Sanjing Shilixiang Liquor

Sanjing Shilixiang Liquor

Sanjing Shilixiang Liquor is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Shilixiang Liquor is a specialty of Botou City, Cangzhou, Hebei Province. The production process of Sanjing Shilixiang Liquor is unique, utilizing medium-to-high temperature Daqu in combination with mud pit fermentation. The liquor brewed through this method is full-bodied yet not harsh when strong, soft yet not thin when mild, with a long, clean finish and well-balanced flavors. It then undergoes prolonged constant-temperature storage in century-old wooden liquor vats and specially made Yixing clay jars. Before drinking, it boasts an elegant and pleasant aroma; while drinking, it feels smooth and mellow; after drinking, the lingering fragrance remains, making it a model of soft-aroma Baijiu.

　　Hebei Sanjing Wine Industry Co., Ltd., established in 1946, was originally the state-owned Botou City Winery. In 2000, it completed its shareholding reform and was renamed Hebei Sanjing Brewing Co., Ltd.; in December 2009, it increased its capital and shares to establish Hebei Sanjing Wine Industry Co., Ltd., and was listed on the Tianjin Equity Exchange in January 2010, officially entering the capital market. The company covers an area of 300,000 square meters, with a building area of 150,000 square meters, total assets of 300 million yuan, over 900 employees, an annual Baijiu production capacity of 20,000 tons, sales revenue of nearly 600 million yuan, and taxes and profits of 50 million yuan.

　　The company is located in the industrial zone of Botou City, Hebei Province, adjacent to the Bohai Bay, 240 kilometers from Beijing, 150 kilometers from Tianjin, and 80 kilometers from Huanghua Port. Within its territory, the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, the Beijing-Shanghai and Shijiazhuang-Huanghua expressways, as well as National Highways 104 and 106 all run through, offering a superior location and convenient transportation.

　　Sanjing upholds ancient brewing traditions, currently maintaining over 2,000 aged pits with continuous use and fermentation of over 30 years, a 5,000-square-meter underground constant-temperature wine cellar, and stores over 10,000 tons of high-quality base liquor aged for more than five years. The company’s main products include nearly 100 varieties across two major series: “Sanjing Brand,” “Shilixiang,” and “Xiaodao.” The products are sold in over ten provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, and Anhui. In December 2007, the “Sanjing” trademark was recognized as a “China Well-Known Trademark”; in 2011, “Sanjing Shilixiang” was designated a “China Time-Honored Brand” by the Ministry of Commerce; it was also rated as a “Chinese Innovation Model Baijiu Product” by the China Alcoholic Drinks Association; “Sanjing Xiaodao” is a “Famous Trademark of Hebei Province”; in 2012, the “Shilixiang” trademark was recognized as a China Well-Known Trademark; the brewing technique of Sanjing Shilixiang Liquor was rated as a “Provincial-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage” by the Hebei Provincial Government. “Sanjing Shilixiang” has become a mainstream brand of Baijiu in Hebei Province and a representative of Cangzhou Baijiu.

　　The current administrative region under the jurisdiction of Botou City, Hebei Province

　　“Letter from the People’s Government of Botou City on Defining the Protection Scope of the Geographical Indication Product ‘Shilixiang’ Liquor,” Botou Government Letter [2012] No. 5

　　Hebei Sanjing Wine Industry Co., Ltd. Enterprise Standard: Q/SLX0001s-2009 “Production Technical Specifications for Shilixiang Liquor”

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Shilixiang Liquor

　　I. Raw and Auxiliary Materials

　　1. Glutinous Red Sorghum: Produced within the defined area, with crude protein content ≥13.0%, total starch ≥65.0%, tannin content 1.48% to 2.0%, and meeting relevant national standards.

　　2. Rice: Starch content ≥70%, and meeting relevant national standards.

　　3. Glutinous Rice: Starch content ≥70%, and meeting relevant national standards.

　　4. Wheat: Starch content ≥60%, and meeting relevant national standards.

　　5. Corn: Starch content ≥60%, and meeting relevant national standards.

　　6. Water: Taken from pristine mountain water sources more than 300 meters deep within the defined area, naturally pure and unpolluted, meeting national drinking water standards.

　　II. Production Process and Characteristics

　　1. Production Process Flow:

　　Wheat crushing → room cultivation → removal from room → koji extraction → storage → material collection → grain moistening

　　→ steaming liquor and grain → adding slurry water → cooling → adding koji → pit fermentation → fermentation removal → ingredient mixing → distillation → semi-finished liquor → grading identification → classified storage → blending → bottling → packaging.

　　2. Process Requirements:

　　(1) Koji Making:

　　Wheat is crushed and mixed with water, with moisture controlled at 34% to 36%, formed into koji embryos and cultivated for 48 hours, with koji room temperature maintained at 40°C to 45°C. Mould uncovering and airing last 24 hours. Then, the first koji turnover: from 2 layers to 3 layers. After 5 to 6 days, when the three-layer koji temperature is below 60°C, the second turnover takes place: from 3 layers to 5 layers, entering the high-temperature cultivation period, with temperature controlled between 58°C to 62°C for 8 to 12 days. The third turnover: around day 18, when the temperature begins to drop, from 5 layers to 6 layers. The fourth turnover: when the temperature drops below 40°C, from 6 layers to 8 layers. Mature koji is removed from the room after about 30 to 35 days total, when the temperature approaches room temperature and the koji core is dry. The Daqu must be stored for over 6 months before being used in liquor production.

　　(2) Liquor Making:

　　① Material Input Stage: Sorghum, wheat, rice, and glutinous rice are crushed to 4 to 6 pieces; corn is separately ground to 8 to 12 pieces, with no whole grains allowed, sieved through 20 mesh with fine powder ≤25%. Then, ingredients are mixed in the ratio of 36% sorghum, 22% rice, 18% glutinous rice, 16% wheat, and 8% corn, and co-steamed with mother mash. After steaming, the mash is cooled, koji is added, and the pit moisture is controlled at 54% to 58%, with temperature at 18 to 22°C in winter and matching ground temperature in summer, followed by 75 days of pit fermentation before unsealing and mash extraction.

　　② Distillation Stage: Low-temperature distillation is used, with layered, graded, and quality-based liquor extraction. The resulting base liquor is divided into premium, first-grade, and second-grade.

　　(3) Storage:

　　The base liquor is categorized into five types of high-quality Wuliangye-flavor liquor—premium grade, first grade, second grade, fansha seasoning liquor, yapai seasoning liquor, and shuanglun seasoning liquor—stored in underground cellars with constant temperature and humidity. It is aged in clay jars for at least three years.

　　III. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics.

　　Item

　　40% vol and above

　　Color and Clarity

　　Colorless and transparent, with no suspended matter or sediment

　　Aroma

　　Rich cellar aroma, well-blended complex fragrance, and prominent aged aroma

　　Taste

　　Smooth, sweet, and mellow, with a rich and harmonious body, slight lingering sweetness, and a long aftertaste

　　Style

　　Soft, mellow-sweet, rich cellar aroma, full-bodied, and well-balanced

Shilixiang Liquor