By Jasmine Kaur
Yes, don’t look surprised, it isn’t your vodka or whiskey but a Chinese fermented spirit that has tantalized the taste buds across the world. But why?
This classic Chinese spirit is made from fermented sorghum and koji (yeast). This mildly sweet and mellow Chinese liquor has a floral aroma and light amber colour.
Bai means white while jiu means flow in Chinese. It is a type of Chinese white wine or white liquor, also known as Shaoxing wine and contains varying levels of ethanol.
First fermented during the Han dynasty, this white liquor became popular and was widely exported to Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam under the Tang dynasty. There was a period of dip after which it rose again.
Since it contains low level of alcohol, it can be paired with either soda or beer to make a cocktail. A traditional Chinese method is to serve it in small shot glasses to guests.
Along with sorghum, many countries have started making it with mulberry or even distilled from honey.