A World of Wonder–Have You Ever Tried Baijiu?
Chinese spirit often comes with the labels ‘strong’, ‘pungent’ and ‘potent’ attached to it. The much beloved ‘fire water’ of America’s great plain’s natives comes to mind, or your neighbor’s locally distilled ‘schnaps’. In your mind, you’re most probably in for a rough ride.
Truth is, it’s actually a decent enough drink, once you have delved into its complex realm more. Many foreigners can’t help but feel a wave of skepticism rushing through them when it comes to trying Chinese spirit, their deep mistrust in the appeasing qualities of its flavor stemming from either bad first hand experiences, cultural references in movies or TV shows or second-hand accounts from that globetrotting somebody we know.
Maybe we picture gradually derailing business meetings with frantic rounds of shots each being announced with a unison of shouted ‘Ganbei’, or a somewhat awkward scene in that roadside restaurant with the feared baijiu bottle approaching the table, an omen of things soon turning down south.
What many baijiu novices aren’t aware of, is that there is a far more diversified offer for this liquor type than for your regular spirits. Even though vodka can feature various flavor profiles, the degree of variation between baijius is far higher. According to master distillers there is 13 aroma types, some of them opening up worlds between them, just like your bourbon of preference won’t taste the same as your grandma’s favorite gin, or the bottle of Captain Morgan on your shelf surely can’t be compared to a glass of Korean Jinro.
As one might guess, the ingredients make a huge difference for the final product’s flavor, wheat giving it a more familiar touch for the Western palate, sorghum bringing in an interesting new element for the world of spirits, rice, barley, other grains and even potatoes completing the list of most commonly used materials. The very unique aroma of some of the baijiu categories is also a result of the mud or stone pits the liquid is stored in, and the special fermentation agent being used. The whole process of making baijiu is actually worth looking into, thousands of years of technique and know-how have been passed down from generation to generation to make this Chinese dinner staple possible.
Famous and beloved brands like Maotai, Wuliangye or Erguotou are being consumed all over China, making it the number one best-selling spirit in the world. In comparison, popular vodka brands like Absolut, Grey Goose, Smirnoff, Crystal Head Vodka or Finlandia come in a distant second. Even strong whiskey brands like Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal or Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey can’t compete with such a force.
If you are interested in East Asian culture, are curious about the drink that has helped shape Chinese society more than any other, or simply seeking to escape the normality of your own house bar, trying baijiu might actually be for you. But here’s my hint, try to inform yourself about the baijiu you are getting, maybe you can find out what aroma type it is, what ingredients it’s made from and which region in China it was made in.
So one thing to keep in mind is to be better prepared as for what you are actually drinking. Even though there’s mainly one name it goes by, baijiu, there’s so many more layers to this traditional drink, making it a challenging but fun way to explore Chinese culture.
