The aroma of baijiu is closely related to its brewing process. Different brewing processes produce different chemical compositions, which in turn form different aroma profiles. So, do the storage periods of these liquor with different flavors be the same?
First, let's take a look at the sauce-flavored liquor. The representative of this liquor is Moutai, and its raw materials are mainly sorghum and wheat. In the brewing process, it needs to go through multiple fermentation and distillation, and the amount of koji used is relatively large, and it is also stored in a special cellar. This pit is built with stone walls and mud bottoms, and the storage period is usually more than 3 years.
This is followed by the aromatic liquor. The raw materials of this liquor are also sorghum and wheat, but the temperature at which the koji is made is lower than that of the sauce-flavored liquor. In the brewing process, the method of mixed steaming and firing is adopted, and the amount of koji used is about 20%. The storage is in a sludge cellar with a storage period of one year.
Let's take a look at the fragrant liquor. The raw material of this sake is mainly sorghum, and barley and peas are used to make koji. The temperature of koji making is low, no more than 50 °C, and it is fermented by steaming process and ground tank. The storage period is relatively short, at one year.
Finally, there is rice-flavored liquor. The main ingredient of this sake is rice, and rice koji is used to make koji. The fermentation process is a semi-liquid method, which is different from the solid-state method. The fermentation cycle is short, only about 7 days, and the storage period is also short, generally 3 to 6 months.
In addition to the above flavors, there are also some other flavors of liquor. The process of these liquors is different from that of other aroma types, such as Dongjiu using the large and small koji process, Xifeng liquor using barley and peas to make koji, and fermenting using raw mud cellars. The shelf life of these wines also varies.
To sum up, the storage period of liquor with different aroma types is different. This is because there are differences in the brewing process, raw material selection and fermentation methods of different flavor types of baijiu, resulting in different chemical composition and quality characteristics. Therefore, in order to maintain the flavor and quality of baijiu, it is necessary to choose the appropriate storage method and time according to its aroma.