Huangjiu, a Chinese traditional alcoholic beverage

Huangjiu is either drunk directly after being cooled or warmed, or used in Chinese cooking. Major producers of huangjiu include mainland China and Taiwan.

Chinese "yellow liquors" (fermented wines) are classified based on several factors. Among them are the liquor's dryness, the starter used in its production, and its production method.

Classification

Chinese Liquor Huangjiu are classified based on several factors. Among them are the liquor's dryness, the starter used in its production, and its production method.

Dryness/Sweetness

This is the formal classification for all Chinese wines. There are five categories: dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and extra-sweet:

• Dry: with sugar content no greater than 1%. This type of yellow wine has the lowest fermentation temperature. An example of this kind is Yuanhongjiu, a specialty of Shaoxing, so-named because traditionally the wine jars are painted red.

• Semi-dry: with sugar content between 1% and 3%. This type of huangjiu can be stored for a long period of time and encompasses most of the varieties of huangjiu that are exported from China. An example of this variety is Jiafanjiu, a variation on the Yuanhongjiu that involves adding more rice in fermentation. The jiafanjiu is traditionally used for ceremonies, such as child birth, engagement, and funerals.

• Semi-sweet: with sugar content between 3% and 10%. The longer the semi-sweet huangjiu is stored, the darker its color becomes. This variety of huangjiu cannot be stored for long periods of time. An example of this kind is Shanniangjiu, a specialty of Shaoxing which partly uses vintage Yuanhongjiu instead of water.

• Sweet: with sugar content between 10% and 20%. An example of this variety is Feng Gang Jiu. In comparison to previous types of huangjiu, sweet huangjiu can be manufactured all year round when using traditional production methods.

• Extra-sweet: with sugar content equal or greater than 20%. An example of this variety is Xiang Xue Jiu.

Starter/Inoculant

• Small starter: Wines inoculated using rice cultured with Rhizopus, yeast, and other bacteria. The mixture generates less heat, so they are mostly used in the tropical South of China.

• Large starter: Wines inoculated using rice cultured with Aspergillus oryzae and yeast. Almost all famous alcoholic drinks in China belong to this type.

• Red starter: Wines that are flavoured and coloured with Monascus purpureus or other red rice molds of the Monascus genus.

Production methods

• Hot rice: The steamed rice used to make the wine is cooled in the open air until it is still relatively warm before processing.

• Cool rice: The steamed rice used to make the wine is quenched with cold water before further processing. The unfiltered mash for this wine is sometimes eaten as a dessert or used as an inoculant for other Chinese wines.

• Feeding rice: Steamed rice is continuously fed into a fermenting mixture (up to three times), which produces a sweeter wine.

• Fortified: Distilled Chinese wines are added to the fermenting mash, which increases the concentration of alcohol in the mash and halts the fermentation process. This leaves a significant quantity of unfermented sugars, thus producing an especially sweet tasting wine.