Fenjiu Brewing Technology

The process of distilling Fenjiu can be divided into seven main steps: the pulverisation (of sorghum), soaking of the red grind, earthen cauldron steaming, extraction and adding of water, cooling and adding of yeast, and earthen cylinder fermentation.

The first step in the Fenjiu distilling process involves pulverising unprocessed sorghum grains. The pulverised sorghum grain, referred to at this stage as “red grind”, then undergoes the next step of “hot soaking”. Before being steamed, hot water must be added to the red grind that must be well stirred. The purpose of this soaking process is to ensure that the sorghum grain absorbs the desired volume of water required to later form a paste. This step is followed by “earthen cauldron steaming” and the “extraction and adding of water”. These two steps involve inserting the red grind into a large earthen cauldron where it is steamed for approximately eighty minutes. Fresh cold water is then added to the steamed grind to allow the paste mixture to be formed.

After forming a paste, the hot red grind is removed from the earthen cauldron and cooled to the desired temperature using a specialist aeration cooling system. During the cooling process, yeast is added and mixed thoroughly together with the red grind. This step is called “cooling and adding of yeast“.

The next step is the earthen cylinder fermentation. Earthen cylinder fermentation is an old traditional technique unique to Fenjiu’s distilling process. Fenjiu has continued to employ the traditional fermentation and distilling process that has used solid earthen cylinders during the double fermentation process since ancient times. This process is fundamentally different from other techniques that involve the use of mud and stone cellars, which are often aromated with scents such as tea-leaves and soy sauce. The purpose of Fenjiu’s unique fermentation process is to provide the optimal environment for the sorghum grain to react with the yeast and turn into sugar, and then into a high concentration of alcohol. Each earthen cylinder is buried underground with its lid lying flat on the earth’s surface. Ensuring that there is no excess water at the bottom of the earthen cylinder, a precise measure of yeast is added; after the red grind paste has reached the desired temperature, it is poured into the cylinder so that it is filled to the brim and the top is levelled off for fermentation. Any residual paste is cleaned from the cylinder’s surroundings; the cylinder is covered by a stone slate and sealed tightly with fresh grain or cornhusk. During the fermentation process, the grain or cornhusk and the outside soil are completely separated to ensure that harmful organisms from the outside soil and air are unable to interfere with the fermentation process and to ensure the highest level of fragrance, purity and hygiene. The fermentation process usually takes around twenty eight days or longer.

Distillation is an important process in the production of Fenjiu. After at least 28 days of fermentation, the quality of the originally unprocessed sorghum grain has reached the desired level and the red grind mixture is now referred to as fermented grain. At this point, the fermented grain is extracted from the earthen cylinder cornhusk is added for distillation. Adding cornhusk at this stage ensures that the fermented grain is able to reach the desired level of heat, thus increasing the yield of the alcohol, and any excess moisture is absorbed.