Hengshui Laobai Gan

Hengshui Laobai Gan

　　　　Hengshui Laobai Gan liquor boasts a long history and is one of China's time-honored famous spirits. It originated in the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, gained fame in the Song Dynasty, and was designated as an official banquet wine during the Ming Dynasty. Renowned worldwide for its crystal-clear color, elegant and mellow aroma, rich yet smooth taste, and lingering aftertaste, the product has won numerous awards. It is sold in 25 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, and exported to South Korea, Russia, the United States, Southeast Asia, and other countries.

　　(Hengshui)

　　Hengshui Laobai Gan has enjoyed great fame since ancient times. During the Ming Dynasty, Hengshui liquor was praised with the saying, “One jar’s fragrance intoxicates three households, and its aroma drifts ten li when the cask is opened.” Legend has it that during the Ming Jiajing era, while constructing the wooden bridge in Hengshui, a well-known local tavern called “De Yuan Yong” was frequently visited by the bridge-building artisans. After drinking, they exclaimed, “So pure, so strong!” Hence the name “Laobai Gan.” Here, “lao” refers to its long history, “bai” means the clarity of the liquor, and “gan” indicates its high alcohol content, reaching 67 degrees. Its flavor is described as “fragrant to the nose, sweet on the palate, and lingering after drinking.” In the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), it participated in the Panama Exposition, was exhibited in Hungary in the 37th year of the Republic of China (1948), and in 1952, it was sent to the Korean battlefield as one of the nation’s famous specialties and a token of comfort.

　　Hebei Hengshui Laobai Gan Distillery (Group) Co., Ltd. was established in November 1996. Its predecessor, the Hengshui Laobai Gan Distillery, was founded in 1946. After the liberation of Hengshui, the Party and government nationalized the then 18 individual distilleries and formed the “Jinan Administrative Region State-Owned Liquor Factory.” After sixty years of development, the company has continuously expanded its scale and is now a large national first-tier enterprise and the largest producer of Laobai Gan-flavor liquor in China’s liquor industry. Over the decades, we have combined modern management with traditional techniques, steadily improving product quality and diversifying our offerings. The Hengshui Laobai Gan series now includes over a hundred varieties ranging from 67° to 36°, as well as the Hengshui-branded Songhe Health Liquor (approved by the National Health Commission under Sanitation Food Health No. (2002)). The brewery also developed the Jiuzhou Beer series, including Jiuzhou Golden Wheat, Snowflake, Refreshing Brew, Bitter Melon, and New Generation.

　　Hengshui Laobai Gan liquor was awarded the “Gold Medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.” In 2004, our group achieved double honors: Hengshui Laobai Gan was recognized by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce as a “China Famous Trademark,” becoming a nationally renowned brand. Meanwhile, the Laobai Gan flavor was officially endorsed by the National Standards Committee, establishing Hengshui Laobai Gan as a unique school within China’s liquor industry. In 2005, the group was approved by the National Tourism Administration as a National Industrial Tourism Demonstration Site. In 2006, Hengshui Laobai Gan was designated by the Ministry of Commerce as one of the first “China Time-Honored Brands.” In 2007, it passed the certification for the “Pure Grain Solid-State Fermentation Liquor” label. In 2008, the brewing technique of Hengshui Laobai Gan was recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a “National Intangible Cultural Heritage.” In October of the same year, our group’s “Shiba Jiu Fang Liquor” was also named a “China Famous Trademark.” Since then, the company has owned two renowned brands: Hengshui Laobai Gan and Shiba Jiu Fang. During the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, “Hengshui Laobai Gan” liquor was further honored with the “Millennium Gold Award” by relevant United Nations agencies and international organizations.