Tips on How to Drink Baijiu
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This post comes courtesy of UnTour Food Tours (untourfoodtours.com), who have been taking guests off the beaten path to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with locals since 2010.
Kweichou Moutai (贵州茅台 guìzhōu máotái) might be the most famous 白酒 báijiǔ brand, but there is a lot more to know about the world's most-consumed spirit than one famous name alone. A 2018 article in the Straits Times (straitstimes.com) makes the claim that baijiu may be breaking out onto the world scene. We see similar articles every year, to be honest, so we just keep on doing our part by serving up baijiu to our guests that want to learn more about this underappreciated and wildly complex alcohol. “The spirit is produced throughout China, with the Sichuan province accounting for the biggest proportion of production facilities and baijiu distilleries. With its regional differences, baijiu is categorized according to scent – namely rice, light, sauce, and strong,” the article explains.
Sichuan province accounts for the largest number of baijiu distilleries
According to the article, baijiu should be drunk neat, without ice or water. In summer, it is usually drunk chilled at between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius, while in winter, baijiu is meant to warm drinkers up; and while it is usually taken as a shot, it can also be savored.
Jordan Porter, founder of Chengdu Food Tours (chengdufoodtours.com), began the Chengdu Baijiu Club (chengdubaijiuclub.com) as a place where budding aficionados could share and learn about the spirit, adding that he wanted “to give people a safe and positive place in which they can taste and learn about baijiu, free from the pressure and overdrinking of most unplanned baijiu sessions. It’s a place to learn and experiment and share.” Here he outlines some of the tricks to drinking baijiu that he has learned from his many run-ins with the potent clear liquid.
Pairing Baijiu With Food
Rule 1 is that baijiu is meant to be shared. If you are drinking alone regularly, please get help. If you are drinking baijiu regularly, PLEASE GET HELP. Moving on. Rule 2 "is that you should drink baijiu from the region of the food you are eating, so in Sichuan you generally want to pair with Sichuan baijiu, which is a strong aroma baijiu. 泸州老窖 lúzhōu lǎojiào and 剑南春 jiànnánchūn have some reasonably priced offerings that represent the strong aroma category quite well. They are easy to find and pair well with food. If you’re talking cheap little bottles that you get at the restaurant, 歪嘴 wāizuǐ goes down much better than 江小白 jiāngxiǎobái or Red Star Wine (红星二锅头 hóngxīng èrguōtóu)."
Don’t Take Baijiu Too Seriously
You really can do whatever you want when it comes to baijiu (except drink it alone – Porter expounds on this: “It does not pair well with loneliness, and dark rainy evenings and candle-light.”) He continues, “One thing I love about baijiu is there aren’t many rules – just enjoy yourself! It’s not like wine where you got tasting notes and sommeliers, it’s all about enjoyment and celebration. To that effect, my main tip is that baijiu always goes best with food and people, it's a very social drink and makes for good times. Other than that, just experiment. Baijiu is a huge category and just because you didn’t like one type or had a bad experience doesn’t mean you can’t find one you love, or learn to love it. Baijiu is complex, and loving baijiu is a journey, so enjoy the ride!"
Know Your Etiquette
China drinking etiquette varies widely by region, but these are pretty standard:
Generally, make sure the host always gets due credit, but also make sure you toast anyone who is of a higher status. Show respect to elders and be humble.
Keep your glass below the lip of the host and/or person giving the toast’s glass to signify being humbled in their honor.
Clink your glasses on the lazy susan or table instead of clinking actual glasses together if you can’t reach.
Always say "干杯" (gānbēi) and finish your glass.
If you’re worried about overdrinking or getting pressured in a business or social statement, try not to start drinking at all. If you say you’re allergic, people can respect that, but then do NOT back down from that and drink even a little.
READ: Know These 5 Wedding Traditions Before You Marry Into a Chinese Family
This article originally appeared on UnTour Food Tours' official WeChat account (ID: UnTourFoodTours). Join UnTour in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hong Kong to discover China's delicious food, explore authentic neighborhoods and learn the fascinating stories that make up 5,000 years of culinary history.
Images courtesy of UnTours
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