Chinese rice wine, also known as rice wine or rice wine, is one of the traditional fermented liquors in China with a long history. The history of rice wine dates back thousands of years, and it is said that the technology to make fermented wine was already in place as early as the Xia Dynasty (2070 BC to 1600 BC).
The production process of rice wine mainly includes the steps of material selection, steaming, fermentation and aging. The first is the material selection stage, where high-quality rice, wheat, glutinous rice and other raw materials are selected for washing, removing impurities, and then soaking and steaming. This is followed by steaming, in which steamed grains are placed in a brewing jar and fermented with koji (a starter culture that contains yeast and enzymes) and water are added. During fermentation, the yeast and enzymes in the koji convert the starch in the grains into sugars, which are then further fermented into alcohol and other compounds.
Finally, there is the aging stage, where the fermented raw materials will be aged for a certain period of time, so that the taste and aroma of rice wine can be further improved. The length of aging time and the way it is aged are also one of the key factors in the taste of rice wine.
In the process of making rice wine, it is also important to control the heat to ensure that the rice wine is boiled more richly. The whole steaming process needs a steam generator to provide steam, so that the steamed rice wine will be warm and mellow. In addition, the use of steam generators can also avoid some problems that may occur in the traditional winemaking process, such as temperature and humidity instability, air pollution, etc., which can significantly improve the quality of rice wine. At the same time, the use of steam generators can also reduce labor input and cost burden, thereby improving the economic efficiency of the brewing company.
In general, the production process of Chinese rice wine has been inherited and developed over a long period of time, forming a unique process and flavor characteristics, and has become an indispensable part of Chinese wine culture.