Liquor production's steps to perfection(1)
Jars of baijiu are seen in Shenxian baijiu brewing factory, Shanghai's only brewer using the traditional process. Photo by Tan Weiyun
THE history of Chinese alcohol flows as long as the 5,000-year-old country's civilization. Baijiu, the liquor with a strong smell and taste, has drifted deep into the blood of Chinese men and been integrated into people's everyday life.
Many enjoy baijiu for its harsh and fiery kick, though it might not be everyone's preferred drink. Big baijiu brands such as Moutai and Wuliangye are probably the first names to pop up in people's minds, yet very few know that Shanghai has its own home-grown baijiu brewer, which enjoys equal respect with those big names in the alcohol industry. It is even nicknamed "Little Moutai."
The Shenxian baijiu brewing factory, hidden in the remote Situan Town in Shanghai's southwestern Fengxian District, is a place filled with fragrant earthy odor in the air all year round. It is the city's only baijiu brewer using the traditional production process.
"Feel woozy? It's the aroma of our Shenxian liquor. Take a deep breath and just enjoy it," says the factory's consultant Yan Zhidong with a smile.
Shenxian in Chinese literally means an immortal, who lives in the heaven, leisurely and carefree. "Liquor can also give people this walking-on-clouds experience, making people spiritually free from the real world's troubles for a while," Yan says.
The history of the town's Shenxian liquor dates back to Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). A farmer surnamed Cai opened a shop in the town center, brewing baijiu in an old-fashioned way with a simple steaming wok and using grains such as sorghum and wheat.
The ancient technique stretched across generations, as ideas were passed on and embellished. The drink earned its popularity in the town and even spread to the city. The factory was set up for the first time in 1958 to mass produce the liquor.
"From the first grain-sorting to the last packaging, we faithfully keep to the very old brewing skills," says Yan proudly. "That's the reason it has survived and has won the love of many baijiu lovers."
That's probably also the reason it can only meet the needs of the Shanghai market because old-fashioned brewing takes time.
The grains are all from the northeast China, and contain a high content of protein and make the liquor smell rich.
