The Sweet and Thick Rice-wine in Xian

The sweet and thick rice-wine in Xi’an, also known as yellow cassia wine, is one of the famous beverages of the region. It does not look clear as the popular white liquor but rather resembles the soya bean milk with a little stickiness. It was known as the “Jade Juice” in ancient times but is now commonly known as “sweet and thick wine” or “sweet rice-wine” in Xi’an.  It is good for stopping cough and doing well to lungs, activating stomach function and invigorating blood circulation, therefore stimulating appetite and increasing body-heat. It is not only a kind of beverage in your daily life but also a good match for the rice liquor of “Maotai” and “Xifeng” at a grand banquet and is welcome among the broad masses of people.

Sweet and Thick Rice-wine

The sweet and sticky wine requires to be meticulously brewed. Firstly, wash the glutinous rice clean, soak it in a bucket for over 4 hours, and pour into a pot to steam for about 15 minutes till the rice is 80% cooked. Next, pour cold water over the rice, let it dry up a little, and mix the yeast evenly into the rice. At last, properly seal it in a vat for three-day fermentation at a temperature of about 30 degrees centigrade. After fermentation is finished, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. Just get some from the vat, pour in cold water, churn it up, filter the fluid, and boil it up. You also can add some sugar or yellow cassia to warm stomach.