or at room temperature. Never refuse a drink when offered one (it’s the ultimate rudeness in China), and if you’re ready to try your first baijiu, get the Luzhou Laojiao’s Touqu, a strong-aroma baijiu that’s inexpensive and easy to drink.