Selenium-Rich Indigenous Liquor – Maltose Water Wine

Selenium-Rich Indigenous Liquor – Maltose Water Wine

　　Selenium-Rich Indigenous Liquor – Maltose Water Wine

　　The Youjiang Tujia Autonomous County features rugged terrain, steep mountains, and abundant rainfall, making it ideal for growing corn and sweet potatoes. The Tujia people, who have long inhabited these lofty mountains, are known for their bold character and warm hospitality. When guests arrive from afar, the hosts serve them a bowl of the region’s distinctive yellow-hued beverage—Maltose Water Wine. One sip, and you’ll feel your thirst and hunger vanish, leaving you refreshed and content. This ancient indigenous drink has been passed down through generations and is beloved by all ages. It also serves as a treasured item at banquets, combining the roles of both wine and beverage.

　　Maltose Water Wine, also known as Banquet Wine, is literally made from corn and maltose to entertain guests, typically with an alcohol content of around 18–25 degrees. Its production process is as follows: First, newly harvested, plump corn grains are selected and steamed in a vat, then cooled and mixed with sweet wine starter to ferment until it develops an alcoholic aroma, after which it is transferred to large earthenware jars. Fresh sweet potatoes are boiled, then fermented with malt, mashed, and filtered to remove potato residue. The resulting potato juice is boiled down into a thin malt syrup and poured into the jar. The jar is then sealed with a tong leaf cover, fastened tightly with hemp twine, and sealed with diluted yellow mud. After more than a month, the jar is opened. About 150 pounds of corn mash and 200 pounds of maltose water are used per jar, and the wine can be stored for over three years. When served, the corn residue is filtered out, revealing a golden, transparent liquid with a mellow, sweet fragrance and endless aftertaste, invigorating and refreshing. During busy farming seasons, workers take a flask up the mountain—just one bowl revives energy and relieves fatigue, boosting efficiency. Hence the proverb: “First, it intoxicates; second, it satisfies; third, it quenches thirst.” Back home after work, a bowl at dinner helps soothe muscles, improve circulation, and relieve tiredness.

　　Though unassuming in appearance and rustic in serving style, Maltose Water Wine is highly nutritious. According to the “Water Sample Analysis Report” by the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the wine contains over ten essential trace elements vital to the human body, such as zinc, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium, particularly rich in selenium. Analysis by the Nutrition Research Institute of the Guizhou University College of Agriculture shows that the product is abundant in 21 types of amino acids and other nutrients. Pharmacological experiments conducted by the Guiyang Medical College have demonstrated that the wine offers multiple health benefits, including anti-hypoxia, fatigue relief, hunger resistance, cold tolerance, promotion of growth and development, physical strengthening, enhanced intelligence, and longevity.

　　Currently, Maltose Water Wine has been developed for commercial distribution, and its products are sold to hotels and restaurants in Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions, earning high praise from diners.