Yanggu Jingyanggang Distillery

Yanggu Jingyanggang Distillery

Yanggu Jingyanggang Distillery is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Shandong Jingyanggang Distillery is located on Zishi Street in Yanggu County. It is one of China’s Top 100 Baijiu manufacturers and a key grain liquor producer in Shandong Province. Established in 1958, the distillery covers an area of approximately 250,000 square meters, with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tons of grain liquor. It produces five major series—strong aroma, sauce aroma, mixed aroma, light aroma, and sesame aroma—with nearly 100 varieties. In 2006 and 2008, it was consecutively rated as one of “Shandong’s Top Ten Famous Liquors.” The Jingyanggang trademark was recognized as a “China Well-Known Trademark” in March 2008. In November 2012, it was designated as a Provincial Industrial Tourism Demonstration Site by the Shandong Provincial Tourism Bureau.

Historical records indicate that around 736 AD (during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang), several brewing workshops emerged in villages around Jingyanggang. By 1060 AD (during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song), Emperor Shenzong bestowed a golden plaque inscribed with “Noble’s Fine Wine” and ordered the liquor to be sent to the capital as a “tribute wine.” In 1124 AD (the second year of the Zhenghe era during the Northern Song Dynasty), the time of Wu Song fighting the tiger and also the year the “Outlaws of the Marsh” vernacular story began, Jingyanggang liquor was known as “Fragrance Through the Bottle” or “Three Bowls and You Can’t Cross the Ridge.” In 1289 AD (the 26th year of the Zhiyuan era during the Yuan Dynasty), the Huitong River was opened in Zhangqiu (now a township under Yanggu County), making it a commercial hub in western Shandong. The number of breweries increased to dozens, and fine liquors were transported north and south via canal merchant ships. In 1958, the Yanggu County government consolidated small distilleries scattered around Jingyanggang and built the Yanggu County Distillery on Zishi Street in the county town, continuing traditional brewing techniques. In 1979, based on rediscovering traditional brewing methods and drawing inspiration from famous liquors such as Moutai, the distillery successfully developed the premium liquor “Jingyanggang Aged Brew.” This liquor won the “Shandong Provincial Quality Product” award in 1987, and the enterprise was honored as an “Outstanding Light Industry Export Enterprise” by the National Ministry of Light Industry. In 1984, the county distillery collaborated with Lai Shilun, a descendant of the Lai family Moutai brewers from Maotai Town, Guizhou, to produce “Laimao” liquor, which has long been hailed as a “Famous Liquor of Shandong.” In 1987, the county distillery was renamed “Shandong Jingyanggang Distillery.”