Erguotou

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Erguotou
二锅头
Qing Dynasty
Alcohol by volume 42–65%
ColourClear
IngredientsSorghum
Bottles of Red Star erguotou at 53% abv.

Erguotou (simplified Chinese: 二锅头; traditional Chinese: 二鍋頭; pinyin: èrguōtóu; lit. 'second pot head', 'i.e. second distillation') is a style of qingxiang baijiu originating in Beijing and primarily made in the region surrounding.[1][2]

The process of erguotou production is what sets it apart from other qingxiang baijiu's like

qū), and water make up the ingredient base. The sorghum is crushed, cooked, cooled, and mixed with the qū before being added, in a liquid state, to a stone or steel fermentation vessel where it will be left to ferment for a relatively short period of about four to eight days. After the qū has converted the starches and sugars in the sorghum into ethanol, the grain is transferred to a still that will extract the ethanol from the mixture. The distilled output is then rested in ceramic jars for a relatively short six to twelve months before being blended, proofed, bottled, and sold.[1][2][3]

The relatively short fermentation time, and the stone or steel fermentation vessel result in less production of esters overall. For that reason, erguoutou is a milder spirit than other baijius in terms of aroma.

History

The earliest evidence for the consumption of alcohol in the region that is now Beijing lies in the archeological discoveries of drinking vessels (

Yuan Dynasty, the alcohol that was being drunk came in the form of a liquid form fermented mijiu.[7]

The first

Qing Dynasty, three brothers working as heads of the Yuanshenghao distillery, experimenting with various methods of distillation discovered that their best product came while the second pot of cold water (which served as the condenser) was atop the still. It is from this discovery that the brothers developed erguotou; "head of the second pot."[1][2][6][7]

This new style of baijiu gained notoriety in and around Beijing over the following centuries and so nearing the Chinese Civil War and prior to the foundation of the People's Republic, 12 distilleries in and around Beijing were nationalized and merged into a single distillery and issued the first business license in modern China, for the purpose of producing baijiu for the festivities surrounding Proclamation of the People's Republic of China. This distillery named "Hong Xing" (Chinese: 红星; lit. 'Red Star') has grown into one of the nation's most widely consumed spirits (particularly in Beijing itself)[7][8] and its label, designed by a Japanese Red Army enlistee, has become one of the most iconic brands.[1] According to baijiu writer Derek Sandhaus, Hongxing is considered "the Coca-Cola of baijius."[9]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780143800132
    .
  2. ^ a b c Sandhaus, Derek (11 December 2018). "Better Know a Baijiu: Light Aroma". drinkbaijiu.com. Drink Baijiu: The World of Chinese Spirits.
  3. ^ Xiaowei, Zheng; Beizhong, Han (March 2016). "Baijiu (白酒), Chinese liquor: History, classification and manufacture". Journal of Ethnic Foods. 3 (1): 19–25.
  4. doi:10.2307/2718958
    .
  5. ^ Shaughnessy, Edward (2001–2002). "New Sources of Western Zhou History: Recent Discoveries of Inscribed Bronze Vessels". Early China. 26/27. Cambridge University Press: 73–98.
  6. ^ a b "Traditional brewing of Beijing Erguotou Liquor". beijing.gov.cn (in Simplified Chinese). Huairou District Government Services Administration Bureau. 20 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "Wine History and Culture: From the History of Erguotou Wine to Beijing Wine Culture". cnjiuzhi.com (in Simplified Chinese). China Wine Journal. 25 June 2015.
  8. ^ Perry, Marjorie (9 April 2019). "Everything You Need to Know About Baijiu, the World's Most Popular Liquor". esquire.com. Esquire.
  9. ISBN 9781640122598
    .
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