Types and Characteristics of Chinese Alcoholic Beverages
Types and Characteristics of Chinese Alcoholic Beverages
Any beverage containing ethanol (alcohol) is considered alcohol. There are many types, classified differently based on production methods, alcohol content, and commercial practices. By commercial convention, they are divided into five major categories: baijiu, huangjiu, fruit wine, medicinal wine, and beer. By production method, they fall into three groups: distilled spirits, fermented beverages, and blended wines. By alcohol content, they are categorized as high-alcohol (above 40°), medium-alcohol (20°–40°), and low-alcohol (below 20°). Wines, huangjiu, various fruit wines, and beer all belong to low-alcohol types. Market products labeled as "low-alcohol baijiu" below 39° are actually medium-alcohol.
China traditionally classifies alcohol by commercial custom. Below are descriptions of baijiu, huangjiu, fruit wine, beer, and medicinal wine to help readers choose suitable options based on their physical condition and needs, enjoying moderate drinking.
Baijiu: A high-concentration alcoholic beverage made from grains or tubers. Unlike fruit wine and huangjiu, it is produced via distillation, with alcohol content typically around 50–60°. Even today’s popular "low-alcohol baijiu" usually exceeds 30°. China, a renowned ancient civilization of wine culture, stands unique in global brewing history. From Maotai-style sauce-flavored baijiu, Fenjiu-style light-flavored baijiu, to Wuliangye-style strong-flavored baijiu, a distinctive family of diverse aromas has formed. Baijiu emphasizes color, aroma, and taste—clear and transparent, fragrant and enticing, with unique aroma profiles. Sauce-flavored baijiu features rich, fragrant depth and lingering aftertaste; light-flavored baijiu offers pure, clean fragrance and smooth finish (e.g., Fenjiu, Xifengjiu, Hengshui Laobaigan); strong-flavored baijiu excels in "aroma, sweetness, richness, and purity"—intensely fragrant, long-lasting aftertaste (this category includes many famous brands: Wuliangye, Jianan Chun, Luzhou Laojiao, Gujing Gongjiu, Yanghe Daqu, Quanxing Daqu, Shuanggou Daqu); another type is rice-flavored baijiu, characterized by honey-like fragrance, smooth entry, and pleasant aftertaste (e.g., Guilin Sanhua Wine). Mixed-aroma baijiu, as the name suggests, combines multiple fragrances—different scents emerge in smelling, tasting, and回味—such as Dongjiu.
Huangjiu: Named for its color, also called "old wine," it is a low-alcohol beverage with alcohol content generally between 15% and 20%. Made from grains, its production differs fundamentally from baijiu—it uses pressing and filtering techniques, preserving glucose, dextrin, glycerol, minerals, acetic acid, aldehydes, esters, and other substances generated during fermentation. Analysis shows huangjiu provides far more calories than beer or wine. It contains over ten amino acids, most of which are essential and cannot be synthesized by the human body. Studies reveal that lysine content per liter of huangjiu is the highest among all nutritional beverages globally—earning huangjiu the nickname "liquid cake." Due to its alcohol content being much lower than distilled spirits like baijiu, it is both highly nutritious and possesses functions such as replenishing blood and qi, aiding digestion, relaxing tendons and blood, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and dispelling wind and cold—thus widely used in medicine for treatment and preparation. Examples include Shaoxing Jiafanjiu, Zhuangyuan Hong, and Jiomo Laojiu.
Fruit Wine: Fermented from fruits. Due to its superior yield, quality, variety, and reputation, wine dominates fruit wines. Since it skips distillation, it belongs to fermented beverages, retaining most nutrients from fresh grapes. During fermentation and aging, new beneficial substances form—contributing to wine’s unique flavor and nutritional profile. It contains alcohol, acids, sugars, esters, minerals, proteins, multiple amino acids, and various vitamins. Moderate consumption greatly benefits health—nourishing, invigorating, improving appetite, aiding digestion—and shows positive effects against cardiovascular diseases, anemia, low blood pressure, and neurasthenia. With low alcohol content (typically 8–24°), most domestically produced wines in China are around 12°.
Beer: A globally popular, universally enjoyed nutritious beverage. "Beer" is a transliteration from foreign languages. It has been introduced to China for less than a century. Made by malted barley undergoing saccharification, then fermented with hops and yeast. Beer has the lowest alcohol content—only 3–5°—and rich nutrients beyond water and carbohydrates, including hops, proteins, carbon dioxide, abundant amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins. Tests show that one liter of 12° beer (where "12°" refers to original wort percentage, not alcohol content) provides nutrition equivalent to 770 grams of milk or 210 grams of bread. Hence, beer is affectionately called the "liquid bread." Additionally, volatile aromatic oils in hops give beer its distinctive scent and refreshing bitterness, conferring medicinal benefits such as appetite stimulation, diuresis, and sedation. Carbon dioxide grants beer cooling and heat-dispersing properties.
Medicinal Wine: A blended wine, traditionally known as "jiuji" in Chinese medicine. It is made by selecting different prescriptions based on specific ailments, using baijiu, edible alcohol, huangjiu, or wine, prepared through various methods—most commonly by soaking herbs. Medicinal wine is a traditional Chinese product. Li Shizhen’s *Bencao Gangmu* documents 69 medicinal wines, many still in use today. These wines vary widely in type and effect, offering both tonifying and therapeutic benefits.
Generally, medicinal wines with tonifying effects are called "tonic wines," while those with therapeutic effects are "medicinal wines." Since different base alcohols are used, alcohol strength varies. Concentrated dosage, targeted action, rapid efficacy, ease of use, and convenient storage and transport make medicinal wines widely applied in internal medicine, surgery, and gynecology. However, due to their potent nature, usage is limited—some patients should not take them orally. Clinical use must follow medical advice—never misuse.