Luohuo Highland Barley Wine

Luohuo Highland Barley Wine

　　　Highland barley wine, known as "Qiang" in Tibetan, is made from highland barley, a staple grain native to Tibet. It is the Tibetans' favorite alcoholic drink and is indispensable during festivals, weddings, childbirths, and when welcoming or seeing off relatives and friends.

　　The brewing method and process of highland barley wine are as follows: First, the highland barley is washed, being careful not to soak it in water for too long. Then it is poured into a pot and cooked with more than two-thirds of its volume in water. When the water in the pot has been fully absorbed by the barley, the heat should not be too strong. While cooking, stir the barley up and down with a stick to ensure it is fully cooked, and occasionally pinch a grain with your fingers. If it’s still too hard, add a bit more water and continue cooking. Once the barley is about 80% cooked, take the pot off the heat and let it cool for 20–30 minutes. By this time, the water will have been completely absorbed by the barley. While the barley is still warm, spread it out on a clean cloth that has been laid out, then evenly sprinkle it with distiller’s yeast. If the barley is too hot when sprinkling the yeast, the resulting wine may turn bitter; if it’s too cool, the fermentation may not proceed well. After the yeast is applied, place the barley back into the pot and wrap it up with cotton or other insulating materials. In summer, fermentation occurs after two nights, while in winter it takes about three days. If the temperature is just right, you’ll typically notice the wine aroma after just one night. If no smell is detected after a day, it means the fermentation temperature was insufficient, and you should place a bottle of hot water on top of the wrapped materials to slightly cool the fermented barley to improve the sweetness. Then, pour it into a pottery container designed for filtering the barley wine. If you wish to drink it immediately, add water and wait four hours before filtering.

　　If you don’t need it right away, seal the pot and the spout, and add water whenever needed. The first batch of water should be added to a level two inches above the fermented barley, while the second and third batches should be added to match the height of the barley. The wine sealed with the pot lid tends to be stronger, so it is often the preferred choice among the three batches.

　　Tibetans also have many customs and rules regarding offering and drinking wine. During festive occasions such as holidays, if conditions allow, silver wine pots and cups should be used. In addition, a small dab of butter should be placed on the spout of the pot and the rim of the cup. This is called "Gaaerjian," meaning “white decoration.” When the host offers the first cup of wine to a guest, the guest should lift the cup, dip the tip of their right ring finger into the barley wine, and flick a bit into the air. After repeating this gesture three times, the host will then offer the “Three Sips, One Cup” ritual. This involves taking three consecutive sips, and after each sip, the host refills the cup. On the third refill, the guest is expected to finish the entire cup.

　　Additionally, after the meal, the host will offer each guest a large bowl of wine. Any guest who can drink is expected to accept this bowl and not refuse. Otherwise, the host may penalize them with two extra large bowls. This post-meal wine is called “Post-Meal Silver Bowl Wine.” Ideally, this should be served in a large silver bowl, but a beautiful large ceramic bowl is usually an acceptable substitute.

　　Singing toast songs is also one of the most meaningful and widespread customs among Tibetans. There is a Tibetan saying: “To drink without singing a toast song is like a donkey drinking water.” Whoever offers the toast sings a song. A commonly sung lyric goes something like: “Today we gather joyfully, may we stay together for a long time. Oh, people united in harmony, may you all be free from illness and disaster!” The lyrics of the toast song can also be improvised by the person offering the toast. After the toast song is sung, the drinker must finish the cup in one go.