Traditional brewing techniques of distilled liquor (traditional brewing techniques of Jiannanchun liquor)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: traditional brewing techniques of distilled liquor (traditional brewing techniques of Jiannanchun liquor)

Applicant: Mianzhu City, Sichuan Province

Project No.: 927

Project No.: VIII - 144

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Sichuan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Mianzhu City, Sichuan Province

Protection unit: Sichuan Jiannanchun Group Co., Ltd

Introduction to the traditional brewing techniques of distilled liquor (Jiannanchun liquor)

Applicant: Mianzhu City, Sichuan Province

Distilling liquor brewing is to make grains, potatoes and other raw materials rich in starch or sugar into fermented grains (unfiltered liquor) or fermented mash (turbid liquor), and then distill them into liquor. Distilled liquor is white or yellowish transparent, and is commonly known as "Baijiu". Its fragrance is pure, the entrance is soft, sweet and clean, and the alcohol content is high. According to the use of raw materials and saccharifying starter, there will be different brewing techniques of Daqu, Xiaoqu and bran Qu when distilling liquor. The materials of distilled liquor are mainly grain, which can be divided into sorghum liquor and corn liquor. Sorghum has high starch content and moderate protein content, which is the best for making distilled liquor. According to flavor type, distilled liquor can be divided into Maotai flavor type, Qingxiang type, Luzhou flavor type, rice flavor type, Fuxiang type and so on. Distilled liquor, called "Shaojiu" and "mellow liquor" in ancient times, was originally evolved from rice wine with low alcohol content. It was formed in Song Dynasty and has a history of more than 800 years. China's distilled liquor is 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 grain (rich in sorghum), climate (cold or humid), water quality and living customs.

Jiannanchun liquor is produced in Mianzhu City, Sichuan Province. It uses five kinds of grains, including glutinous rice, rice, wheat, sorghum and corn, as raw materials. During brewing, wheat is used to make medium and high temperature koji, which is fermented in mud cellar at low temperature and solid state. Then, it is brewed by adding grains, steaming and burning, picking liquor by quantity and quality, storing in original degree, blending and flavoring. The traditional brewing techniques of Jiannanchun liquor are complicated, including the production and maintenance techniques of mud cellar, Daqu medicine production and identification techniques, original liquor brewing and picking techniques, original liquor aging techniques, tasting and blending techniques and other related techniques.

The traditional brewing techniques of Jiannanchun liquor had been basically formed in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Through the inheritance and development of the song, yuan and Ming Dynasties, the traditional brewing techniques of Mianzhu Daqu liquor, represented by Jiannanchun liquor, were continuously improved and matured in the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. Jiannanchun liquor has been produced by the old technique of "solid state pure grain fermentation in mud cellar". Eleven pits built in the early years of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty are still playing a role in the "tianyilaohao" distillery, which is known as the "living cultural relics" in the history of wine making. Jiannanchun's wine is rich in aroma, pure and elegant, mellow and soft, sweet and refreshing, long lasting and full and round. It is regarded as an important representative of China Luzhou flavor baijiu.