{"id":10107,"date":"2014-06-12T08:30:02","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T12:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=10107"},"modified":"2014-06-12T00:45:09","modified_gmt":"2014-06-12T04:45:09","slug":"a-guide-to-bai-jiu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/a-guide-to-bai-jiu\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Rocket Fuel AKA Baijiu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, I penned an intimate love letter to Chinese dumplings<\/a>. Boiled, steamed, or fried, these tasty little morsels are without a doubt my favorite thing about going out to eat in China. It’s not all smiles at a Chinese dinner table, though, so today we must tell the other side of the story.<\/p>\n

Binge Drinking at Dinner<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately for men, a big part of dining out in China is the heavy drinking that comes along with it (ladies are spared). And it’s not just beer<\/strong> (\u5564\u9152 – p\u00ed ji\u01d4) that we’re talking about. Hell, it’s not even red wine<\/strong> (\u7ea2\u8461\u8404\u9152 – h\u00f3ng p\u00fa t\u00e1o ji\u01d4) or whiskey<\/strong> (\u5a01\u58eb\u5fcc\u9152 – w\u0113i sh\u00ec j\u00ec ji\u01d4). If it were any of the above, this American with plenty of Russian and Irish blood flowing through him would have no problems tipping back a glass or ten at the dinner table with his Chinese dudes<\/strong> (\u54e5\u4eec\u513f – g\u0113 men er). In China, you do things the Chinese way, and that means drinking glass upon glass of baijiu<\/strong><\/em> (\u767d\u9152 – b<\/span>\u00e1i ji\u01d4).<\/p>\n

“White Wine”… LOL<\/h2>\n
\"China's<\/a>

China’s cheapest brand of baijiu – Er Guo Tou.<\/p><\/div>\n

Often translated incorrectly by Chinese people as “white wine,” this stuff is far from it – no grapes are harmed in the making of baijiu<\/em>. A far cry from its East Asian counterparts – Japanese sake<\/em> and Korean soju<\/em> – baijiu<\/em> is in fact a very strong spirit distilled from sorghum, usually in the 40-60% alcohol range. A wine it is not. A closer, more accurate comparison would be vodka, but I’d hate to insult that fine beverage from my Russian ancestors.<\/p>\n

Rocket Fuel<\/h2>\n

After years of living in China and countless experiences drinking the stuff, I feel that baijiu<\/em> is best described as rocket fuel. In fact, I’m not sure what the whole hoopla is with alternative energy these days – just dump a bottle of baijiu<\/em> into your car and it’ll probably go. This stuff packs a punch, both with the smell and the taste. Think Ron Burgundy in “Anchorman<\/em>” smelling the Sex Panther cologne – “It’s a formidable scent… It stings the nostrils<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bRWnJkOfk5A<\/a><\/p>\n

For folks used to throwing back shots at the bar, a little glass of baijiu<\/em> may not seem like much. Upon drinking it for the first time, however, many will likely compare it as a “mix between cheap perfume and cleaning agents.” Thanks for that one, CNN (click here<\/a> for the full article about the white stuff). It’s a deep burn all the way down, and it doesn’t stop there – the baijiu<\/em> aftertaste lingers with you for quite some time, and it’s not pleasant.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The many stages of baijiu drinking, as displayed by yours truly.<\/p><\/div>\n

Straight, No Chaser<\/h2>\n
\"Thumbs<\/a>

Thumbs up for baijiu… or not.<\/p><\/div>\n

The way to drink baijiu<\/em> is straight, no chaser, in a small glass. It is served at room temperature, and don’t expect any ice cubes or mixers to accompany it. Get ready for countless calls of “Bottoms up!<\/strong>” (\u5e72\u676f – g\u0101n b\u0113i), and a seemingly bottomless glass of the stuff. If you’re not around Chinese people, feel free to experiment with baijiu<\/em> drinking, but don’t expect any great results. We’ve tried chasing and mixing it with just about everything under the sun, but that strong, distinctive baijiu<\/em> taste always rises to the top.<\/p>\n