What's It Like to Work at Moutai Distillery?

Nestled at the foot of the towering Dalou Mountains with their jagged peaks and perilous cliffs, and beside the turbulent Chishui River with its surging red waves and treacherous rapids, lies a valley town. It is the birthplace of sauce-aroma baijiu, nurturing what can be called the crown jewel of Chinese liquor and brewing techniques listed among China's first batch of intangible cultural heritage. This town is—

A panoramic view of the Moutai Distillery by the Chishui River.

Sauce-aroma baijiu, starting with Moutai, transformed this town from an inconspicuous "Thatched Platform" into the "No. 1 Town in the West," boasting a GDP exceeding 100 billion yuan and surpassing many counties and cities—truly "wealthy enough to rival a city."

In this town of over 100,000 people, more than a thousand liquor companies are densely packed. Employees of these distilleries, large and small, number in the tens of thousands. If we include the upstream sorghum farmers and countless liquor sales businesses, it’s fair to say everyone in town is connected to liquor.

Photo by Chen Qingquan

The most dazzling brilliance in this liquor town undoubtedly belongs to the Moutai Distillery, attracting countless curious gazes. Many wonder:

What is it really like to work at the Moutai Distillery?

As we ventured deep into the distillery with exploratory eyes and approached those who live symbiotically with liquor, we discovered: they bear the marks of time from ancient craftsmanship and the vibrant energy of everyday life. They perform work that dances with microorganisms and live lives deeply intertwined with the land, water, and climate.

Today, on Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, let’s explore the origins of Chinese sauce-aroma baijiu, get closer to the famed Moutai liquor, and witness firsthand the brewing techniques of Moutai listed as national intangible cultural heritage.

Crafting fine liquor requires 30 major processes and 165 operational steps, with brewing, qu-making, and blending being the most critical. If you work in the brewing workshop, your daily routine must include—rising early.

Workers in the brewing workshop loading the fermentation steamer.

Every visitor to Moutai Town is struck by the pervasive aroma of liquor in the air. At dawn, this scent is at its strongest, as the Moutai Distillery roars to life before daybreak. Through the night, fermented grains have either been piled in the drying yard or rested in cellars, now stirred by workers to release their matured fragrance. The grain-steaming steamers are fired up, spreading their intense heat and aroma to every corner of the town.

The sun hasn’t risen yet, and the air is still cool, but inside the workshop—it’s scorching!

Amid billowing steam, the fermented grains release their passionate aroma.

Moutai Town’s temperatures are naturally high. Surrounded by the cloud-piercing Dalou Mountains, the town sits at just 400 meters above sea level, making the heat typical of low-latitude regions unmistakable. With heavy rainfall, abundant moisture, and humidity so thick you could wring water from the air, the "heat" is compounded by a stifling "mugginess."

Yet this very climate is essential for brewing. Brewing techniques are born from the agricultural practices of a place. The weather shapes the grains, and the environment cultivates the microorganisms. Moutai’s complex aroma is tied to this extreme heat and humidity, which foster rampant microbial growth, ultimately yielding a delicate balance. "Without Moutai Town, there is no Moutai liquor"—a testament to the deep bond between fine liquor and its terroir.

The purplish-red clay used to seal the fermentation pits comes from the banks of the Chishui River.

Brewing operations must be carried out in high temperatures.

The grain-steaming steamers spew scalding vapor almost year-round, playing their part in the brewing process: newly harvested red-tasseled glutinous sorghum is crushed, doused with boiling Chishui River water, then steamed in these vessels until 70% cooked. After cooling, it’s mixed with qu powder to begin fermentation. Every month or so, the grains return to the steamer for distillation, repeating this cycle seven times before their duty is done.

During the "grain-moistening" step, scalding river water is poured over the sorghum and stirred.

When the grains or fermented mash are removed from the steamer, their temperature should be around 100°C. Workers shuttle through the rising steam, quickly spreading the steaming grains with shovels and rakes. Once the temperature drops to about 30°C, suitable for microbial metabolism, they begin sprinkling koji powder, mixing it evenly, and then piling the grains into small mounds.

Spreading, cooling, and mixing the koji in such a sweltering environment is extremely labor-intensive.

No one will reheat these piled-up fermented grains—they will gradually warm up due to microbial activity, starting from the center, releasing an increasingly rich aroma of liquor. But to maintain a proper fermentation environment, turning on air conditioning in the workshop is absolutely out of the question!

A single threshold in the workshop marks the boundary between "hot" and "extremely hot." Standing in the steam-filled workshop, even staying completely still will drench you in sweat, let alone the workers who have to flip and transport tons of grains. Everyone's clothes are soaked, indistinguishable whether from sweat or steam, and their exposed arms and legs glisten with moisture.

When sealing the fermentation pit, workers vigorously shovel up the purplish-red pit mud.

The labor intensity of liquor-making workers is immense, yet they are not mere manual laborers. From monitoring the fermentation state of the piled mash to the complex process of loading it into pits, and the precise timing of distillation, countless details rely on their senses and rich experience to ensure the liquor's quality—masters are cultivated through such work.

In the liquor-making workshop, we met Master Peng Chao, Moutai's chief brewer and a inheritor of its intangible cultural heritage. He has worked in the workshop for 38 years and still labors on the front lines daily. Without special introduction, you’d simply see him as a kindly veteran. Following him, we watched as he and the workers occasionally reached deep into the fermented mash, grabbing a handful to feel its rising temperature and sniffing to check if the aroma was sweet enough. We observed many astonishing details—

Master Peng Chao inspecting the fermentation progress.

For instance, the fermented mash, after months of fermentation and multiple rounds of steaming, still contains many intact sorghum grains. The veteran would cheerfully explain that only the sticky, glutinous Hongyingzi sorghum could endure such repeated "torture"; without this locally grown, resilient sorghum, the multi-round distillation process would never have developed. Indeed, local produce and craftsmanship complement each other.

Aroma and texture help determine the fermentation stage.

Once the mash has fermented long enough, neither raw nor overly sour in smell, it’s time to load it into the pit. The pit walls for Jiangxiang liquor are made of stone slabs, while the pit base is lined with purplish-red mud from the Chishui River. The same mud is used to seal the pit—its vibrant color indicates rich minerals and slight acidity, providing the ideal environment for microbes. It seals the pit, creating an anaerobic yet slightly breathable space, allowing subtle interaction between the mash and the external environment.

After sealing, the pit must be patted regularly to ensure no cracks form on the mud surface.

Photo/Wu Xuewen

The loading process determines the mash’s "fate": the mash closest to the pit bottom ferments longer at lower temperatures, with less oxygen, more moisture, and higher pressure, producing liquor with fruity ethyl caproate notes and a sharp acidity—known as the "pit bottom" aroma. The mash near the pit surface absorbs heat and alcohol vapors from the entire pit, undergoing complex biochemical reactions under the mud’s influence, yielding the purest "Jiangxiang" flavor. The middle layer, in a simpler environment, develops the cleanest "mellow sweetness."

After removal from the pit, the mash is finally ready for distillation. As we know, Moutai’s classic strength is 53° (though base liquor from different rounds varies). During distillation, workers aim to meet this standard. As liquor gushes from the pipes, they judge its strength simply by observing the bubbles on the surface. After distillation, the steaming grains are unloaded again, and a new cycle begins.

The size of the bubbles allows precise judgment of alcohol content.

The liquor-making workshop operates until nightfall. The koji-making workshop only runs in the morning, but that doesn’t mean the work is any easier.

Koji is the "starter" for liquor. Wheat is used as a "culture medium" to cultivate specific microbes, which are then added to the mash to initiate fermentation. Moutai uses "high-temperature koji," fermented at higher temperatures than other liquors, so despite lacking pervasive steam, the koji workshop is equally stifling.

The height of Moutai’s koji must undergo strict inspection.

Photo/Jinshi Media

The koji-making workshop also starts work at the break of dawn. Compared to liquor production, koji-making is a more flexible and slightly less physically demanding task, so most workers are young women. However, the labor intensity is by no means low. Twenty tons of wheat have already been ground into flakes and mixed with koji starter from the previous fermentation batch. A team of thirty workers must complete the entire process in one morning. Ren Jinsu, Moutai's chief brewer and a national intangible cultural heritage inheritor, joked while working: "Girls like you, though petite, would have to step on over 200 koji blocks weighing six or seven hundred jin in just one morning if you worked here!"

Master Ren Jinsu always personally checks the fermentation status of the koji blocks.

This job isn't for everyone! Wheat flour is placed into grid-shaped molds, and within seconds, it must be pressed into a "tortoise-shell-shaped" koji block—tight on the sides and loose in the middle. The thickness and curvature of the block affect the temperature and breathability during fermentation, all of which must meet strict standards. The workers have clearly ingrained these movements into their instincts, performing the task with a strong sense of rhythm and power.

Once the koji blocks are formed, they are first spread out in the drying yard to air, then transferred to the koji warehouse, where they are wrapped in straw for "high-temperature fermentation." During this stage, the temperature of the blocks rises exceptionally high, reaching 50 to 60 degrees Celsius in the airtight warehouse. In such conditions, workers must lift the 20-30 jin blocks, rewrap them with straw, turn them, and rearrange them to ensure even fermentation. Every worker we saw was drenched in sweat from head to toe, changing clothes quickly during short breaks.

The koji blocks moved into the warehouse will undergo a special fermentation process lasting about 40 days.

His desk holds the entire distillery.

If you stay in Moutai Town long enough, you'll notice—the aroma emanating from the distillery varies with the seasons:

In late spring and early summer, the liquor scent is the most pleasant—a pure, slightly sweet soy-sauce-like fragrance that instantly awakens taste memories. In winter, the aroma is less pronounced, more like steaming sorghum rice, with a hint of being undercooked. Midsummer is less appealing, as the liquor fragrance carries a burnt note, almost making you wonder if something has scorched.

The complex layers add depth to the flavor.

Remember what was mentioned earlier? Moutai's production process involves seven rounds of liquor extraction. The same batch of sorghum, at different fermentation stages and under varying temperatures and humidity levels, naturally yields distinct flavors, resulting in noticeably different liquor profiles after distillation.

Recall also that liquor distilled from different positions in the same fermentation pit can vary greatly in flavor. Moutai Distillery has 29 production workshops and over 9,000 fermentation pits. No matter how standardized the process, microorganisms don't adhere to human measurements, leading to subtle flavor differences.

During blending, the proportions must be extremely precise.

Given such intricate flavor variations, why does Moutai always taste consistent no matter when we buy it?

This is the magic of "blending."

The blending master's workspace resembles a spotless laboratory. The desk holds a hundred or so small jars, each labeled with basic information: production date, workshop, pit number, extraction round, and typical liquor profile. In a way—the entire Moutai Distillery is condensed onto this small desk.

There are easily 100 to 200 types of base liquor on the desk.

Blending doesn't require enduring high temperatures or sweating profusely like liquor or koji production, but don't assume it's easy. Imagine tasting 100-200 base liquors—most people would struggle to distinguish beyond two or three. Yet, Wang Gang, Moutai's chief blending master, can identify the exact storage jar a sample came from with just a sniff and a sip, without even checking the label. Beyond that, he can even discern the production conditions of specific extraction rounds from the base liquor.

Extreme sensory acuity and the ability to memorize every nuance of flavor are essential qualities for a blending master. On this foundation, they must balance these 100-200 flavors, precisely blending them to recreate the iconic "Moutai" taste.

Master Wang Gang is blending liquor samples.

Yes, the key lies in "balance," not "selection"—it's not about picking the most "standard" or "delicious" few from the hundred or so base liquors and calling it done. No single base liquor is perfect; some even taste unpleasant on their own. But when blended appropriately, these unique flavors deepen the complexity, creating the secret behind Moutai's endlessly captivating taste.

It's conceivable that "blending" is indeed one of the most crucial steps in production.

In the old distilleries of the past, the status of master blenders was likely even more "supreme." They held the key to the quality of fine liquor and could discern extraordinarily rich, almost indescribable sensory nuances. In an era reliant on oral tradition, this skill was exceptionally rare, which is why the earliest master blenders at Moutai Distillery almost all came from "families with deep-rooted expertise."

Every bottle of Moutai that leaves the factory is a crystallization of craftsmanship.

Of course, it's not just blending—every step, from koji-making to fermentation, is filled with intricate details, each upheld by generations of brewers whose experience forms the backbone of flavor.

Brewing is an incredibly complex endeavor!

The research center cultivates various brewing microorganisms.

Microorganisms are invisible and intangible; even in labs, they often perish when isolated. Yet, brewers must cultivate thousands of suitable strains from tons of grain, allowing them to interact in complex environments to achieve the perfect balance and produce liquor with ideal aromas. It's hard to imagine how ancient artisans accomplished this feat without microscopes—likely through relentless trial and error, relying on their senses, and refining their craft over centuries before passing it down with meticulous precision.

Progress never stops. Today, blenders receive physicochemical reports alongside base liquor samples, while tools for rapid temperature, humidity, and composition testing are deployed in koji-making and fermentation. The flavor profile of Moutai is gradually being mapped out. While core techniques remain unchanged, our understanding of ancient wisdom deepens. Details once known only empirically are now revealing their true essence.

In the research center, analytical work advances methodically.

This spring, Moutai released recent findings: 1,946 brewing-related microorganisms decoded, 4,184G of biological data obtained, and 7,400 microbial strains preserved. In a sense, the entire Moutai Distillery lies on the lab benches.

The ancient town of Moutai, where time is steeped in the aroma of liquor.

Those working at Moutai Distillery live as much as they work in this small town, sharing a bond with the land that transcends profession.

The meandering Chishui River is a river of fine spirits.

Take this very river: along its banks, the Moutai Distillery stretches over ten kilometers—so vast that even from a 1,200-meter-high mountain opposite, its end remains unseen. Yet at its feet, the water runs crystal clear, with fish swimming and egrets wading just hundreds of meters from the factory.

Unlike the image of raging red currents many might expect, the Chishui is mostly clear and tranquil. Its upstream has no factories, dams, or hydropower stations, maintaining a pristine flow with exceptionally pure water that shelters rare wildlife.

On two century-old banyan trees in Shaping Village, Hema Town, Renhuai section of the Chishui River basin,

flocks of egrets have nested for decades.

But come flood season, the river reveals its untamed side, its currents churning with purplish-red soil from the banks, turning crimson amid thunderous waves. This unique soil dates back 200 million years to the Triassic period, uplifted by tectonic shifts and weathered into a long stretch of purple-red earth that filters potassium- and phosphorus-rich water for the Chishui daily. Perhaps you recall—it also becomes raw material for cellar mud, combining with the river to create the perfect fermentation environment.

Moutai’s exquisite liquor is born within its 15.03-square-kilometer core zone, yet shaped by vaster landscapes. The people of Moutai understand this symbiosis deeply, cherishing this small world as they would their own eyes.

The Moutai Distillery (partial view of fermentation workshops) built along the Chishui River.

The towering mountains shaped this small town, yet also confined it for a long time. Layer upon layer of rugged peaks kept "Maotai" as nothing more than a remote, obscure village—until the roaring Chishui River carved its path to prosperity.

During the Qing Dynasty, the dredged Chishui waterway shouldered two-thirds of Guizhou Province's salt transport, marking a turning point for the millennia-old riverside town of Maotai. The bustling salt trade brought wealth and goods, fueling the rise of its liquor industry. "Chengyi Distillery" emerged, bestowing the name "Maotai" upon the local brew for the first time. The Chishui River became renowned as the "River of Fine Spirits."

National Industrial Heritage Site of Maotai Liquor Brewing (Chengyi Distillery Ruins Square).

Maotai has infused the entire town with the aroma of fermented grains, then carried it far beyond. Countless people flock here to work, settle, and weave their lives into this compact world.

By day, they sweat in distilleries, honing their craft. When work ends? Some dive into shops along "Baijiu Street," comparing techniques over drinks; others savor a fiery pot of boiled mutton to melt away fatigue; while many linger at night markets, surrounded by children’s laughter and games.

By the Chishui River, the 1915 Square offers townsfolk leisurely moments.

Generation after generation, Maotai’s people gaze upon the same Chishui waters. They forged legends of old—and their story is far from over.

Image Editor | Chen Jinyu