Wuzhong - Yellow Rice Wine

Wuzhong - Yellow Rice Wine

　　　　The brewing process of yellow rice wine is meticulous. To make the wine, one must first prepare the ingredients. On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, wild chrysanthemums are gathered, and medicinal residues (leftover dregs from boiling traditional Chinese medicine), wheat, and distiller’s yeast (known as "brewing starter") are prepared. The plump grains of glutinous millet are cooked into a porridge-like consistency, then mixed with the starter and placed in a vat with cool boiled water. The mixture is sealed and left to ferment. After about 40 days, the wine is ready. It is usually filtered through a coarse sieve or bamboo strainer inserted into the wine mash, then boiled before drinking. This might be the origin of what the ancients called “sieving wine.” The filtered and boiled yellow rice wine has a bright yellow color, a sweet and mellow fragrance, with a slight tangy and bitter taste. It is refreshing and appetizing, uplifting the spirits and invigorating the mood. Drinking it during the wheat harvest season also helps relieve summer heat and quench thirst.

　　Yellow rice wine is rich in vitamins and sugars, and contains abundant amino acids, earning it the title of the king of alcoholic beverages. Aged and well-preserved yellow rice wine is considered the best, which is why people often refer to aged liquor as yellow rice wine. During the Spring Festival or festive occasions such as weddings and funerals, it is filtered early and stored in vats in preparation for serving guests.

　　Those who have tried yellow rice wine often praise it endlessly and find its aftertaste unforgettable. Yellow rice wine is typically enjoyed with side dishes and a platter of dried fruits. The side dishes are mainly cold dishes, including both meat and vegetables. The dried fruit platter may include baked pastries (homemade snacks), almonds, peanuts, melon seeds, red dates, fried dough twists, and more — a colorful variety that fills the table and stimulates the appetite. If the yellow rice wine is boiled with scrambled eggs in oil, and served with crispy layered flatbread, it offers a uniquely delightful flavor.