Alcoholic Drinks

1)The Invention of Alcohol

China is one of the first countries to have invented alcohol as a drink. A large number of pottery wine vessels were discovered in Shangdong at the runis of the Dawenkou culture which dates back 5,000 years. Recorded history tells about wine-making techniques of more than 4,000 years ago.

The earliest wines were made from food grains, mainly various kinds of rice, broomcorn and millet. As a result of improvements in brewing skills, the yellow wine made its appearance probably in the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.).

From an ancient tomb of the Warring States in Pingshan County of Hebei Province, large numbers of wine-storing and drinking vessels were excavated in the 1970s. Two of them contain an alcoholic drink made from wheat 2,280 years ago. It is probably the oldest liquor ever brought to light in the world.

2)Well-known Drinks in China

Chinese wines and liquors were assessed by a national panel of wine0tasting experts on three occasions, in 1953, 1963 and 1979.

The 1979 honour roll lists eighteen drinks, namely: Maotai, Fenjiu, Wuliangye, Jianchunjiu of Sichuan, Gujing Tribute Liquor, Yanghe Daqu of Jiangsu, Dongjiu, Luzhou Tequ, Shaoxing Jianfan, Longyang Chengangjiu, Tisingtao Beer, Yantai Red Wine, China Red Wine of Beijing, Great Wall White Wine of Shacheng, Hebei, Minquan White wine. Yantai Vermouth, Yantai Gold Stars Brandy, and Zhuyeqing of Shanxi.

Maotai has always been at the top of any listing of China's famous drinks. It is named after the small town of Maotai in GuizhouProvince where is it produced. Being almost indispensable at state banquets held in Beijing or official receptions given by Chinese envoys abroad, Maotai used to be the “national drink” or “diplomatic drink” of the country. It is the most valued drink when friends and relatives gather on holidays or other festive occasions. But owing to the big gap between supply and demand, its price has gone up greatly in recent years.