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Thread: Bai Jiu (Moutai)

  1. #46
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    wicked stuff

    Men blamed for death by baijiu
    Source:Global Times Published: 2015-9-8 19:58:03

    Shunyi District Court recently heard a case where relatives of Chen Hai (pseudonym) filed a lawsuit against five business partners who invited Chen for a banquet in Chongqing. Chen died after a dinner where Chen drank three or four bottles of baijiu, the Beijing Morning Post reported.

    After the case, the five men agreed to compensate the family 200,000 yuan ($31,386), plus pay off the loan for the family's home, but they did not fulfill the agreement.

    Now, the defendants claim they signed the agreement under pressure, and there is no evidence showing that Chen died of alcohol poisoning.

    The family claims the five men should be responsible for Chen's death because they failed to send Chen to the hospital.

    They are awaiting a verdict from the court.
    I wouldn't say I have a taste for baijiu, but I've had it on several occasions in China, and those all turned out to be extraordinary nights (mostly for the wrong reasons).
    Gene Ching
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  2. #47
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    gene why u keep posting negative news about china propaganda style

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  3. #48
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    Please punctuate, bawang

    dbHK to host Baijiu masterclass and dinner
    22nd September, 2015 by Lauren Eads
    the drinks business Hong Kong, in partnership with Googut Wine & Spirits, will host a masterclass and dinner focusing on Chinese Baijiu in November, the first event in its Premium Spirits Series.



    Baijiu (白酒) is a generic term, literally translated into “white or white-coloured spirit or liquor”, and in China includes the world-famous Maotai or Moutai (茅台), Wuliangye (五粮液), Dongjiu (董酒), and many others. A number of these spirits have been classified as China’s Greatest Baijiu, during organised national tastings between 1952 and 1989. These include Maotai, Wuliangye, Dongjiu, Xifengjiu (西风酒), Gujinggongjiu (古井贡酒) and 12 others.

    Established in 2007, Beijing-headquartered Googut Wine & Spirits has been recognised as an industry expert on mature Chinese spirits, operating a fine wine and spirit auction house and merchant business. As with wine, Baijiu also enjoys exponential price appreciations with age, with mature Chinese Baijiu known for its intense, distinct aromas.

    Googut has collaborated with 600-year-old distillery Shui Jing Fang (水井坊) to produce, mature and bottle a range of spirits, based on ancient fermentation and distillation techniques, using yeast cultures originating from centuries-old “fermentation pits”, dating back to Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, uncovered at the premises of Shui Jing Fang. These spirits are released at ‘cask-strength’ of 68% and bottled in handcrafted porcelain styled from the ancient periods.

    The Masterclass will be conducted by Mr Ian Wo, Director for HK and Macau of Googut Wine & Spirits, and will focus on the history and background of the most popular types of Chinese baijiu, their production methods, fragrance profiles of different baijiu types and how to select the best glassware to appreciate them.

    Guests will taste four different types of Chinese baijiu and three aged Maotai (Moutai), from a recent release to more than 20 years old. The masterclass will be conducted in English, supplemented with terms in Chinese. A gourmet dinner will follow, starting with a popular aperitif based on baijiu. During dinner, we will introduce to you the spirits from the Googut-Shui Jing Fang joint collaboration and discuss the concept of food pairing with baijiu. Finally, we will blind taste a mystery baijiu of an unspecified age, with the guest able to identify the correct type of spirit and age winning a bottle of baijiu from Googut.

    Come join us and learn about baijiu and mature Chinese spirits on 24 November. Places are limited – please hurry to secure your tickets!

    Details are as follows

    Date: 24th November 2015
    Venue: The China Club, Hong Kong
    Masterclass: 6 – 7.30pm
    Dinner: From 7.30pm
    Dress Code: Business casual

    Masterclass ticket: HK$880 per person

    Dinner only: HK$1,180 per person

    Masterclass and dinner: HK$ 1,680 per person
    $880HK = $113.55USD. That's steep for baijiu, but maybe I just haven't had top shelf baijiu yet.
    Gene Ching
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  4. #49
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    Let the global marketing begin

    More on the baijiufication of the world.

    Baijiu gaining global recognition
    English.news.cn 2015-08-28 11:21:13


    A judge checks a goblet of spirit at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Guiyang 2015 Spirits Selection in Guiyang, Guizhou province, on Wednesday.(Souce: Chinadaily.com)  

    BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Derek Sandha from the United States was dressed in a formal suit on Thursday morning in a hall so quiet you could hear yourself breathe.

    In his hand, he held a glass of baijiu, and he studied it as if it were a piece of art. Then he closed his eyes, inhaled the aroma and finally tasted it with apparent satisfaction.

    "It's amazing," he said.

    Sandha was one of the panelists judging the Chinese alcoholic classic at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Guiyang 2015 Spirits Selection in Guizhou province.

    The event, which kicked off on Wednesday in a region famous for its baijiu brands, has attracted global attention, with 1,397 spirits from 43 countries seeking recognition at one of the world's most authoritative spirit competitions.

    It was the first time that baijiu officially became a category of spirits to be tasted.

    The event was organized by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, established in 1994 and dubbed the "United Nations of fine wines".

    The previous selection by the organization was largely dominated by Western spirits, including whiskey, brandy and rum.

    Since the flavor and aroma of baijiu-normally made from rice and sorghum-are dramatically different from the Western drinks, and the alcohol content of baijiu is much higher, at 52 percent, it was long misunderstood as "firewater".

    But its reputation is growing. Given that the drinking culture in China has a long history, and baijiu is the No 1 spirit consumed worldwide by volume, "we cannot ignore the massive market", said Thierry Heins, the international project manager of Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.

    "The first time I drank Chinese baijiu, it was hard to swallow, because the flavor is so different from Western spirits. Since I've learned about the culture and got used to it, I like to drink Chinese baijiu," Sandha said.

    He suggested makers might want to lower its level of alcohol, or that people mix it with other drinks to make ****tails, for easier acceptance by Westerners.

    Xie Yongwen, general engineer for Daohuaxiang, a brewer based in Hubei province, said baijiu can get to foreigners' tables with a little help from the government.

    He said since many Chinese cities have built friendly relationships with cities overseas, spirits from the two sides could be part of an exchange of culture, thereby promoting baijiu to the world.

    Chen Gang, Party head of Guiyang, the capital city of Guizhou province, also thought Chinese spirits could play a bigger role as an ambassador connecting cultures.

    "Guizhou is opening itself to the world with unprecedented speed. The spirit selection provides a platform for Chinese baijiu and-especially for Guizhou-for competition and exchanges," Chen said. "The event will drive the integration of the local economy, culture and tourism, and build a more impressive image of Guizhou and Guiyang in the world."

    (Source: Chinadaily.com)
    Gene Ching
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  5. #50
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    Nice spin in the above piece, but I don't buy it. Not different, just bad.

    The first time I ever had baijiu, it had been home brewed by the farmers that hosted us, but the bottle had been filled with rose petals, and it went down a lot like a brandy.

    Every time I tried it since (without extra flavors added), even very expensive stuff, it was something that would only taste good if there was no other alcohol available.

    Has anyone here ever had baijiu that was sipping delicious? I would love to know the brand.

  6. #51
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    I feel ya, ShaolinDan

    All the baijiu I've ever had was rotgut. But then again, I've never had top shelf baijiu. I was treated to some top shelf 'shine a few years ago, and it was astonishing - like a fine single malt in complexity. So I won't write it off just yet, but in my previous experience, baijiu has always tasted somewhere between turpentine and sterno.

    If anyone wants to turn me on to some top shelf baijiu, I'm very open minded about it. Heck, we need a new sponsor for next year's Drunken Style Championship

    3 Things you should know about Dukang Distillers
    By Alison Hunt - September 25, 2015


    It’s said that once you taste China’s infamous national spirit baijiu ( 白酒) you never forget it.

    Roughly translated as ‘white spirit,’ baijiu is not for the faint-hearted – this clear liquor is distilled from fermented grains such as sorghum or rice and has an alcohol content of between 40-60% alcohol by volume (ABV). With a flavour described as anything between a ‘honey’, ‘rotting fruit’ or even ‘petroleum’. Perhaps unsurprising its nickname is ‘Chinese firewater’.

    But while it might not sound very tempting, baijiu is clearly pervasive – you would be hard pressed to celebrate Chinese New Year or Autumn Festival in China without being offered a glass or two. Indeed, with over a billion loyal fans in the Middle Kingdom alone, baijiu boasts the title of ‘most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world’.

    China’s Dukang Distillers Holdings Ltd (SGX: GJ8) knows all about firewater – this company engages in the production and sales of baijiu, marketed under the Dukang and Siwu brand names, supplying its products to restaurants, supermarkets and speciality stores.

    Formerly known as Trump Dragon Distillers Holdings Ltd, the company changed its name in 2010 and is based in Zhengzhou, China.

    But did you know…

    The name Du Kang comes from Chinese legend – Du Kang was the inventor of fermented drink in China and is regarded as the forefather of wine production in China and Japan.
    Dukang Distillers is based in Henan, China’s most populated province and the largest consumer of baijiu.
    In 1955, a bottle of Maotai, China’s most famous baijiu brand sold for an incredible RMB 1.26million – that’s almost SG$282,000!

    Modern times

    Interestingly, Baijiu is now becoming more popular outside China, with New York City’s Lumos bar devoting a whole ****tail menu to the ubiquitous liquor.

    Happily, we don’t have to head that far if we fancy a glass, with My Awesome Café in Telok Ayer, Jiu Zhang on Dempsey Road and Jing Hua Restaurant on Neil Road just a few of the establishments offering selections of baijiu to choose from for those with a discerning palate.

    Gan Bei!
    Gene Ching
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  7. #52
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    the Best-Selling, Funkiest-Tasting Liquor in the World

    What to Drink
    October 20, 2015 1:50 p.m.
    5 Things to Know Before Trying Baijiu, the Best-Selling, Funkiest-Tasting Liquor in the World
    By Richard Morgan


    Lumos, a new bar in Manhattan, specializes in the Chinese spirit. Photo: Melissa Hom

    On the stretch of Houston Street between Thompson Street and LaGuardia Place, tucked under a hat store, a four-month-old bar is marked only by a small sign in Chinese: jiǔguǎn, it reads, which translates, approximately, to "bar." In a town full of faux speakeasies, this might seem otherwise unremarkable until you realize this bar — Lumos — is likely the only one in America that specializes in baijiu, the ancient Chinese liquor that's probably the most surprising, divisive thing you can drink in the whole city.

    Baijiu is rare in the states, though it is available at some ****tail joints around town — usually as a kind of one-off novelty that bartenders stock to impress one another. Though it's scarce here, baijiu's billion-strong fan base in China means it's the best-selling liquor in the world. That it's failed to gain a foothold in the West is not that surprising, actually, if you've talked to Americans who have tried it. The most common flavor descriptors are sweaty socks, or rotten fruit, or things that are even more foul. In other words: To the unaccustomed, this stuff tastes weird.

    More generously, you might say it calls to mind the aroma of earthy, smoked pears, and Lumos's owner, Orson Salicetti — who was formerly the head bartender at Apothéke in Chinatown — opened the bar because he has a romantic fondness for the spirit. "It was a secret," he says of his first sip. "We all have the experience of traveling somewhere — even just Chinatown or Flushing — and discovering a new fruit, a new spice, so many new flavors." And now he wants to introduce that flavor (gradually) to the varsity-level drinkers of New York. Here's what you need to know before you take the plunge.

    These are the basics.
    In English, baijiu — báijiǔ, technically — is most often pronounced as "bye Joe," but "bye Gio" is closer. "Bah-joo" works, too. It's usually distilled from fermented sorghum, though other grains can be used as well. It is also strong. Really strong, running between 80 and 120 proof; this isn't the kind of thing you drink by the bottle.

    There are various baijiu classifications.
    Like spirits such as gin and tequila, which have different classes, so does baijiu. Broadly, there are six of them, known as "fragrances," which indicate the spirit's flavor: honey fragrance, layered fragrance, light fragrance, rice fragrance, sauce fragrance, and thick fragrance. Western palates tend to favor the lighter and sweeter, but sauce fragrance, which is, admittedly, a tough one to get past for beginners, does pair well with pickled snacks.

    You should start gently.
    Even Salicetti admits, "This is not a spirit you can just pour into a martini glass and enjoy." But just as your first beer probably wasn't a double IPA, your initial sip of baijiu doesn't have to be the strongest stuff in the bar. In fact, Salicetti designed his menu to work as something of a progression. He suggests starting with one of his ****tails — new additions to the fall menu include a pumpkin drink with rum and a baijiu-spice reduction that tastes like some kind of amazing newfangled pumpkin pie, and another made with fig-infused baijiu and apple cider — before moving to pours of softer baijiu (he says newbies tend to enjoy rice fragrance), and so on.

    A night at Lumos probably won't be cheap.
    Lumos's ****tails start at $15 ($16 for higher-proof drinks), with house-infused baijiu (a dozen flavors, including fig, apple, or basil) going for $12 per shot, or $90 for a nine-ounce bottle. Meanwhile, one-ounce shots of pure baijiu range from $12 to $32. The drinks themselves, though, are spectacularly theatrical creations, in keeping with Salicetti's run at Apotheke. For a ****tail of goji-infused baijiu and mezcal, which involves a salt-rimmed glass, Salicetti adds absinthe to a bowl of star anise and pink Himalayan rock salt, then lights it all on fire before painting the glass with the molten salt. "We're not making margaritas," he jokes.

    You're going to have fun.
    You maybe didn't love things like Laphroaig or Fernet Branca the first time you tried them, either. The trick to appreciating baijiu is embracing its unfamiliar flavor. At Lumos, you will be offered things you've never seen, and no matter what you order, you will probably be surprised by it — which is the whole point. When was the last time you drank something truly new at a bar? "Try this!" customers say to their friends after taking a sip of Salicetti's drinks. "It's like ... " they'll start, struggling for a word to describe it. It's like ... It's like ... Well, it's like something. But don't worry about it. Instead: More sips. Enjoy.


    A small selection of Lumos's baijiu.
    Photo: Melissa Hom


    Salicetti pours some of his house-infused baijiu.
    Photo: Melissa Hom


    One of Lumos's ****tails.
    Photo: Melissa Hom
    baijiu ****tails. oh man.
    Gene Ching
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  8. #53
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    More baijiu in the U.S.

    I find this all so amusing. I'm going to start bringing baijiu to parties, just to be avante garde.

    Chinese liquor baijiu takes a shot at the US ****tail scene
    By Michelle Locke Associated Press Jan 26, 2016


    Matthew Mead
    Baijiu is a high-proof, pungent, spicy, savory, sweet traditional liquor of China.


    Richard Drew
    As the No. 1 liquor in China, the powerful spirit, Baijiu has always been big. But now it's also showing up in the U.S. as bartenders explore its nuances and experiment with it as a ****tail base.

    Think bourbon is hot? It's got nothing on baijiu.

    Yet chances are good you haven't even heard of baijiu, the high proof, pungent, spicy, savory, sweet traditional liquor of China. It packs a fiery punch. It also happens to be the world's best-selling liquor by volume, a drink with a pedigree stretching back centuries, and was poured to toast the warming of U.S.-Sino relations during Nixon's historic 1972 visit.

    Now, producers are making diplomatic overtures to an entirely new audience — the U.S. craft ****tail scene.

    "We feel that it has incredible potential," says Yuan Liu, senior vice president of business development for Los Angeles-based CNS Imports, the largest importer/distributor of baijiu in United States.

    Baijiu is sorghum-based, though it also can contain wheat, rice and corn. An it's not a uniform product; it's a class of spirits with many categories. Think whiskey with its range from smoky Scotch to mellow bourbon. But unlike whiskey, which is fermented in a liquid state, baijiu is more or less dry fermented inside in-ground pits. It then is steam distilled several times in goose-neck stills, aged in massive terra cotta vessels, then finally blended (itself a complex and labor-intensive process.)

    It generally is bottled at around 100 or 120 proof (well above the typical 80 proof for vodka, gin, etc.) and is classed by aroma, such as "light," ''rice," ''strong" and "sauce" — labels which aren't all that helpful to Westerners. Typical reactions from first-timers are that it smells and tastes like blue cheese, mushroom or soy sauce — not the most alluring descriptors.

    "This is not a spirit you can just pour into a martini glass and enjoy," says New York bartender Orson Salicetti.

    But introduced more gently as part of a ****tail? That can work, says Salicetti, co-founder of the Lumos bar, which focuses on the Chinese spirit and has a menu of more than 60 baijiu ****tails. Salicetti was introduced to baijiu by his architect partner Qifan Li and realized baijiu would be a great way to stand out in a city awash with specialty bars.

    A popular option at Lumos is the "sesame colada," which includes caramelized pineapple juice, white sesame paste and agave syrup. There's also the goji baijiu punch, consisting of goji-infused HKB baijiu, mezcal, pink grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave syrup and orange bitters.

    Lumos carries a full range of baijiu, including the No. 1 brand, Kweichow Moutai, recognizable by its distinctive packaging of a white bottle with a red and gold label. Other major players include Wu Liang Ye and Shui Jing Fang. A newer brand is HKB, designed with ****tails in mind and bottled at a relatively mild 86 proof. There also is a U.S.-produced baijiu, from Vinn, a distillery just south of Portland, Oregon.

    Most of the $23 billion baijiu market stays in China, though there's been growing interest in exporting. Most of the baijiu imported to the United States goes to Chinese restaurants and shops. But about two years ago, CNS Imports decided to expand their reach. "We looked at each other and said, 'Why aren't we introducing this category of spirits to people outside the Chinese community?'" said Liu.

    They've moved slowly, introducing the spirit to bartenders and learning, from experience, to work with rather than mask the unique flavors. "Instead of trying to mask the spirit and make it into something it isn't, like vodka, they're essentially creating and building a ****tail around the spirit," says Liu.

    Clearly, there's a push to raise the profile of baijiu in the West. Whether it will be successful is another story. Baijiu has an exotic appeal which is both a weakness and a strength, says Jim Boyce, who blogs about Beijing nightlife at beijingboyce.com. "Baiju is such a novelty and that's going to be its challenge, going from 'Yes, I tried it once and it's interesting,' to something people buy regularly or even stock at home."

    Chinese traditionalists wouldn't dream of drinking baijiu anything but neat and in very small glasses, which is how Kathy Fang serves it at her family's FANG restaurant in San Francisco's bustling SOMA district. Meant to go with food, baijiu pairs well with savory bites, such as Fang's fried pork confit eggrolls, and it's been a surprising hit with tech workers who tend to be open to new tastes, says Fang.

    "If you tell them it's really strong like moonshine they're even more like, 'Oh, I want to try,'" says Fang.
    Gene Ching
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  9. #54
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    Oh man. Who chugs baijiu?

    Answer: a junkie.

    Man chugs 0.5kg of baijiu in front of train station security, becomes too drunk to ride, confesses to carrying drugs



    In an alarming case of killing two birds with one stone, a man was stopped at a security checkpoint inside Hefei South Railway Station last week for carrying a 0.5kg bottle of baijiu. Upon being told he wasn't allowed to take the bottle on board, he shrugged, and chugged it down. Waste not, want not as they say.
    From there, Xinhua reports, the tale took a quick turn for the worse as instead of being granted passage through security, he was then detained thanks to his newfound drunken state. Another unfortunate side effect of the booze was that he suddenly found himself compelled to inform the police that -- oh, by the way -- he was also carrying around some drugs.
    A quick search discovered 3 grams of heroin in his underwear.
    This isn't the first time people have been denied travel due to excessive amounts of alcohol, like the lady who decided to chug down an entire bottle of cognac and the two men who chose to slam an expensive aphrodisiac wine rather than let it go to waste.
    Drink responsibly guys. And don't carry drugs either. Railway officials have eyes like hawks.
    By Kitty Lai
    Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
    By Shanghaiist in News on Feb 4, 2016 10:00 PM
    Gene Ching
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  10. #55
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    What? More corruption?

    It's been a few years since I've had a shot of moutai. I'm feeling a strange craving for it now.

    China Probes Former Moutai Liquor Exec For Graft: Watchdog
    BY REUTERS ON 03/25/16 AT 12:34 AM


    Moutai Liquors is seen on a shelf at a supermaket in Xuchang, Henan province on Jan. 19, 2014.
    PHOTO: REUTERS/CHINA DAILY

    A former senior executive at Chinese liquor giant Kweichow Moutai Co Ltd is being investigated for suspected corruption, the ruling Communist Party's disciplinary watchdog said on Friday.

    The Central Commission of Discipline Inspection (CCDI) is investigating Tan Dinghua, former deputy general manager at state-backed Moutai, for "serious violations of discipline", a euphemism for corruption, it said in a statement on its website.

    Moutai is China's top seller of premium "baijiu", a fiery liquor traditionally associated with banquets and gifting that was once commonly used to smooth business and political ties.

    Beijing, however, has been cracking down on lavish official spending and graft, with President Xi Jinping leading a sweeping campaign to root out corruption. He has warned that the problem is so bad it could affect the party's grip on power.

    The campaign has targeted a broad swath of high-ranking officials, from members of the military to former judges and various ministry chiefs, as well as numerous senior officials at state-owned firms.

    Tan retired from his post at the liquor maker in early 2015, the CCDI statement said. It did not give any further details about the scope of the investigation.

    It was not possible to reach Tan or his representatives for comment and it was not known if he had legal representation.
    Gene Ching
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    2nd World Baijiu Day is Aug 8 2016

    Woah, how did we miss the 1st World Baijiu Day? Maybe we were there and just blacked it out? Cuz baijiu will do that for sure.

    SECOND WORLD BAIJIU DAY ANNOUNCED
    14th March, 2016 by Lucy Jenkins

    Six cities have already confirmed their participation in this year’s World Baijiu Day which aims to showcase the fiery white spirit outside of China.



    Planning for the second annual World Baijiu Day is already underway, with venues in Australia, China, England, France and the United States joining in the fray with the main event officially happening on Monday, 8 August, but also including parties on 6 August and 7 August.

    The goal is to raise the profile of baijiu, a pungent and powerful alcohol that ranks among the most consumed spirits in the world but is little-known outside of China.

    “Baijiu represents about a third of global spirit sales but has a relatively low profile,” said Jim Boyce, the event’s founder and coordinator who also runs the popular Beijing-based wine blog, Grape Wall of China. “The goal is to give more people a chance to try it.”

    World Baijiu Day will again go ‘beyond ganbei’, a reference to the typical practice of repeatedly draining shots of baijiu to the toast of “ganbei” (“dry glass”) – a practice that Boyce believes, “turns off many newcomers.”

    Last year’s event saw venues create new ****tails and infusions and presenting tasting flights of baijiu styles and even using ‘qu’ – the fermentation agent for baijiu – to make craft beer. Numerous restaurants also used baijiu for making foods, including pizza, ice cream and gummy bears.

    “Few people enjoy room-temperature shots of any spirit, whether it’s vodka or gin or baijiu, especially when alcohol levels reach nearly 60%” said Boyce. “We aim to make baijiu more accessible by using it for ****tails, infusions and foods.”

    Baijiu has received increasing coverage during the past few years as more venues, particularly in the United States, become more experimental. Baijiu bars have opened in New York and Beijing, an English-language guide has been published, and the third annual Baijiu ****tail Week was just held in London.

    There are also several baijiu makers outside China, including Vinn in the United States and Taizi in New Zealand and the drinks business Hong Kong even hosted its first baijiu masterclasses which were held last year in Hong Kong and Macau.

    In 2015, World Baijiu Day involved 30 venues in 20 cities. Confirmed participants for this year include Demon, Wise & Partners (London), Golden Monkey (Melbourne), Gung-Ho Pizza (Beijing), Moutai Showroom (Paris), Moutai Showroom (Sydney), Peking Tavern (Los Angeles), Pop-Up Beijing (Beijing), Shen (Shanghai) and Vinn Distillery (Portland).

    For latest updates, visit the World Baijiu Day website.
    Gene Ching
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  12. #57
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    Clearly I went to the wrong college

    I don't even like baijiu that much but I think I could still ace this exam.

    College students forced to drink baijiu in exam preparing them for horrors of the real world



    Drinking is one of the important parts of Chinese business culture and to succeed in life, you gotta learn that young.
    At least that is the logic of some professors at Anshun Vocational Technical College in Guizhou, who recently gave students majoring in traditional Chinese medicine a special kind of examination.
    "You're all going to do sales jobs after graduation, drinking baijiu is the thing you must learn!" a teacher surnamed Gu told students, NetEase reports.
    On the exam table, there were no test papers or pencils, only some strong Chinese alcohol and dozens of plastic cups.The students were graded based on the amount of alcohol they managed to gulp down: 100 for a whole cup, 90 for a half cup and 60 for just a sip. Students who refused to take a drink were failed.



    In case you are fortunately unaware of this hellish mixture, baijiu is a type of strong distilled Chinese liquor made from grain, generally with an alcohol content from 40% to 60%. Along with greasing the wheels of business deals across China, it is also the beverage of choice for Brazilian drivers, irresponsible officials and emotional kidnappers.



    It appears as though some of the teachers also wanted to put their skills to test as well.

    By Liting Lin
    [Images via NetEase]
    Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
    By Shanghaiist in News on Apr 14, 2016 8:30 PM
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  13. #58
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    Slightly OT

    The baijiu would kill any taste. They are called MEALworms, after all.

    Think your boss is harsh? Chinese employees are forced to eat LIVE WORMS after failing to reach their sales targets

    Boss forced his staff to drink rice wine containing live worms
    The employees had not met their sales targets the day before
    For every client they missed, they had to eat four mealworms
    Workers set to be punished in public included a pregnant woman

    By Julian Luk For Mailonline

    Published: 12:06 EST, 14 November 2016 | Updated: 15:43 EST, 14 November 2016



    Employees from a Chinese sales company - including a pregnant woman - were forced to eat live worms after they failed to reach their sales targets, according to Chinese media.

    Pictures have emerged showing these sales workers having to drink Chinese rice wine which contained squirming mealworms in front of their colleagues.

    The incident took place in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, on November 8, according to Huashang Daily.

    Employees from a Chinese sales company were forced to eat live worms soaked in hard liquor after they failed to reach their sales target

    In one of the plastic bags held by a supervisor, there were a large number of live mealworms

    Employees from a Chinese sales company were forced to eat live worms soaked in hard liquor after they failed to reach their sales target

    According to the report, 50 to 60 employees, all wearing yellow uniforms, gathered at a public square in Hanzhong to witness the punishment.

    Many of them were holding leaflets promoting building materials and construction services.

    The employees worked for a sales group named 'Ai Jia', or 'home loving' in Chinese.

    The sales group was jointly formed by 10 construction companies, a participant told a reporter of Huashang Daily.

    A man, thought to be a supervisor, carried two plastic bags in his hands.

    He announced the names of the employees who had failed to bring in enough clients for the companies the day before.

    In one of the plastic bags held by the man, there were a large number of live mealworms.

    In the other, there were chopsticks, glasses and two bottles of Baijiu, a hard liquor which is around 40 to 60 percent alcohol.

    The man poured the Baijiu into glasses. He then used chopsticks to put mealworms into the glasses of wine.

    Employees who had missed their sales targets were ordered to drink the mixture in front of their work colleagues.

    One employee told the reporter from Huashang Daily: 'Today we are punished to eat mealworms.

    'For every client we missed, he has to eat four worms.'

    Every morning, employees at the group set a business target for the day. If they fail to hit the target, they will receive punishment on the following day.

    A pregnant female employee, who had also missed the sales target, refused to drink the mixture of hard liquor and live worms.

    She said: 'I can't eat worms now, I can't drink either, unless I don't want my baby.'

    Eventually one of her male colleagues received the punishment on behalf of her.


    A pregnant employee was also told to eat the worms and drink the wine, but she refused

    Five to six employees ended up eating the worms and the public punishment attracted the attention from onlookers.

    Apparently, this was not the first time staff from the company had been given cruel punishments.

    'Other than worms, we have also eaten live squid and ants before,' one employee revealed.

    A man, surnamed Cao, claimed that the employees were 'willing to receive punishment'.

    Mr Cao is the owner of a bathroom equipment company, which jointly formed the sales group.

    Another company owner however said the punishment was a 'special form of encouragement'.


    Employees were ordered to drink the wine containing worms in front of their work colleagues

    According to the article 88 of China's employment contract law, employers are not allowed to humiliate and give corporal punishment to workers, Chinese government said on its website.

    The employer shall be liable for compensation if any harm is done to the worker, said the article.

    The labour inspection bureau of Hanzhong city told reporters of Huashang Daily that forcing employees to eat live mealworms was regarded as a kind of physical punishment.

    The workers should report the case to labour department, said one official from the labour inspection bureau.

    The unusual punishment has sparked criticisms from users of Weibo, a popular social media platform.

    One user said: 'Does eating worms help improve business?'

    Another one joked: 'If I worked there, I would pour all the worms onto the head of the boss.'

    A third one wrote: 'The leaders should be responsible for poor sales, why didn't they understand?'


    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  14. #59
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    It's just a little extra protein

  15. #60
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    History in a Bottle: The Story of Moutai

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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