Luzhou Laojiao
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Old fermentation pits (laojiao) in Luzhou
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Luzhou Laojiao (Simplified Chinese: 泸州老窖; Traditional Chinese: 瀘州老窖; Pinyin: Lúzhōu lǎojiào; literally "Luzhou old cellar") is a Baijiu from Luzhou on the Yangtze in southern Sichuan, and the name of the company that makes it. It is a benchmark for the strong-aroma (浓香, nongxiang) style, which was at first called "Lu aroma" (泸香) after Luzhou. The company is famous for fermentation pits that it says have been in continuous use since 1573.[1]
Origin and region
Luzhou has a warm, humid climate and a long history of liquor making. The company dates its oldest group of pits to 1573, in the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty, and its premium brand Guojiao 1573 (国窖1573, "National Cellar 1573") is named after that year. The 1573 cellar group was designated a national key cultural relics protection site in 1996, and the Luzhou Laojiao brewing technique was included in the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.[1][2]
Raw materials
- Sorghum (glutinous sorghum is preferred)
- Qu — wheat-based daqu
- Water
Overview only — not a recipe.
Production (overview)
The heart of strong-aroma baijiu is the mud pit (窖池): a rectangular pit dug in the ground and lined with a special clay. Over years of use the mud becomes home to communities of microbes that produce the fruity esters of the style, which is why producers value "old cellars" so highly. Cooked sorghum mixed with qu is sealed in the pit to ferment, then taken out and distilled; part of the fermented grain is mixed with fresh grain and returned to the pit, so each pit is used again and again. The craft includes maintaining the pit mud, making and judging qu, cutting the spirit during distillation, ageing and blending.[2]
Style and taste
Luzhou Laojiao spirits have the rich, fruity aroma typical of the style — ethyl hexanoate is the key compound — with a sweet, full palate. The company makes a range from everyday "Tequ" (特曲) and "Daqu" bottlings to aged premium Guojiao 1573; some export products are made at lower strength for foreign drinkers.[1]
Culture
Luzhou Laojiao is one of the historic "famous liquors" of China and a key name in the Sichuan baijiu tradition together with Wuliangye, Jiannanchun and others. In recent years it has also sponsored international sports events as part of efforts to introduce baijiu abroad.[1]
Notes
- "Laojiao" (old cellar) refers to the age of the fermentation pits, not to an aging cellar for bottles.
- This page does not give prices or buying advice.