Qiong Liquor

Qiong Liquor

Qiong Liquor is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Qiong Liquor

　　 The eight administrative regions currently under the jurisdiction of Lincong Town, Wolong Town, Baolin Town, Sangyuan Town, Guyi Town, Qianjin Town, Gaogeng Town, and Pingle Town in Qionglai City, Sichuan Province

　　The “Request for Delineating the Geographic Indication Product Protection Scope of Qiong Liquor” submitted by the People’s Government of Qionglai City, Sichuan Province, Document Qiong Fu [2012] No. 30, and the Sichuan (Regional) Local Standard: DB510183/T001-2010 “Qiong Liquor”

　　　The protected objects and scope of the Qiong Liquor geographic indication product include bottled strong-aroma Baijiu with an alcohol content above 38%, produced through pure brewing and solid-state fermentation in the eight towns of Lincong, Wolong, Baolin, Sangyuan, Guyi, Qianjin, Gaogeng, and Pingle, located along both banks of the Nanhe River in Qionglai. The approval of Qiong Liquor as a protected geographical indication product will enhance its added value and market competitiveness. Currently, the liquor industry has become a pillar of Qionglai's economy, with 168 Baijiu production enterprises across the city, total fixed assets exceeding 2 billion yuan, an annual output of 250,000 tons, accounting for 20% of Sichuan's total liquor production. Moving forward, Qionglai will formulate the “Qiong Liquor Geographic Indication Product Protection Measures” to effectively protect the Qiong Liquor GI product, standardize the application, use, and management of the Qiong Liquor GI-specific mark, and maintain the quality and characteristics of “Qiong Liquor.”

　　I. Raw and Auxiliary Materials

　　1. Sorghum: Produced in Sichuan and the three northeastern provinces, meeting national standards for sorghum.

　　2. Rice: Produced in Qionglai City, meeting national standards for rice.

　　3. Glutinous Rice: Produced in Qionglai City, meeting national standards for glutinous rice.

　　4. Wheat: Produced in Qionglai City, meeting national standards for wheat.

　　5. Corn: Produced in Qionglai City, meeting national standards for corn.

　　6. Husks: Fresh japonica rice husks, with a yellowish color, free from mold or off-odors.

　　7. Brewing Water: Drawn from groundwater, mountain springs, and the Nanhe River within the protected area, meeting national standards for drinking water.

　　II. Production Process

　　Raw materials → Crushing → Blending → Mixing → Steaming → Distillation → Quality-based Liquor Collection → Graded Storage → Blending and Flavoring → Evaluation → Product.

　　III. Key Production Control Points

　　1. Ingredient Ratios: 36% sorghum, 22% rice, 18% glutinous rice, 16% wheat, 8% corn; auxiliary materials consist of fresh japonica rice husks from the current year.

　　2. Starter: Qiong Liquor production uses medium-temperature starter (fermentation temperature 45°C–55°C) and medium-high-temperature starter (fermentation temperature 55°C–60°C), with a storage period of no less than 3 months.

　　3. Fermentation: Mud pit fermentation is used, with pits aged at least 10 years. The time from filling the mash into the pit and sealing for fermentation until the next unsealing and liquor extraction must be no less than 60 days. In cold seasons, the mash entering the pit is controlled at 16°C–18°C; in hot seasons, the entering temperature is slightly lower than ground temperature by 1°C–2°C.

　　4. Distillation: Slow fire (steam) for liquor collection, strong fire (steam) for steaming grains. The liquor collection temperature should be controlled at 25°C–30°C, and the collection speed at 2.0–2.5 kg/minute; the time from covering the tray to removing from the steamer must be ≥50 minutes, and the time from loading to unloading the steamer controlled at around 90 minutes.

　　5. Liquor Selection: The first 0.5 kg of “liquor head” is removed. Liquor is selected by taste and quality, grouped by quality, with “flower liquor” marking the end. The tail is chased with strong steam. The alcohol content of liquor stored in cellar must be above 60% vol.

　　 6. Storage: The base liquor of Qiong Liquor must be stored in pottery jars for no less than 2 years.

　　7. Prohibited Requirements: No edible alcohol or non-Baijiu-fermentation-derived aromatic or flavor substances may be added during production.

　　IV. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics:

　　Item High-alcohol Liquor 41% vol–68% vol Low-alcohol Liquor 38% vol–40% vol

　　Color and Appearance Colorless or slightly yellow, clear and transparent, free from suspended matter or sediment

　　 Aroma: Elegant composite aroma dominated by ethyl hexanoate

　　 Taste: Full-bodied and mellow wine, soft and sweet with comprehensive flavor, and a clean and refreshing aftertaste

　　 Style: Exhibits the typical style of this product

　　 2. Physicochemical indicators:

　　Item                                                                                      

　　41% vol ～ 68% vol 38% vol ～ 40% vol

　　Total acidity (calculated as acetic acid)

　　/ (g/L) ≥ 0.50 0.40

　　Total ester (calculated as 1

　　) / (g/L) ≥ 2.00 1.50

　　Ethyl hexanoate / (g/L) 1.30 ～ 2.80 0.80 ～ 2.20

　　Solids

　　/ (g/L) ≤ 0.40 0.70

　　 3. Safety and other quality and technical requirements: The safety and other quality and technical requirements of the product must comply with relevant national regulations