Dao Gang Wine

Dao Gang Wine

　　Produced by the Jiahe County Distillery, Dao Gang Wine is a traditional and distinctive local liquor in Hunan, classified as a sweet-type Huangjiu (yellow wine). Modern scientific analysis shows that Dao Gang Wine is rich in amino acids, with over 18 types identified, and their content is five times that of beer. It also contains abundant carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and other nutrients. Therefore, Dao Gang Wine has nourishing and health-enhancing effects. A local saying goes: “Jiahe’s Dao Gang Wine may make your feet tipsy, but not your head.” The wine is brownish-yellow in color, clear and transparent, with a rich mellow aroma, well-balanced flavors, and a pleasant sweet-sour taste. It has won multiple national awards and the distillery has been recognized as a “Trustworthy Product Quality Enterprise.” General Xiao Ke, after tasting the wine, inscribed: “The water is sweet from home, but the wine is best when it’s Dao Gang.”

　　“Jiahe’s Dao Gang Wine, a fragrant fine liquor.” This is an inscription by General Cao Lihuai, former Deputy Commander of the Air Force and member of the Central Advisory Commission, praising Jiahe’s “Dao Gang Wine.” Jiahe has a long history of folk winemaking. Ancient relics unearthed within the county, such as pottery wine jars and tripod feet from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and Han Dynasty pottery wine vessels, indicate that local winemaking traditions date back to the Eastern Zhou and Han periods. Among local wine varieties, Jiahe Shuijiu (literally “water liquor”) is a semi-dry type of Huangjiu. Its production process involves steaming high-quality glutinous rice, then fermenting it with medicinal yeast to create a sweet mash, which is then diluted with water in proportion and left to mature for several days, resulting in a clear, mellow-flavored Jiahe Shuijiu. Due to lower temperatures, the Shuijiu brewed around the Winter Solstice tends to be clearer, more mellow, and has a higher fermentation yield, so every year around the “Winter Solstice,” households brew glutinous rice wine and only open the jars to drink it during the “Spring Festival.” “Winter Solstice wine — you’ll scoop till your hands tire.” The people of Jiahe love drinking Jiahe Shuijiu, and many farming households brew their own not just for the New Year, but as a regular year-round drink.

　　Dao Gang Wine is made by improving upon the brewing techniques of Jiahe Shuijiu. Specifically, it involves pouring distilled liquor (Zhaoshao) or Shuijiu into unsweetened mash that hasn’t yet been diluted with water. After several days, the fragrance of the wine fills the jar, and when tasted, it delivers an excellent flavor. Because this traditional method involves pouring Zhaoshao or Shuijiu into the mash jar, it came to be called “Dao Gang Wine” (“pouring into the jar”). While this traditional Dao Gang Wine is deliciously sweet and mellow, it has a relatively low alcohol content, does not keep long, and is affected by seasonal factors—making late autumn to early winter the optimal brewing period, thus limiting production. To address this, the Jiahe Distillery began planning the development of a new product, Dao Gang Wine, in 1985. In 1988, technical experts focused specifically on research and trials. Building on traditional methods and adopting modern advanced brewing technology, it took three years, and in 1990, the new product “Jiahe Dao Gang Wine” was successfully produced, entering mass production in 1991. Producing the new wine involves over 20 procedures. The wine is brownish-yellow in color, with a rich aroma, smooth entry on the palate, and an alcohol content of about 22 degrees, sugar content (based on glucose solution) of 15 or above, classifying it as a low-alcohol sweet nutritional wine. Scientific tests show it contains over 22 types of essential amino acids for the human body, as well as various vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates needed by the body. Its nutrient content is five times that of beer, and it offers nourishing and body-strengthening benefits. Once launched on the market, Jiahe Dao Gang Wine quickly gained popularity among consumers, especially in Shenzhen. Former Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and member of the Standing Committee of the Central Advisory Commission, General Xiao Ke, praised it: “The water is sweet from home, but the wine is best when it’s Dao Gang.”