This week was Vancouver’s love letter to cocktails and the city’s bar scene. A week’s worth of celebration with drink paired dinners, spirit seminars, and even a cocktail gala.
Our first Cocktail week event was at Good Thief. This was ann afternoon seminar where guests got to learn more about the bourgeoning world spirit: Baijiu. Or rather its subset: Fenjiu, known as a light premium Baijiu.
Here, it is important to note that not all Baijiu is Fenjiu, but all Fenjiu is Baijiu. Admittedly I know little about this spirit so was eager to get a good base of knowledge here and now.
Baijiu is a clear, high-alcohol, Chinese spirit varying from 30-60% ABV. It is traditionally distilled from sorghum, a highly drought-resistant, versatile, and ancient cereal grain. It is aged in clay jars and is known for its intense aroma and complex flavours, ranging from savoury soy sauce to fruity notes. It is often enjoyed neat.
It is split into 3 different categories based on aroma: Sauce Aroma, Strong Aroma, and Light Aroma. Today we were exclusively only tasting and learning about the latter with light, clean, and dry characteristics.
Baijiu has over 6,000 years of history, and is the world’s most-consumed spirit. However the nuanced Fenjiu,“Light Aroma” category is the industry’s best-kept secret. For those unfamiliar, it has be compared to mezcal for its deep cultural significance and its versatility behind the bar.
Today’s seminar was a deep dive starting with history, before we learned how it is produced, and what makes it a standout as a would-be bar staple.
Produced by Xinghuacun Distillery, Fenjiu is made from sorghum, barley, and peas. Instead of a distillation, Fenjiu undergoes fermentation using a starter called “qu”. The process is done underground in stone pits using a unique twice-steaming process, resulting in fewer impurities. For Fenjiu it is less about the aging process and the vessels they sit in to influence, but the quality of the base ingredients instead
Before today I only knew Baijiu as a high alcohol spirit that goes in hot and shocks the system. Herbal like medicine, I likened it to a more vegetal and woodsy gin with bold notes to pair with China’s bold flavours and propensity for vinegars, chilli, soy, and fermented flavours in its cuisine.
Therefore one of my takeaways is that Fenjiu is the oldest known and largest brand in China, but is also available with a lower ABV for the American Market. And like vodka it is available flavoured. We tried a bamboo one that reminded many of us ginseng and other herbal roots. Many more of us loved the rose flavoured one with its creamy finish that reminded me of cream soda.
I found this seminar like a gateway into the world of Chinese spirits and look forward to learning more about it through tasting and discovering it in a cocktail.
