How is Chinese rice wine made?
Making rice wine in China is a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation. Hundreds of manufacturers are spread throughout China, with the highest quality wine produced in Shaoxing. According to the locals, the great taste of the wine can be attributed to the tasty glutinous rice which is the foundation of the wine, and the pure, unspoiled water from Jianhu lake. The multi-step process in making Chinese rice wine is as follows: • Shaoxing glutinous rice is soaked in the water of Jianhu lake for 15 days • The rice is strained and the residual starch is steamed, air dried, and then allowed to cool down. • The starch is then mixed with yeast to form a sticky paste. • The paste is then hand pressed to the inner-wall of large clay barrels and let to sit for 3 days. • The paste liquefies into a semi-sweet mash. • The liquid mash and malted wheat is mixed with rice. • This mixture is then blended with water from Jianhu lake. • Fermentation begins. Mixture is periodicall
