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liuzhou

liuzhou

Mijiu (米酒) is a generic term. It literally means 'rice wine'. Some is clear, some is not. Mijiu is produced both as a drinking wine or specifically for cooking.

 

Huangjiu (黄酒) literally means 'yellow wine'. It includes, but is not confined to mijiu. Despite the name, in color it can be anywhere from clear to brownish-red. Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒 or 绍兴米酒) is at the brownish-red end of the spectrum. The coloring comes largely from the yeasts used in the fermentation. ( Note: Shaoxing wine is often labelled in traditional Chinese characters - 紹興酒 or 紹興米酒.)

 

Baijiu (白酒 - White 'wine') is distilled and so is a spirit rather than a true wine. It is occasionally used in cooking too, but much more often drunk.

 

Wines intended only for cooking are usually referred to, and often labelled as, liao jiu (料酒), which literally means 'ingredient wine'.

 

When I say the differences are slight, I mean at the lower end of the price scale. A Shaoxing wine sold as a cooking wine isn't that different from any other liaojiu. A pricy 'drinking' version would be.

 

It is not surprising that Shaoxing wine is less common here. People tend to use local (and cheaper) varieties. What other Chinese ingredients do you have better access to? I'd bet for any one that you can get, I can put up 100 that you can't! :laugh:

liuzhou

liuzhou

Mijiu (米酒) is a generic term. It literally means 'rice wine'. Some is clear, some is not. Mijiu is produced both as a drinking wine or specifically for cooking.

Huangjiu (黄酒) literally means 'yellow wine'. It includes, but is not confined to mijiu. Despite the name, in color it can be anywhere from clear to brownish-red. Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒 or 绍兴米酒) is at the brownish-red end of the spectrum. The coloring comes largely from the yeasts used in the fermentation. ( Note: Shaoxing wine is often labelled in traditional Chinese characters - 紹興酒 or 紹興米酒.)

Baijiu (白酒 - White 'wine') is distilled and so is a spirit rather than a true wine. It is occasionally used in cooking too, but much more often drunk.

Wines intended only for cooking are usually referred to, and often labelled as, liao jiu (料酒), which literally means 'ingredient wine'.

When I say the differences are slight, I mean at the lower end of the price scale. A Shaoxing wine sold as a cooking wine isn't that different from any other liaojiu. A pricy 'drinking' version would be.

It is not surprising that Shaoxing wine is less common here. People tend to use local (and cheaper) varieties. What other Chinese ingredients do you have better access to? I'd bet for any one that you can get, I can put up 100 that you can't! :laugh:

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