Sulima Gāngdāng Wine

Sulima Gāngdāng Wine

　　Sulima Gāngdāng Wine is a famous specialty of Yan Yuan County in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Also known as "Kèrì" or "Ān'ěrjì", it is a traditional drink commonly consumed and served to guests by the Nàrì people living around Lugu Lake. With an alcohol content of around 30%, it is crystal clear, fragrant, and one can drink a lot without getting heavily intoxicated.

　　“Sulima Gāngdāng Wine,” also known as “Rìjǐ” or “Kèrì,” is a must-have hospitality drink in every Nàrì household around Lugu Lake in Yan Yuan County. It has a refreshing taste that is fragrant, sweet, and slightly sour—reminiscent of beer but even better.

　　Gāngdāng Wine has an alcohol content of around 10% and is light yellow in color, containing 11 different types of amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutrients. The brewing method involves mixing various grains such as highland barley, wheat, barley, buckwheat, barnyard grass, corn, and millet, boiling them in a large iron pot, then drying them until they develop a slightly scorched-bottom flavor. The mixture is then cooled in a winnowing basket and combined with homemade yeast collected and prepared by Nàrì women. This is then placed into a bamboo fermentation vessel called a “Rìkǎ.” Once a wine aroma develops, the mixture is transferred into a sealed wine jar. After about ten days, it can be opened and mixed with spring water from the “Daughter’s Cave.” Soon after, the liquid is extracted using a hollowed “Zhedí” (a bent bamboo tube) and poured into a jar for drinking. Its flavor remains unchanged even when stored for many days. FTM