GR: Can you show us some bottles of baijiu and talk about the brands?ĪC: It’s important to know that baijiu actually has several different categories and they’re roughly categorized based on how they smell and taste. There’s some politeness and a lot of conversation first before the “Gan bei!” You need to let the situation develop a little bit. That’s “Bottom’s up!” So normally, people don’t jump to “Gan bei!” so quickly with baijiu. Then later on, anybody can walk over to you and say, “Let’s have a cup!”ĪW: When you say “Gan bei!” you have to finish it.ĪC: When you say “Gan bei!” that’s serious. You’re a brother now! We’re great friends! We’re gonna do business!” So then another round. The next person after a few more bites of food says, “You know, I really enjoy this. Then, as the meal goes on, everybody starts to get a little buzzed, the bonding occurs, and that’s when somebody eventually says, “Here’s a toast! To friendship! Gan bei!” And everybody says “Yeah, let’s gan bei!” It goes in stages like that. You say, “Let’s have a sip.” We touch cups, take a little sip, then you start eating.
You start with a little sip. You don’t really say “Gan bei” (乾杯- bottoms up). Normally, when people first start at the beginning of a meal, everybody is very polite. If you go to China, baijiu is consumed in tiny little glasses because it’s so strong. GR: What is Chinese drinking culture like?ĪC: The way they drink is very much a process.
Beijing robot bartender how to#
We gravitated to drinking it and learning how to drink it, how to appreciate it, and subsequently getting very drunk. Maotai (the premium baijiu) was all over the place. They had beer but it wasn’t across all cultures and territories. It was during a transitional period and that was the local drink. You go to dinner, people are having baijiu.ĪW: Around the early 1990s, before China really opened up, we had an office there. You go to lunch, people are having baijiu. That’s when we got our first taste together, because it was so prevalent: it was everywhere. Andrew Wong had an office in Hong Kong and I had an office in Beijing. GR: What was your first experience with baijiu?ĪC: We had our first experience together back in the early 1990s, back when we used to practice architecture and design in Asia. It’s still a whiskey, because it’s fermented grain, but it hasn’t been oaked so it doesn’t take on a color, hence it gets the name “baijiu” which means “white liquor.” It’s clear. It’s strong. It’s pungent, and it’s perfect for cocktails- we think. It’s not something that is colored though by oak, like bourbon. When the Chinese first made it, they made it in large vats that were buried in the ground.
It is very pungent it’s very strong. Typically it ranges from 100 to 120 proof which is 50-60% alcohol.
ĪW: People refer to baijiu as the number one consumed alcohol in the world, mainly because that’s what people drink in China. It’s been the staple drink for many occasions, from lunch, to dinner, to wedding celebrations, to business meetings, and diplomacy. It’s mainly produced in the province of Sichuan and Guizhou, although many other provinces also produce it today.
GR: Can you give us a history of baijiu? Why is baijiu so important to drinking culture in Asia?ĪC: Baijiu (白酒) has been around China for literally a couple of thousand years. AW: This is Peking Tavern, and we’re here to talk about baijiu.
0 kommentar(er)
