Learning To Respect Chinese Baijiu

My father raised the bottle to his lips and took a sip. Then, he immediately grimaced and groaned in pain. "Wow, that managed to burn my mouth, throat, and stomach."  

This was his first taste of baijiu -- a potent form of Chinese grain-based liquor that can go as high as 56% alcohol. It's nearly impossible to find in the USA, and because its so strong and intense, most westerners do not know how to drink it. Every time I return to New Jersey, I usually bring two bottles of it with me. In a very perverse way, I guess I like to torture my friends back home with it. In my own way, though, I have learned to like some of it and fear other varieties. 

Unlike vodka or whiskey, not all baijiu is made the same. It depends on which grain it's crafted, how it's distilled, and what the percentage is. Yes, some of it does smell like turpentine, but many others do not.  In this regard, it's better to treat baijiu as a category of booze and not a singular type. Like whiskey, the price can go from relatively cheap to something like $1000 for just one bottle. So many people drink baijiu in China, Walmart has even has its own generic brand. 

As for myself, I still have a hard time drinking it straight. Even the type I drink most often -- Luzhou Laojiao Erqu Baijiu -- can be a bit rough. However, some has such a unique flavor, it's hard to figure out how to use it in cocktails. The only success I have ever had was mixing it with warm Chinese milktea. The other way is what I do most often, and it makes many of my Chinese friends unhappy. I pour it over ice and then fill my glass up with water. But, then again, I do that with whiskey, too.

 

(Image Credits: me)