Baijiu is widely drunk at most Chinese holidays and social events.
Noah Fex
Baijiu, China's traditional alcoholic beverage, is more than just a drink: it's a cultural phenomenon and an economic giant in the global alcohol industry.
The global baijiu market will be worth about $167 billion in 2023, according to London-based market research firm Euromonitor. And Kantar estimates baijiu maker Kweichow Moutai will be valued at about $87.52 billion in 2023, compared with just $12.96 billion for Budweiser.
Said to be the most widely consumed and most popular alcoholic beverage in the world, baijiu is more than just a drink: in China it is a symbol of hospitality and social bonding.
“The role of alcohol in Chinese culture goes much deeper than aesthetic harmony,” says Minriver Baijie co-founder Derek Sandhouse. “Since its earliest prehistoric times in China, alcohol has served a ritual purpose and been used to bind humans to the spirits. People offered alcohol to gods, and later to fellow diners, as a way of showing respect and strengthening social bonds.”
Baijiu plays an important role in traditional Chinese banquets and celebrations, and is often drunk during toasts and ceremonies. The act of drinking Baijiu is deeply rooted in Chinese etiquette, where it is customary to toast guests and superiors as a sign of respect.
“In China, drunkenness is viewed more ambiguously than in Western cultures. When gathering with friends and family, it's very important that everyone toasts each other and drink together, especially during big holidays and celebrations,” Sandhaus explains. “In this context, drunkenness isn't a lack of control, but an annoying by-product of necessary social events.”
Baijiu is also commonly found at important events such as business meetings, and its role in fostering friendship and goodwill cannot be overstated, as it is believed to bring people closer together through shared experiences and mutual respect.
“There's a Chinese proverb that says, 'No drink, no meal,'” Sandhaus says. “In China, food and drink are essential components of a meal, each complementing the other to complete the dining experience.”
The distillation process for baijiu is quite unique compared to other alcoholic beverages.
Minghe White Wine
A brief history
Baijiu, which translates to “white liquor” in English, has a history of over a thousand years: the oldest known photograph of a Chinese person in it dates back to the 19th century, and the first manual for making baijiu was written in 1959.
“Although little is known about how baijiu was produced in pre-modern times, there are some things we can say with certainty about how baijiu production has changed over the past century,” Sandhaus says. “Production equipment, particularly Chinese-made pot stills, improved in quality and volume. Blending and aging became standard practice. As experts studied baijiu from different regions, classification systems and new production techniques were developed.”
In modern times, baijiu production has become more streamlined and efficient, producing higher quality and more diverse products. While the fundamental techniques that define the category – wild microbial fermentation, solid-state fermentation, and distillation – have remained largely unchanged, our understanding of these processes has improved.
Alcohol consumption patterns have also changed significantly over the past century and, to a lesser extent, the past decade. “Historically in China, most drinking was done in fermented rice or millet beverages that were not distilled, but were too expensive for ordinary people to consume on a daily basis,” Sandhaus points out.
Archaeological remains suggest that the Chinese have been drinking alcohol for about 9,000 years, first as offerings to gods and spirits in religious ceremonies and later as a way to show respect and strengthen familial and friendship ties. Elaborate rules developed around alcohol, regulating everything from seating arrangements to pouring and toasting.
“Baijiu has long been associated with China's rural and working classes, and after the Communist Revolution in 1949, Proletarian Baijiu surpassed rice wine in prestige and recognition,” Sandhaus says. “After the reintroduction of free market economics in the 1980s, almost everyone was able to drink baijiu whenever they wanted, which led to a number of social issues related to overconsumption.”
Until the 1980s, baijiu couldn't be exported from most countries, and Chinese breweries targeted mostly local consumers who were already familiar with baijiu. As a result, most of the world's baijiu is still consumed exclusively in China, Sandhaus says.
“Even if drinkers want to try baijiu outside of China, they have little to no options in most Western retailers,” Sandhaus says. “This creates a huge educational hurdle that baijiu brands must overcome in the global market – not just to build their brand, but to introduce the entire beverage category.”
Moreover, baijiu is a nuanced category with over a dozen different styles that are radically different in terms of production techniques and flavor. Efforts are underway to introduce baijiu to new markets.
Other emerging brands and entrepreneurs, including the Ming River team, believe baijiu can carve out a place for itself beyond China's borders. Sandhaus says his team is committed to educating consumers and alcohol industry professionals one glass at a time. And since its launch in 2017, Ming River has expanded from two states and two countries to more than 35 states and 15 countries.
A cocktail made with Minghe White Liquor.
Thomas Henry
Distillation Process
Solid-state fermentation and distillation are the signature techniques in baijiu production.
“About 5,000 years ago, probably by accident, the Chinese developed something called qu,” Sandhaus explains. Simply put, qu is made by mixing grains with water, forming them into clumps, and allowing them to decompose naturally in a controlled environment. Over a period of days or weeks, air-dwelling microbes (molds, yeasts, bacteria) form inside and on the outside of the qu. It's then dried to stop any chemical reactions, and ground into a powder so it can be used.
“It may seem like we've ruined the grain, but we've actually created the perfect alcoholic fermentation starter,” Sandhaus says.
When qu is mixed with freshly steamed grain (usually sorghum, but it can be any grain), mold breaks down the grain's starch into sugars (saccharification), and yeast converts the sugars into alcohol (fermentation). Baijiu is unique because in most Western grain alcohols, like beer and whiskey, saccharification and fermentation occur separately in a liquid state. The bacteria in qu, on the other hand, mix with the alcohol to form esters and aldehydes, giving baijiu its unique funky, fruity, and floral flavors. Because qu harvests its microbes from the air, baijiu's flavor is entirely dependent on the distillery's microclimate, giving it a character similar to the concept of terroir in winemaking.
At this point, you have a solid fermented grain mash. To extract the alcohol, the Chinese use large pot stills that function similarly to a dim sum or vegetable steamer. The bottom of the pot has slots to hold the solid mash and is placed over boiling water. As steam passes through the fermenting mash, the alcohol evaporates and begins to rise from the top of the mash. The steam is trapped and sent to a condenser where it is cooled back into a clear liquid. The final product is called baijiu, which usually has an alcohol content of around 35% to 65%.
Bottles of baijiu are displayed in a store in Beijing.
AFP via Getty Images
Flavor Profile
Baijiu's flavor may be surprising to the uninitiated: it's known for its strong aroma and complex flavors that range from fruity and floral to earthy and savory.
“Geographically, China is as large as the European continent, and baijiu (which is really just a catch-all term for traditional Chinese alcoholic beverages) is as diverse as its Western counterparts. Some are easy to drink, like mild rice-flavored baijiu or fruity, strong-flavored baijiu, while others, like umami-rich, sauce-flavored baijiu, take some getting used to,” says Sandhaus. “But each style has its appeal, and with China's thousands of distilleries, I think there's a baijiu to suit most drinkers' tastes.”
This flavor diversity can be categorized into several different aroma types, with the four most notable being:
Sauce aroma (Jiang Xiang): Characterized by a soy sauce-like aroma and rich umami flavor. Perhaps the most well-known baijiu brand, Moutai, falls into this category.
Strong Fragrance (Nong Xiang): Known for its bold, sweet, floral aroma, this type is popular in Sichuan province. Ming River partners with Luzhou Laojiao, China's oldest continuously operating distillery since 1573, and continues to uphold traditional methods of producing a strong-flavored baijiu.
Light-flavored (Qīngxiāng): This has a more delicate and clean flavor and is commonly found in northern China.
Mishan: Mild and slightly sweet, reminiscent of sake, this type is commonly found in southern China.
Baijiu's strong and unfamiliar taste may be challenging for those unfamiliar with it, but with globalization and increasing cross-cultural exchange, there is an opportunity for baijiu to carve out a niche position in the international market.
Sand House's advice to first-time baijiu drinkers: “Drink broadly and deeply.”
