Bottled Innovation: How High-Tech Is China's Baijiu?

What does a cup of wine represent to the Chinese?

Perhaps it embodies the free-spiritedness of "When life is joyful, drink to your heart's content, don't let the golden cup sit empty under the moon," or the romance of "Life is but a dream, pour a libation to the river moon," or even the open-mindedness of "A pot of unrefined wine brings joy to reunion."

To this day, many people still maintain the habit of drinking baijiu during meals.

Photo/VCG

Wine has stirred the melancholy and passion of literati throughout history. From the naturally fermented fruit wine of ancient times, to the long-popular fermented rice wine known as "laozao," and further to the distilled baijiu born from advancements in fermentation and distillation techniques, the categories and production methods of wine have undergone dramatic changes with the progress of productivity.

Today, the shelves of every chain supermarket are stocked with a dazzling array of alcoholic beverages, allowing us to conveniently enjoy a cup of mellow wine. Setting aside the poetic language, what we often hear is, "No need to say more—it's all in the wine." So, what exactly is in a cup of wine? How has it evolved from ancient times to the present?

A modern baijiu bottling production line.

Photo/VCG

How have the Chinese come to drink wine throughout history?

How did the ancients first invent wine? The answer is not complicated: leftover grains spoiled and fermented, producing alcohol under the action of microorganisms. Yet behind this simple process lie three indispensable "core technologies." It can be said that the development of winemaking has been deeply rooted in science and technology from its very inception.

Photo/Chen Qingquan

First, advancements in agricultural technology allowed people to have surplus grains for winemaking after satisfying their basic needs. Second, suitable containers were essential for winemaking. The invention of pottery-making marked humanity's transition from the primitive Paleolithic era to the dawn of Neolithic civilization, and the emergence of various ceramic jars provided ideal vessels for storing liquids.

As bronze ware became more widespread, people began using these golden-hued containers (which turn green when tarnished, as we commonly know) to hold fine wine, offering it as a centerpiece in rituals to their revered deities.

An artisan crafting pottery jars for storing wine.

Among these three "core technologies," the most crucial is the study of the fermentation process. Winemaking relies on the participation of various microorganisms like bacteria and fungi: molds act as the main force in saccharification, converting starch into glucose; yeast further ferments glucose into ethanol; and bacteria secrete enzymes that promote the production of aromatic esters. How to effectively harness these "invisible master brewers" has been the core technology pursued by winemakers throughout history.

Sorghum is one of the key grain ingredients for winemaking.

Whenever discussing the development of winemaking technology in China, one indispensable highlight is Luzhou in Sichuan, renowned as the "City of Chinese Liquor."

How was the "City of Chinese Liquor" forged?

Located on the southern edge of the Sichuan Basin, Luzhou enjoys the uniquely favorable mild climate of the "Land of Abundance," making it a paradise for the microorganisms essential to winemaking. The convergence of the Yangtze and Tuo Rivers in Luzhou has earned it the ancient nickname "Jiangyang." These mighty rivers, along with the lively underground springs, weave a three-dimensional "Water Luzhou" with exceptionally high-quality water.

Moreover, Luzhou's fertile "Turtle Dove Sand" purple soil nurtures a unique variety of glutinous red sorghum. The people of Luzhou keenly recognized this sorghum as the best raw material for brewing strong-aroma baijiu, forming the core craftsmanship of Luzhou Laojiao's "single-grain brewing" technique.

The locally unique glutinous red sorghum of Luzhou.

The unchanging soil and climate have earned Luzhou the reputation of "China's Liquor City." On this constant natural foundation, the people of Luzhou are remarkably innovative. In 1324, Luzhou brewer Guo Huaiyu created a new type of "sweet and mellow fermentation starter," replacing the previously common "malt" or "small starter," pioneering the production of Daqu liquor in China.

Thus, Guo Huaiyu is revered as the father of Chinese fermentation starter-making. The traditional brewing techniques of Luzhou Laojiao, inherited from Guo Huaiyu and now with a 699-year history, were included in the first batch of China's National Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List in 2006.

To make fine liquor, aging the fermentation pits is key.

As the saying goes, "A thousand-year-old pit, ten-thousand-year-old fermented grains." In shaping the sweet and mellow flavor of Luzhou Laojiao, the role of "old pits" is indispensable.

The uniqueness of the pits begins with material selection. The pit mud for building Luzhou Laojiao's fermentation pits is sourced from the yellow clay of Wuxi Du Island by the Yangtze River in Luzhou. The southern part of the island is shielded by solid rock from upstream river impacts, while the northern mountain springs wash away silt and sand. This natural filtration makes the island's yellow clay exceptionally precious. Under such stringent natural conditions, the current area of yellow clay on the island is only about 1,000 square meters—equivalent to just three football fields—highlighting its rarity.

The historic old fermentation pits of Luzhou Laojiao.

This special yellow clay boasts advantages like excellent sealing, absence of impurities, and soft texture, making it the "chosen pit mud" for Luzhou Laojiao. It provides a micro-environment for microbial growth. To nurture these old pits and carefully tend to the tiny microbes within, Luzhou Laojiao employs the core technique of "continuous grain replenishment," achieving a generational cycle of new grains and old fermented grains.

Modern technology offers a new perspective to "decode" the secrets of this pit mud. Under microscopes, researchers have identified over 1,700 microbial communities in Luzhou Laojiao's pit mud, each playing its role in establishing the distillery's unique strong aroma profile.

Over time, the number of microbial communities in old pits that produce unique aromatic compounds continues to increase, naturally enhancing the liquor's fragrance and quality. According to authoritative research published in *China Fermentation*, the density of certain aroma-producing microbes in 15-year-old pits is already over 20 times higher than in 4-year-old new pit mud—let alone pits with centuries of history.

With a 699-year brewing heritage, Luzhou Laojiao still preserves a group of old fermentation pits that have been in continuous use since the first year of the Wanli era (1573), boasting a 450-year history. Designated as a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit in 1996, these pits remain vibrant today. It is no exaggeration to say that these old pits are living "national treasures" we can savor.

Tradition and modernity coexist: How does Luzhou Laojiao stay "ever-renewing"?

With technological advancements, the traditional liquor industry has upgraded, showcasing a new outlook. Since the publication of China's first professional liquor-brewing textbook, *Luzhou Laojiao Daqu Liquor*, by Light Industry Press in 1959, Luzhou Laojiao has consistently explored the integration of modern technology with traditional brewing techniques.

Brewing is often described as "requiring Herculean strength to enter the distillery." Historically, it has been a physically demanding job. Traditional steps like starter-making, grain mixing, and fermenting required intense labor in hot, humid conditions. But modern technology is gradually changing this "stereotype." With smart machinery, not only is labor saved, but operations also become more precise and consistent.

Especially in fine control scenarios, sensor technology now allows machines to analyze most steps in the brewing process, simulating the best practices of master brewers and learning from their expertise.

Determining the optimal moment to "pluck" premium liquor by observing subtle changes in the liquor's foam.

The flavor profile of Luzhou Laojiao relies on microbial assistance. As the saying goes, "The starter is the backbone of liquor," providing the necessary microbial communities for fermentation.

In the past, Luzhou Laojiao's "Jiuxiang" brand Daqu starter was renowned, praised by liquor authority Zhou Henggang as the "world's best starter." In the 1990s, riding the wave of technological progress, Luzhou Laojiao established the Luzhou Laojiao Starter Ecological Park as a specialized production base. Through an automated control and online monitoring system, the entire process—from wheat intake to finished starter crushing—became highly intelligent.

These smart technologies not only boost production capacity but also minimize human error, steadily improving liquor quality. The extraction rate of key aroma compounds increased by 20%, and the proportion of premium liquor rose by 10%. Even discarded distiller's grains are repurposed as fuel or fertilizer, reintegrated into production for a green industrial cycle.

Of course, these transformations owe much to those connected to liquor. Luzhou Laojiao has long recognized the role of technical talent in driving progress, cultivating "liquor" professionals while collaborating with over 20 top-tier research institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries, for industry-academia synergy.

While leveraging technology to enhance production, Luzhou Laojiao has never forgotten the inheritance of tradition. To protect, pass down, and develop China's traditional brewing techniques, Luzhou Laojiao has summarized the "516" brewing process for strong-aroma baijiu: one annual production cycle, four rounds of grain feeding, four rounds of steaming, four rounds of koji addition, four seasons of fermentation, and four rounds of liquor extraction. The unique "mud pit aroma generation and continuous grain blending" technique ensures the endless cycle of new materials and old grains. It strictly adheres to the "six-step extraction method" for strong-aroma baijiu. Brewing across the four seasons, this process repeats year after year.

Since 2011, the annual "Huaiyu Cup" brewing skills competition, named after Guo Huaiyu, has allowed young brewers to inherit the legacy of their predecessors, ensuring the traditional brewing techniques of Luzhou Laojiao are passed down and elevated through generations. Today, Luzhou Laojiao has delved even deeper into the path of exploration and innovation.

Since 1324 AD, when Guo Huaiyu invented "Ganchun Qu," Luzhou Laojiao has been at the forefront of innovation in China's baijiu brewing techniques. For instance, the application of blending technology since the 1950s can be regarded as cracking the "flavor code" of strong-aroma baijiu. By blending liquors with different aromas, it achieves a "1+1>2" effect.

The profound 699-year history is not merely about inheriting tradition but also represents a pioneering spirit of relentless innovation. Behind Luzhou Laojiao's traditional production methods lie countless "technological marvels" powered by modern intelligent technology, serving as the inexhaustible driving force behind its constant renewal. They all demonstrate one thing—Chinese baijiu can be incredibly high-tech!

Design | Jiuyang

Uncredited images provided by | Luzhou Laojiao

Cover image | Visual China