Traditional distilled liquor brewing techniques (Beijing Erguotou traditional brewing techniques)

Beijing Shunxin Agriculture Co., Ltd.
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Distilled liquor brewing is to first make grains, potatoes and other raw materials rich in starch or sugar into fermented mash (unfiltered wine) or fermented into mash (turbid wine), and then distill it into wine. Distilled liquor is white or slightly yellow and transparent, so it is commonly known as "white wine". It has a pure and fragrant smell, is sweet and refreshing, and has a high alcohol content. It is a strong liquor. According to the raw materials and saccharification and fermentation agents used, there are different brewing techniques for big qu, small qu, and bran qu when brewing distilled liquor. Distilled liquor is mainly made of grains, which can be divided into sorghum liquor, corn liquor and other types. Among them, sorghum has a high starch content and moderate protein, which is most conducive to brewing distilled liquor. According to the flavor type, distilled liquor can be divided into many types such as sauce-flavored type, light-flavored type, strong-flavored type, rice-flavored type, and complex-flavored type. Distilled liquor was called "shaojiu" and "chunjiu" in ancient times. It was originally evolved from low-alcohol rice wine. It was formed around the Song Dynasty and has a history of more than 800 years. my country's distilled spirits are mainly produced in Sichuan, Guizhou, Henan, Hebei, Shenyang, Jilin, Beijing and other regions. The formation of its brewing technology is closely related to the local grains (rich in sorghum), climate (cold or humid), water quality and living customs. Beijing is one of the regions with a long history of brewing in my country. There are still three alleys named after Shaojiu from the Ming and Qing dynasties in the city. The traditional brewing technique of Beijing Erguotou is an important representative of Beijing's brewing technique. It sprouted in the Yuan and Ming dynasties and took shape in the 19th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1680). In 1949, the government implemented a monopoly on liquor. The North China Liquor Monopoly Company's experimental factory took over 12 old distilleries and registered the "Red Star" Erguotou trademark in 1951, fully inheriting the brewing technique of Beijing Erguotou. Niulanshan is an ancient town in northern Beijing. It is located at the foot of Yanshan Mountain and faces the confluence of Chaohe and Baihe Rivers to the east. It has abundant groundwater resources and good water quality, which is suitable for brewing. In the early Qing Dynasty, Niulanshan's brewing industry was already very developed. After hundreds of years of development, Niulanshan Erguotou has gradually become a distinctive wine among the fragrant wines in northern my country. In 1952, Niulanshan Distillery was established on the basis of old distilleries such as "Gonglihao" and "Fushunchenghao", and continued to use traditional brewing techniques to produce Erguotou. The traditional brewing techniques of Beijing Erguotou have been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth and have been continuously developed in production practice, gradually forming unique skills such as the old five-steamer fermentation method, mixed steaming and mixed burning, watching the flowers to receive wine, and receiving wine in the middle. The traditional brewing techniques of Erguotou embody the wisdom and talents of Beijing brewing technicians, and continue to play an irreplaceable role in the production of Erguotou today. Beijing Erguotou has the characteristics of fragrant fragrance, pure elegance, sweetness and mellowness. It has long been sold throughout the country and exported to countries and regions such as the United States and Japan. The "Red Star" trademark has been rated as a "well-known trademark in China", and Beijing Red Star Co., Ltd. has been named and listed as a "Chinese time-honored brand", and has won many honors. At present, the production of Beijing Erguotou is facing great challenges. The production base has been relocated repeatedly, and there are endless problems such as the impact of foreign liquor, talent shortage, counterfeiting and infringement, which make the manufacturers exhausted. In view of this situation, reasonable protection measures should be introduced in time to ensure the normal production of Beijing Erguotou and the complete inheritance of its traditional brewing skills.

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