Old wine is yellow wine, also known as ricewine, which belongs to brewing wine and occupies an important place among the three major brewing wines in the world (yellow wine, wine and beer). Brewing technology is unique and has become a typical representative and model of the oriental brewing industry. 1. Raw materials for brewing yellow rice wine: Yellow rice wine is brewed with grains as raw materials and wheat koji or Xiaoqu as saccharifying starter. Historically, the raw material for the production of yellow rice wine was millet (scientific name: Setaria italica, in ancient times, it was the general name of glutinous rice, sorghum, millet, and millet, sometimes called liang, and now it is also called millet, and millet after shell removal). In the south, rice (especially glutinous rice) is widely used as raw material to brew yellow rice wine. Since the Song Dynasty, the political, cultural and economic centers moved southward, and the production of yellow wine was limited to several southern provinces. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the production of soju began, and the production of yellow wine in the north gradually shrank. The people in the south who drank soju were not as common as those in the north. In the south, the production of yellow wine was preserved. During the Qing Dynasty, the yellow wine in Shaoxing in the south dominated both at home and abroad. At present, the production of yellow wine is mainly concentrated in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Anhui and other places, with a small amount of production in Shandong, Shaanxi and Dalian. Second, the name of yellow rice wine: yellow rice wine belongs to brewing wine, and the alcohol content is generally about 15 degrees. Yellow rice wine, as its name implies, is yellow wine. So some people translate the name yellow wine into "yellow wine". In fact, this is not appropriate. The color of yellow rice wine is not always yellow. In ancient times, when the filtration technology of wine was not mature, the wine was turbid, which was called "white wine" or turbid wine at that time. The color of yellow rice wine is black and red even now, so it can't be understood literally. The essence of rice wine should be made from grains, and it is more appropriate to call it "rice wine" because it can represent grains. Now it is common to use "rice wine" to represent yellow rice wine. In modern times, yellow rice wine is a general term for grain brewing wine. Brewed wine with grain as raw material (excluding distilled liquor) can be classified as yellow rice wine. Although yellow rice wine is a general term for grain-brewed wine, some folk areas still retain some traditional names for wines brewed locally and sold locally, such as water wine in Jiangxi, thick wine in Shaanxi and highland barley wine in Tibet. If they insist that they are yellow rice wine, the locals may not accept it. In ancient times, "wine" was a general term for all wines. In the historical period before distilled liquor appeared, "wine" was brewing wine. After the emergence of distilled shochu, it is more complicated. The name "wine" is not only the general name of all wines, but also the general name of grain brewing wine on some occasions, such as Li Shizhen's <: < Compendium of materia medica > > The wine at that time was divided into three categories: liquor, shochu and wine. Among them, the "wine" section is all grain-brewed wine. Since wine is both a general term for all wines and a general term for grain-brewed wine, after all, there should be a general term that only includes grain-brewed wine. Therefore, the emergence of yellow rice wine as a special name for grain brewing wine is not accidental. "Yellow rice wine" in the Ming Dynasty may specifically refer to rice wine with long brewing time and deep color, which is different from "white wine". The "white wine" in the Ming Dynasty is not distilled shochu now. For example, there is "Sanjiu Liquor" in the Ming Dynasty, which is made of white rice, white koji and white water and has a short brewing time. The wine is turbid and white. The formation of yellow (or dark brown) of wine is mainly due to the Maillard reaction between sugar and amino acids in wine during cooking or storage, resulting in pigment. There are also some pigments made of caramel (called "sugar color") to deepen its color. Edited by Dai Xi in Ming Dynasty <: < Order to raise a surplus moon > > In Volume 11, there is: "Where yellow rice wine and white wine are added with less soju, it will not be sour after the night". From this formulation, we can clearly see the difference between yellow wine, white wine and soju. Yellow wine refers to old wine that has been brewed for a long time, while white wine refers to rice wine that has been brewed for a short time (generally, white koji, that is, rice koji, is used as saccharifying starter). In the Ming Dynasty, the specificity of the name yellow rice wine was not very strict. Although it could not contain all the grain-brewed wines, at least the wines that were brewed in the southern part of China and were colored during the brewing process could be included. By the Qing Dynasty, although the production of brewed wine was preserved in various places, Shaoxing's old wine and rice wine were popular all over the country. This kind of wine, which was sold all over the country, was of high quality and generally had a dark color, which might have something to do with the final establishment of the name "Yellow Rice Wine". Because the Qing emperor had a special interest in Shaoxing wine. In the Qing dynasty, there was a saying that "shochu was forbidden but yellow rice wine was forbidden". By the Republic of China, yellow rice wine as a general term for grain brewing wine had been basically determined. Yellow rice wine belongs to local wine (domestic wine is called local wine to show that it corresponds to imported foreign wine). The development of brewing technology in China can be divided into two stages. The first stage is natural fermentation, which has gone through thousands of years, and the traditional fermentation technology has evolved from gestation, development and even maturity. Even in modern times, natural fermentation technology has not completely disappeared. Some of these mysteries still need to be solved. People mainly make wine by experience, and the production scale is generally small, which is basically manual operation. The quality of wine is not guaranteed by a set of reliable detection indicators. The second stage began in the Republic of China. Due to the introduction of western scientific and technological knowledge, especially microbiology, biochemistry and engineering knowledge, great changes have taken place in traditional wine-making technology. People understand the mystery of the micro-world of wine-making, the labor intensity in production is greatly reduced, the level of mechanization is improved, and the quality of wine is more guaranteed. Jimo old wine, a kind of yellow wine produced in Jimo, is a pearl in the food industry. It is loved and praised by people for its long history, unique brewing technology and typical local flavor. The liquor of Jimo old wine is clear and transparent, dark brown-red, with rich aroma, mellow taste, slightly bitter and lingering fragrance. According to the evaluation of international wine experts, compared with Qu-making represented by yellow wine in the East, Qu-making liquor represented by western beer is more nutritious than Yao-making liquor. As far as nutrition is concerned, Jimo Laojiu, a typical yellow rice wine in northern China, is the "king of nutritional wine". According to the test, Jimo old wine contains 16 kinds of trace elements, enzyme vitamins and 17 kinds of amino acids needed by human body. Jimo old wine contains 1,5 mg of amino acids per liter, which is ten times higher than beer and twelve times higher than wine. Moderate drinking can promote human metabolism, enhance physical fitness, prevent diseases and prolong life. Jimo old wine belongs to yellow rice wine, which is one of the classic famous wines in China. It is a treasure in yellow rice wine. Its brewing history can be traced back to more than 2, years ago, and it is officially recorded that it was first brewed in the Northern Song Dynasty. Its flavor is unique, its nutrition is rich, its wine color is reddish brown, its cup is full, its crystal is pure, it is mellow and refreshing, and it has the effects of relaxing muscles and tendons, invigorating qi and nourishing the mind, which has won the praise of ancient and modern celebrities. Daoguang period in Qing Dynasty sold well all over the country. Jimo old wine is produced in Jimo County, Shandong Province, and was called "Lao Liquor" in ancient times. According to the Records of Jimo County and relevant historical data, in 722 BC, Jimo area (including Laoshan Mountain) was already a place with a large population and rich products. Here, the fertile land, high yield of millet (commonly known as rhubarb rice), large and round rice grains are excellent raw materials for brewing yellow rice wine. At that time, yellow rice wine was called "mash wine", which was very popular as a sacrificial offering and a fun drink. In the long-term practice, "Lao Jiu" has attracted people's attention for its elegant flavor and high nutrition. Jimo old wine belongs to yellow rice wine and has a long history. It is rumored that during the Warring States Period, Tian Dan of the State of Qi defeated the Yan army with a fire bull array, and the local natives rewarded their soldiers with yellow wine, encouraging them to fight against the enemy and win. Among Jimo yellow rice wine, "old dry pressing" is the best. It is pure in quality, easy to store, and the longer it lasts, the better it is, which is the highest among all yellow rice wines in Jiaodong area. Later, according to the characteristics of Jimo's "Old Dry Squeezing", it was renamed as "Jimo Old Wine" in order to distinguish it from yellow wine in other regions. This name has been used to this day. During Daoguang period in Qing Dynasty, the production and sales of Jimo old wine reached its peak. The old wine not only sold well in major commercial ports in China, but also exported to Japan and Southeast Asian countries. Now, the more famous ones are Jimo Brand Jimo Old Wine under Xinhuajin Group and Jimo Miaofu Old Wine Co., Ltd. in Shandong Province. The two companies have their own cultural museums, and the manufacturing technology of Miaofu old wine has been rated as "intangible cultural heritage" in Qingdao. Jimo old wine is made from Dahuangmi, Chenfu Maiqu and Laoshan (Maifanshi) mineral water, according to the ancient six methods of making wine ("the ancient six methods"), which are "millet must be neat, tillers must be timely, water springs must be beautiful, pottery must be good, and gunpowder must be good", and the original juice obtained is squeezed after natural fermentation. It has the characteristics of magnificent color, rich smell, unique flavor, warm nature and mellow texture, and is an ideal nutritious drink. The sugar, wine, acid, color, aroma and taste in the wine are all natural, and it is a veritable green food without adding any ingredients. Jimo old wine has complete nutritional components, including sugar, dextrin, organic acids, protein, amino acids, glycerol, higher alcohols, vitamins and inorganic salts. In 1984, the Department of Chemistry of Jilin University tested Jimo old wine: the amino acid content of this wine was more than 1, mg per kilogram, reaching as many as 17 kinds. Drinking regularly can nourish the body and mind, improve health and cheer up the spirit; Chinese medicine can strengthen the spleen and stomach, relax muscles and tendons, promote blood circulation and promote metabolism. It has the special function of enriching blood and removing blood stasis. Among them, eight amino acids, such as lysine, methionine, histidine and phenylalanine, are essential amino acids that the human body cannot synthesize or the synthesis speed cannot meet the physiological needs of the human body. In addition, it also contains inorganic salts such as calcium and magnesium and 16 kinds of trace elements such as zinc, copper, strontium and manganese, so it is called "liquid cake" and "king of nutritious wine" by nutritionists. Jimo old wine has a good health care effect. Drinking it regularly can improve human microcirculation, relax muscles and promote blood circulation, strengthen spleen and stomach, resist aging and prolong life, blacken hair and beautify skin. It is really a good wine for nourishing and fitness, and has a good preventive and therapeutic effect on arthritis, lumbago and leg pain and gynecological diseases. It has always been used as "medicinal wine" by Chinese medicine. Soju refers to all kinds of transparent and colorless distilled liquor, commonly known as white wine, and there are other nicknames in various places, such as white dry, old white dry, burning knife wine, cooking pot wine, steamed wine, dew wine, dew wine and dew drop wine. The origin of shochu in China, a saying about shochu, originated in the Tang Dynasty. In the literature of the Tang Dynasty, the names of shochu and steamed wine have appeared. In the Supplement to National History written by Li Zhao (AD 86): "Wine has the burning of spring in the south of the sword" (wine is generally called "spring" in the Tang Dynasty); Yong Tao (A.D. 834) said, "Since I went to Chengdu to make soju hot, I don't think about going to Chang 'an." It can be seen that in the Tang Dynasty, the name of shochu has been widely circulated. Tian Xi wrote "Qu Ben Cao", which said: "Siamese wine is burned twice with shochu, and it is filled with precious exotic fragrance. Each altar is painted with a dozen kilograms of sandalwood smoke, and then it is filled with wine, sealed with wax, and buried in the soil for two or three years. Never burn gas, and take it out for use." Zhao Xiyu's "Compilation of Tune-up" said: "If you are drunk, you should use mung bean powder to peel the skin slices to pry the tendons open, and send the powder slices down the throat with cold water to be safe" (Volume 2); He added: "Ginger should not be used with soju. Drinking white wine and raw leeks makes people sick. Drinking white wine avoids all sweet things "(Volume 3). "The poem" Litchi Louduijiu "in the Tang Dynasty says:" Litchi is newly cooked with a cockscomb color, and shochu is first fragrant with amber ... "There is also a sentence in the Tang Dynasty that" I have heard about Chengdu for a long time, but I don't think about my own Chang 'an ". (A Preliminary Study on the Interpretation of Ancient Books by Huang Xianfan) Are the "shochu", "steamed wine" and "white wine" mentioned in the above quotations today's white wine? It is still inconclusive from the same name alone. Some people think that people in our country have long been close to each other, calling steamed wine Shaoguo, and the wine produced by Shaoguo is Shaojiu. However, it remains to be verified when the name of cooking pot originated. Therefore, liquor originated in the Tang Dynasty, and its arguments are still insufficient. Another way of saying it was introduced from abroad in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). In Yuan Dynasty, China had convenient transportation and frequent exchanges with West Asia and Southeast Asia, and there were many exchanges in culture and technology. Some people think that "Ajigu" liquor is distilled liquor, which was introduced from India. Others said: "The original name of shochu was' Aqiqi'. When it was levied in Western Europe in the Yuan Dynasty, it passed through Aqibo and introduced the liquor method to China." Zhang Mu wrote "Discrimination on Diet", saying: "Soju, also known as Huojiu,' A Ci Gu'. "A Ci Gu" is also a dialect. " Existing people find out that "A Ci Gu", "A Ci Ji" and "A Ci Qi" are transliteration, which refers to a distilled liquor brewed from palm sweat and rice, and was once introduced to China in the Yuan Dynasty. Another way of saying this is that Li Shizhen (1518-1593), a pharmacologist in the Ming Dynasty, wrote in Compendium of Materia Medica: "Distilling wine is not an ancient method, and it was created since the Yuan Dynasty. Its method uses strong wine and bad wine to steam the gas, and uses utensils to take drops of dew. All rancid wine can be steamed and burned. Recently, it has only been steamed with glutinous rice or millet or glutinous rice or barley, and it has been steamed in a starter jar for ten days. It is as clear as water and has a very strong taste, and it is covered with wine. " This passage, in addition to explaining that China's shochu originated in the Yuan Dynasty, also briefly describes the brewing and distillation methods of shochu, so people think it is credible. There is no exact record of when ethnic minority shochu started in ethnic minority areas. At the latest in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, ethnic minorities in remote mountainous areas had mastered the technology of distilled liquor. By the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the brewing technology of soju of ethnic minorities had reached a very high level, which was comparable to that of the Central Plains. In Yuanmou Basin, central Yunnan, it was said: "Those who call the valley are all rice. The grains are still often produced, but sorghum is the most important. There are two kinds of sorghum, and the sticky one is wine dew, which can compete with alcohol, and the name is Minnan. " In the same period, Nantian Liquor in Kunming and Huatong Liquor in Wuding. Heqing wine in Dali, "its taste is more mellow than Fenjiu." Since the Qing Dynasty, the brewing technology of shochu has been rapidly popularized among ethnic minorities. So far, there are only a few ethnic groups who can't master the brewing technology of soju. Small Pot Wine The people in Yizu inhabited area in Ailaoshan, Yunnan are good at brewing soju. Because steaming is the central link in the production process, the process of brewing soju is called baking wine, and because steaming is done in a small family workshop with a small stove and a small pot, its finished wine is also called xiaojiu. The main raw materials of small pot wine are barley, five meters and bitter buckwheat, and rice, barnyard grass, millet and potato are also commonly used. The process of brewing small pot wine is divided into two stages: one is to cover the wine and rice. Soak or cook the prepared raw grain thoroughly, spread it out, air-cool, sprinkle with distiller's yeast and stir it evenly, then put it into a crock or a special small wine cellar, and cover it for fermentation. The second is to bake wine. The wine roaster is equipped with a large iron pot and a small iron pot, a wooden wine retort, a wine leak, a wine guide tube and a wine container. After the above preparations are completed, add fire to boil the water, so that the strong steam will rise, and the wine in the wine rice will evaporate and rise to the bottom of the cauldron, quickly condense into wine liquid, drop into the wine leak, and then flow into the wine container along the wine-guiding bamboo tube. Yi family's small pot wine is mellow and refreshing, clearing the heart and refreshing. Traditionally, self-brewing and self-drinking is the main way, and it is also a good gift for relatives and friends. Braised pot wine The wine brewed and drunk by Hani people on both sides of the Red River in Yunnan is called "braised pot wine". Hani people's braised pot wine has a long history of brewing. The brewing raw materials of braised pot wine are corn, sorghum, rice, tartary buckwheat, barnyard grass, millet, potato, etc., and the stewing equipment is basically the same as that of Yi family small pot wine, but the brewing procedure is unique: first, soak the selected raw grain in clear water, then steam it in ordinary rice cooker for several hours, and when the grain is exposed, carry it to a clean roof. The fermentation time depends on the temperature, ranging from 2-3 days to 8-1 days. Move it again when the wine and rice ferment and flow out juice.